Pints With Aquinas - Come to France with us! (May 31 – June 9, 2023)

Episode Date: October 11, 2022

Pints With Aquinas Seine River Cruise in France (with an Optional Extension to Lourdes) May 31 – June 9, 2023: https://selectinternationaltours.com/matt-fradd/

Lovely to see you here. How's things? Good, good. Thanks. I had a busy day. Tuesday's our busiest day. We do a St. Joseph's co-op. It's a wonderful, beautiful group of moms and kiddos and just a lot. So I like home school my kids on my own in the morning and then go from there to this wonderful co-op where we do truth, goodness, and beauty. We study an artist. We study a composer, Shakespeare, poetry, some other stuff, it's great. I had a baby fall asleep on me, so I kind of have spit up, so I'm trying to cover it with my lovely starry sky.

And then from there, take our girls to gymnastics, and then now I'm here. This is the first time I've really sat down today. Well, we want to do a couple of things today. In particular, we want to advertise a trip to France that we're going on next July, which you can come to if you want. This is your official invite.

We'd like to invite you. This is your official invite. Click the link in the description and you will learn all about it. It's from. May 31st to June 9th is the the river cruise and then the post tour is June 9th to 12th which is in Lourdes. So we're gonna be a part of all of it. We're super excited. I can't wait. I've never been to Lourdes. I

actually did this cruise almost the exact same cruise last year. I loved it so much. I said I want to do it again but this time I want to bring my family. Alright so before we get into other topics, why should people come on this cruise? What would actually be an enjoyable, restful, beautiful, leisurely experience? Okay, so I was talking to a couple of other ladies who are bringing their kids to the Brewinger's

maybe in France at the same time as us, which would be super cool. But I was talking to them about packing for traveling with kids internationally or yourself. Like it's just a lot, but I said what I love about it, for the most part, we just get our stuff on the ship and then our hotel moves with us. And it's a beautiful hotel, it's a beautiful,

well, it's a beautiful ship, it's a river cruise. And I love it because we've done regular cruises. They're way too big and like, okay, yeah, there's a bunch of Catholics, but you're a small portion of the ship and you have to go past very immodestly dressed people that are drunk and you're just like, oh great, I'm so glad I saw those thumb bikinis trying to get through. Oh, to Holy Mass. To Holy Mass.

Where's this? You're the whole cruise ship. So unless Father Joseph Anthony, no, I'm not even gonna go through. Don't do that. He doesn't have a bathing suit. Let's just drop that. Moving fast. Everyone there is there to grow in holiness and to have a good time. So we have the whole ship. We have the entire ship to ourselves. I've requested the same tour guide I had last time because I loved him so much and you'll love him as well. Julian, he's wonderful. I had last time because I loved him so much and you'll love him as well Julian. He's wonderful I I don't know if we have the same captain in the crew, but the crew was all amazing

When you come onto the ship, they welcome you they have cocktails every day. They come up with a different Cocktail drink and they'll like make fun ones for people that aren't drinking alcohol. So the kids will get like fun fancy Drinks and it's just they're lovely it's very hospitable I I get intimidated when I'm in a foreign country and I can't read the menu and so there's things I wouldn't try so like when we went out to the restaurants I stuck with like normal basic things and I was like for mage yes I'll do that pizza for mage but the cool thing about being on the ship is the chef is a five-star. He's amazing. And you'll get a five course meal and it's delicious.

No, sorry. Three course meal, five star chef, three course meal. And then they'll tell you. And what I love about French people is like, you'll be like, Oh, I want to get that same bottle of wine from last night. They'll be like, no, no, you chose, you chose the seafood. So this is the wine you should have. And they're like, this is what will taste the best. And you're like, no, you chose the seafood. So this is the wine you should have. And they're like, this is what will taste the best. And you're like, oh, I guess I'll try that. But then if you don't like it,

then they will give you the red wine, even though it doesn't go with the seafood. And tell us where some of the places we're gonna go. Okay. What we're gonna see. St. Therese of Les Eaux. We're gonna go to her house. We're gonna go to her family home. We're gonna go to the big cathedral there where her

remains are as well as her parents' remains, which I just fell in love with them last time, Zellie and Louise. I was like, yes, these are my people. We celebrated Mass in the... not basement, what's the word for crypt? Crypt, yeah. There you go. That's much better. Fancy a word. Much fancier. Same thing. And so I got out from where the reliquary is, and I went to like sit with everyone else for Mass. I was like, no, I want to go back there. And I just sat by them and just like, for the sign of peace,

I totally hugged and kissed the reliquary. That's amazing. And I was just like, these are my people. Like you, I mean, their daughter was a saint and probably way easier to raise than some of our kids. But I just felt like, okay, you get it. You get having lots of kids and little ones that are running around and being crazy.

