Cerdon & Belley

(Cerdon Valley -- see all those vineyards?)

Guess what? Internet access is available even at the old seminary of Belley! I haven't a clue how old the building is we're staying in. Suffice it to say it's OLD. It's big and old. But it has internet.

Our trip today was spectacular. We walked in Jean Claude Colin's footsteps from ordination through the first ten years of his priestly life. This is where he spent these years. Cerdon!!!! It's the place where he settled into his priesthood and allowed God to mold him into the religious, priest, and man he would be.(me overlooking Cerdon -- just tasting the wine)

Cerdon is a beautiful place and has lots of vineyards. And they make great wine -- I've already tasted some of their famous sparkling wine. I'm waiting to taste the 'still' wine that Cerdon is famous for. Of course, that wasn't the focus of Fr. Colin. He came here to preach the Gospel and to work towards bringing the Blessed Mother's desire of a Society to fulfillment.

Along with his brother Fr. Pierre Colin and eventually Fr. Declas they started preaching missions in the Bugey Mountain area. It's beautiful here! Fr. Bruce was lucky enough to have his Mass day fall on this day. So, he Presided at the Mass for us in the Church of Cerdon where Fr. Colin was a curate. It was an amazing experience.

Enough for now. It's late and I have to get up early. Hope the retreat went well you were all in my prayers.


(Fr. Bruce Presiding at Mass in Cerdon -- Fr Colin's original assignment as a priest.)

(I'm standing in front of the original altar used during Colin's time for Mass.)