Three senior Reginites, Allie Svachula, Sam Koutnik, and Maddy Fox, took part in a service trip to Lourdes, France where they were able to help the less fortunate. In the week they spent in Lourdes, they went to mass every day to pray for the people they aided.

Koutnik said, “Going to mass was not forced upon the group. We went because the experience was what you made out of it.”

In Lourdes, Sam, Allie, and Maddy worked and assisted the Malades in completing their pilgrimage. They traveled through the city with the Malades (the sick with their caregivers) to different grottoes and chapels. By far, their favorite part of this journey was the people they were with. With a group of 36, all three Reginites  still keep in touch through their group chat. The majority of the group were high school juniors and seniors, spread out from surrounding schools such as Loyola Academy and St. Ignatius Academy.

Although the language barrier was a rough aspect of their trip, Maddy Fox, who studied French was able to communicate with others more easily. Even though they had this challenge, they were still able to bond with the Malades. Allie says that she was able to learn a lot about the life of the man she was helping in Lourdes even though the two could not communicate through language. Each girl connected with the people they came across and all three students were sad to leave.

Lourdes is a city on the northwest side of France, near the Pyrenees Mountains. Its famous tourist sites include the Sanctuaires Notre-Dame de Lourdes, or the Domain, a major Catholic pilgrimage site. Every year, many people go on a pilgrimage to the Grotto of Massabielle where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to the young girl, Bernadette, in 1858. Some activities of the pilgrims consist of drinking or bathing in water flowing from a spring in the grotto. Pilgrims also participate in visiting the three Basilicas of the city, they take part in nightly candlelit processions, and walk through the stations of the cross. Sam, Maddy, and Allie had the freedom to participate in these activities as well.

While they were not dedicating their time to helping the people of Lourdes, they traveled to other cities such as Madrid and San Sebastián, Spain. While they were traveling, Sam, Allie, and Maddy were able to discover the food, fashion, and history of these cities. While their favorite activity was aiding the disadvantaged, their favorite city was San Sebastián. In the four days they spent there, they enjoyed the unlimited amount of delectable treats, the beautiful scenery, and the charming culture. They had the opportunity to swim in the ocean and hike in the wildlife. The layout of San Sebastián was intriguing to the girls because of its beach-like structure. Maddy says that it was hard to fit in Spain because Chicago culture is so different. On their day in Madrid though (Sam’s favorite city), the trio was very excited to see some American culture in such a foreign place in the form of a McDonalds.

Their experience helping the people of Lourdes was extremely beneficial and they continue to look for more worldwide opportunities to help communities. They found out about this trip through Regina alumna Erin Crowley ’15 and Abby Smith ’15 who went on the same expedition several years ago.

If any other girls are interested in this trip and would like more information, they can contact any of the three girls. There is no website for information. However,  Sam, Allie, and Maddy will be happy to provide the email of their trip leader if anyone is interested in going next year.