Packing Prayers and Holy Water

Pam Spano explains that a vacation can provide ample opportunities for prayer, even in unexpected places.

After coming home from a trip going coast to coast in Ireland, I came across an article by Father Edward Looney, who always brings holy water along while traveling.

Oh dear. That certainly gave me pause. I didn’t bring holy water on my trip!

Once I got over the fact that I didn’t bring holy water, I realized that during my trip I spent a lot of time in prayer. My nighttime prayer changed from praying for my family to praying for those who accompanied us on our trip: fellow travelers, tour guide and bus driver. I prayed daily for our safety and health.

During the day, I thanked God for the good weather. Known for intermittent showers and sudden hard rain, Ireland provided temperatures in the high 50s to low 60s, occasional clouds and even some sunshine! During one hard rain, I asked the intercession of St. Christopher. When the bus stopped at our destination, so did the rain. After one brief hard rain, I spotted a rainbow stretched across the highway!

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We visited and attended Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock early in our trip. On our last day we went to Mass at St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral in Dublin. Both these treasured and sacred places provided me with spiritual energy and a deep gratitude for this amazing journey.