Can you pull up the dates? Yeah, not just the dates, but what we're doing each day. The schedule, yes, yes. And so we're actually gonna start in Le Zoo. And then from there, we're gonna go to Mount St. Michael, which is this amazing, gorgeous island that's like an abbey, I think it is. Cool.

And then it's gorgeous. Yeah, okay, so we're in Le Zoo for two days, then Honfleur, what's that? Normandy beaches, nice. Yes, Honfleur was one of my favorite cities, which I don't, it just has such a, it's a coastal city and it just has such amazing character.'s a coastal city and it just has such amazing character and all the cities we go to, like there's just gorgeous churches and it's just,

Hanflur is very rustic and beautiful and the people are lovely, the food's amazing, you see all the boats coming in. We go to the beaches of Normandy where my grandfather came upon the shore in World War II with a lot of other people's relatives. And then Rouen. Did y'all? I don't know, but Rouen? Rouen.

Rouen, is that how you say it? Rouen. Alright, so you went there. So Joan of Arc. Rouen is where Joan of Arc was burned at the state, which was, I found really powerful to be in the place where she was and to pray there. That was amazing. There's a gorgeous Notre Dame

Cathedral. I didn't know this. There's a bajillion Notre Dame cathedrals. I'm pretty sure that's the official number in France, which are all glorious. And so they spared the stained glass windows. They took them all out of the cathedral when all the bombing was going on during World War II. when all the bombing was going on during the World War II. And that's what they made Joan of Arc, the church isn't the most beautiful architect, but there's gorgeous stained glass window. Nice. So click the link in the description below

to learn more and sign up. Yes. We would love to have you come with us. And our priest friend, Father Joseph Anthony is a huge history by historian. We're gonna go to where Thomas Aquinas taught, which is the first place you mentioned earlier. Oh, that's in Paris.

No, I think we end in Paris. So we're doing the opposite. We're starting up here and then we're going to... Toulouse is where he's buried. Yeah. So we're going to go see a bunch of different things. Yeah, it's going to be great. Including maybe some of his autographs.

Yes, he's going to... Oh, can I quickly refute this Protestant? Okay, vertical view. Sorry, it was like the one kind of like shot at Catholicism. So I can't let this go without just demolishing it. There's nothing biblical about purgatory. It only serves as a spit in the face of Christ in the work he did on the cross. No it doesn't, and here's why.

Two biblical truths that are undeniable is one, most of us are still sinning or at least wounded by sin at the time of our death. Two, there will be no sinning or woundedness brought about by sin in heaven. Therefore, how do you explain that transition? Catholics call it purgatory, which is the final rush of our sanctification. So it's not a spit In the face of Christ. It's the work that he accomplished that's applied to us If it hasn't been fully applied to us in this life, so their vertical view. Okay. I read another comment because

I'm gonna comment on I think it's Ian up here at the top He said that you can see the costume that Jonah, it's a Joan of Arc costume that Saint Therese wore. And I love this and I did see it and I found it so powerful because I love all of our saints and all of these amazing, beautiful, powerful women and I actually have used this before in a talk that I've given to women. I'm like how sad would the world be if we did not have the little flower? She as a child just dressed up as Joan of Arc as this fierce powerful warrior. What if she said if I can't be Joan of Arc then I don't want to be holy. Like I just am a failure of a human person. We would all, the world would be a sadder place. It would be a much poorer

place because we didn't have the little flower. But she said I love Joan of Arc. I want to be like her but then she was who she was, right? She was the little flower that the Lord called her to be. And I just, I love that. Too beautiful, amazing. Yes, non-Catholic. Rowan Williams says, ah, non-Catholics, welcome on the pilgrimage. Yes. Absolutely. More than welcome. So actually, the cruise that I did last time was a Catholic pilgrimage. And at one point, my friend who runs a lot of my social media is not Catholic, and she came.

And at one point, we were in a church, and I went up to the top, and there was a dead body, because... Catholics. Catholics. And beautiful, holy person. I'm like, I'm so sorry. I don't know who you are, but please pray for my husband

and my family back home. And I'm like having a chat with this guy that's in heaven. And then afterwards, I go sit by my Protestant friend, and I'm like like I think there may be an incorruptible up there I have no idea who it is she's like oh I think it's um Saint Vincent de Paul and I was like really why would you think that she's like because on the itinerary it says we're at Saint Vincent de Paul church yeah that would do it um I I someone's Catherine LeBore we'll be seeing her. Sorry. Oh, it's going to be terrific. No, it's okay. I, you know, the sacred heart, the visions that were given to Margaret Mary Alacocque are so powerful.

