by JENNY McPHEE
On a pilgrimage to Lourdes, Fr John Adams saw a beautiful monstrance in a little shop window. As it was the beginning of the tour, which included a visit to Rome, he thought he would see many more, so did not buy it. He did not see any more, and regretted
not buying the lovely one he had seen in the window.
Many years later, on sabbatical in Lourdes with other priests, he passed the same shop, and there the monstrance was. This time a benefactor had given him some money. Even though there were still four months of the
trip left, he bought it.
Fr Adams sent 8kg of clothing home to make room for the monstrance in the bottom of his bag. The beautiful monstrance accompanied him on “The Life of St Paul” journey and a 30-day retreat in Sydney before arriving in New Zealand.
The monstrance now graces St Gregory’s Church in Christchurch.
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