And in, because there are a response to Jansenism, right? This idea that we have a God who does not desire all men to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth, but a God who died for the elect, let's say. And there were even some kind of religious statuary that sought to exemplify that, where you don't have a Christ whose arms are outstretched to embrace the whole world, but up like this, signifying the small group of the elect that he chose to save.

And so what I'm seeing when I read the French saints is just this emphasis on mercy and abandonment to Christ and confidence in his love. And that goes all the way from, right I mean Margaret Mary Alcock and but certainly Therese de Blasier, Francis de Sales and even modern writers like Jacques Philippe who's emphasizing this abandonment to Christ so one of the things I want to do on this pilgrimage is do a book study on I Believe in Love, which is a retreat based on the teachings of Therese of Lisieux. So I just love the idea that we could perhaps

do this, that we could sort of schedule out a time each morning to come together to drink coffee and to do a little book study. So that's something I want to do as well. And we are going to the Sac Le Coeur, I think is how you say it, but a Sacred Heart. It's beautiful, beautiful church. And my friend that was not Catholic was very moved being there, praying there. And we also prayed, we had mass in the crepe there as well. And she just, she's like, I don't know what's going on, but this is a really powerful place.

And just, yeah, and so much gorgeous artwork too, just amazing. Oh, we're gonna go to Monet's Gardens as well. Speaking of artists that we're studying, which will be amazing and beautiful. And yeah, so many great places. And then not to mention our after trip to Lourdes, which I can't wait. I am so excited.

I keep talking to Lord, you can take away my pain pain and everything now or you can wait to Lord's. That's okay. You may heal me in Lord's. I'm fine. Yes, yes. For those who are watching, my wife deals with chronic pain issues and so that's what you're referring to. Yeah, you doing okay today? Yeah, tired but good. Yeah, what's funny, it's deceptive because you smile and then you say things like, ah, my hip just dislocated and you mean that, right? You're not being hyperbolic. Your lip, your hip dislocates. You knelt and received Eucharist,

and you said your knee dislocated. Yeah, I can't really kneel anymore. I do like this awkward, I lean on the railing. Because if I get down, I can't get back up. What does that feel like to have your knee dislocate? It hurts a lot. And what's the difference between, say, bang, because I've never had anything dislocate

Banging your knee really hard and having it. It's a it's a intense pressure when it's not in so it dislocates And it's like banging it and it's like oh that hurts, but then it's like this Really intense like oh, I need to get it back in I need to get it back in and sometimes Because I have this weird disease that my joints go in and out sometimes It's just a matter of straightening my leg and It'll pop back in and it's like, okay, it's back in and then you can like breathe again, but it's like a really Remember that time you and I were intense pressure you and I were like mucking around and kind of Playfully wrestling in our house and I dislocated your shoulder. Yeah

You don't feel good as a husband when you accidentally dislocate your wife's shoulder But I don't know if we knew how serious like this disease had. Yeah, I mean, like it wasn't like I had dislocated a normal person. Well, in fairness, it was it was my bad shoulder, which I dislocated like 50 times. That's what we said to the police when they arrived in fairness to him. Fairness to him. It's a bad shoulder. It pops in and out. And you helped me put it back in.

And I felt that. Yeah. But I tell you, I got say this as a shout out to you, our kids, when they playfully make fun of you, just like when they playfully make fun of dad who is walking around the house shouting, where are your shoes? Turn the bloody lights off. The way they mimic you is by like hopping around saying, praise you Jesus, praise you Jesus, praise you Jesus. Which is like a really nice compliment actually, you know, because that is what you do. Yeah, that is nice. There's a lot worse things I could say. I'm glad we don't mimic those. Trying to be mindful of little ears. Yeah. Anyway, so I am looking for it. I mean, I

don't like pilgrimages, because I hate the idea of suitcases and lines and airports and just travel in general. You're gonna love this one. Yeah. Because most of the time, like there are, like we'll stay at a hotel in Luzhou and then in Paris, but the rest of the time, oh, and then Lourdes as well. I didn't do Lourdes last night,

but the rest of the time, your stuff stays in your room and the boat takes you to and from different ports and then you kind of get on a bus just for a little bit though. There's no really long bus lines. And then we are like, we're only bringing 80 other people with us. It's our family, Father Joseph Anthony, and then 80 of y'all. And half of you have already signed up.

Wow, I didn't realize that. Yeah. Okay, so if you want to come. We got 40 spots left. I'm not sure the exact but right around 40 spots left and but it's nice. It's relaxing that the ships small enough that the kids can go to and from different places like you know, this is where I go. So like you almost get in a habit where like if you have the same spot that you want to take your prayer every morning, you can one of the rooms rooms we're gonna use is an adoration chapel.

You can go sit in there. Like it's gonna be peaceful and it's not too much running around. I feel like sometimes pilgrimages are like everything's scheduled from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed. And we're gonna be going places, but then you'll also have your own time that you can go

and pray on your own. It's really powerful to like, I don't know, so many places where you can just go off and pray and then it's like optional if you want to go back to the ship for lunch or like have your own leisurely lunch in the city or town that we're in. Okay, we got a good question here. How do you fit 80 people on a bus? There'll be two buses. Okay.

There's a really good answer there. Yeah. So yeah, I am assuming you can fit 40 people on a bus. There were like big buses. Yeah, my guess would be 50 people per bus. So yeah, we'll have 90 including us. So yeah, we'll have. And how hot is it? I don't know. How hot was it when you went? Oh, it's lovely. Perfect. We needed a light sweater or jacket in the evenings, but during the day we didn't need anything. But it was a different time of year,

so I would assume it would be warmer. Hey, there's a guy on here from France. Could you tell us what the weather's going to be like at the end of May, beginning of June? Yeah, and just all the churches are just so glorious. Like they really are just so beautiful and the stained glass and even the churches being in there and you're like this church is older than my entire country. Right? You too, your country's not that old. Toads. Toads McGoats. Some of you may be from old countries and that may not be true. Oh, but if someone from Europe wants to meet us there, there's two different packages.

You can do the land only package where everyone else like the price our flights included in it. That's good to know. Okay. So if people pay this pilgrimage company, they get flights. Is that included? Yes. Yep. Flights, travel insurance, like all your stuff. Or food. The vast majority of your food. So I think it's like breakfast and dinner every day and then some lunches. But you can read the fine print, I don't remember.

I'm super pumped, I think I am. I think I'll be pumped when I get there. Yeah, I'm excited. And I also think it's a great, and then someone asked about kids. We're recommending they be like 10 and up. Oh, I see. Or babies, like not walking.

So we're bringing our children and you're welcome to bring yours. But like if you have a baby that you can just carry around with you everywhere, not a problem. Know your kid, if they're a crying, screaming, colicky baby, please don't bring them. And then same with you, if someone that can walk, it's a lot of walking, right? So someone that can walk all day. How are you gonna do that? I did

fine last time. You get a wheelchair? Wouldn't be the first time we had a wheelchair in another country? Yeah, no, but I did fine last time. There was actually a girl from the other group that was in a wheelchair. And so,, but those cobblestone roads don't seem so romantic. Actually, that's why I bought these boots because I was walking on cobblestone. Check out the shoes, the boots, boots from France. Sorry. You can't really see that they look better on the other side, but, um, but I bought them because my feet were really hurting, um, one day. And I just stopped and rested a lot. And I'd be like, I'm just going to sit.

And I had, I think one day I didn't do what everyone else was doing and I just stayed in and Rested which is fine. You're allowed to do that. Sweet. All right. Well that that about sums it up That's what we wanted to tell people about so click the link in the description below to learn more This fella says so how do we decide who gets stuck with Matt and who gets to go with Cameron? If you start right now, you get to go with Cameron if If you wait till that very end, you get stuck with me. No, we'll probably be together the whole time. Oh, well, we're going to be together, right? Unless you want us to... I know we are. No, no, no, no. I'm just joking. All right. Glory to Jesus Christ. Now and forever. Anything else you want to say? Totes my goats. That

guy said. That's what I said. Totes my goats. Uh-oh. You know, I'm a dad. I get to say things like that. Now. Someone was baptized in France in a church that was built in 1200. That's amazing. Yeah. You totally have bragging ranks there. I was baptized. I was baptized in a church that was built in the 70s and looked like Pizza Hut. So there. Oh, yeah. No, I wasn't at all. Here's a good question. How will you be going live in France or sharing the journey while in country? That is a good question. So I tried to do a live stream. It didn't work that great.

So I was able to do a couple of things on my phone quickly, but like a longer, it depends on what port you're in. Certain ports have better internet. So in Paris, you could totally do it. But I tried to do one, I don't remember where I was. It didn't work. But I uploaded it after the fact. So we can do that.

We can upload after. All right, fantastic. Glory to Jesus Christ. Now and forever. Glory forever. I bet that one works too. We kind of like, no, we just mixed like East and West right there.

Yeah, we did. Bye!