I am back in DC after a whirlwind week in Paris, Austria, and Germany! In unsurprising fashion, this newsletter is 95% about Paris and 5% about Austria / Germany (I’ll share more about that next week probably!) because what can I say, I’m a Paris girl.
I arrived in Paris on Saturday morning and almost immediately my schedule fell apart as I stood in the wrong passport line for almost an hour. I also walked the circumference of the Charles de Gaulle international terminal three times, looking for my uber. However my approach to this whole weekend was “Whatever You want, Jesus!” and if He wanted me to get into Paris at 11am instead of 9:30 then I was okay with it.
The first stop was the Miraculous Medal chapel in the 7th, one of my favorite churches in the world. Last year, there were people in the church, but nowhere near what I encountered this time. The place was PACKED! 90% of the reason I was there was to stock up on the medals they sell — it’s the location of a Marian apparition (of the Miraculous Medal to St. Catherine Laboure, a great episode on that here) in Paris and I wear a miraculous medal every day, so I picked up some medals to get blessed and bring home!
I missed the 10:30 mass and made the 12:30 one by the skin of my teeth, where I met a lovely group of pilgrims from the Philippines on a dream trip to Paris and Rome, and once it was over I was sprinting down towards the Musee d’Orsay, where I had a 1:30 ticket. By this point I had not eaten all day, so I popped into NoGlu, a delightful little gluten free cafe, also in the 7th, for a life-giving breakfast sandwich.
It was at this point that I realized the biggest challenge I would face moving to Paris (other than my lack of French language skills) is that I am a food-on-the-go gal. Give me a takeaway coffee and a snack and I’ll eat and walk anywhere (#efficiency). BUT the joy of Paris (and all of Europe, frankly) is that they pause to eat and drink and reset, even if just for 10-30 minutes. However, it was not the time to alter this core part of my personality because I had a museum to get to. So sammie for the road it was.
I am not the biggest art person… I enjoy it but I never studied it so I’m a bit art-illiterate. So when I say that I LOVED the Musee d’Orsay… I loved it. Maybe I’m just an impressionist girl? There was a stellar John Singer Sargeant exhibit and it was so fun to see the Degas and Renoits and Van Goghs on the top floor!
Once the Orsay was complete, I was free to wander with no more commitments for the day. I bopped up and around to a few other churches, stopped into a few stores, and just giddily bopped through parks and by the river.
Speaking of churches… We hit many.
I was able to attend mass at Notre Dame on Sunday morning, which was of course glorious. On my walk along the river after mass I was disappointed to see the road blocked off ahead and a laddered vehicle leaning against the Louvre. Little did I know that I had just missed the action!!
SPEAKING of jewels, I do have a new favorite church in Paris… Meet La Madeleine. Swoon.
From the very beginning of the trip, I could feel the Lord so close to me. Here are a few highlights:
Getting an unexpected upgrade on my flight and additional ones at my hotels in Paris and Munich! There’s nothing better than a surprise upgrade :)
Eating on the terrace at Cafe Varenne (the favorite restaurant of my friend Emma and also Ina Garten), where I befriended the couple next to me and we discussed faith and Paris and America and they shared their love story which was so beautiful!
Attending mass at Notre Dame was heavenly… An absolute gift to celebrate mass in a completely packed cathedral
Finishing dinner near the Eiffel Tower and thinking that I would miss the sparkle show because it was only 7pm and the internet said it only started sparkling at 8 — but, lo and behold, I wandered out of the restaurant and was greeted by an absolutely DAZZLING Eiffel Tower at 7pm! It was one of the moments I thought, “wow, does Jesus love me too much?!”
Getting to the airport at 4am for my flight to Germany and meeting Fr. Antonio, a Franciscan friar who was heading to lead a retreat in Assisi. He was such a joy, and the best person to chat with between 4am and 5am when the security desk finally opened
Staying at Le Roch Hotel in the 1st and it was tucked away and so perfect and quiet, and the service was amazing. I’m glad I splurged a little on points here!
Before this trip, I did not consider myself a good “solo traveler.” However, it was only two days in Paris so I told myself it would be fine. I was so pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had — I made so many friends! I don’t know if I could solo travel for an extended amount of time, but this weekend made me realize it could be more fun than I originally thought.
After two whirlwind days in Paris I headed to Austria for what was the best professional leadership training experience of my life. It was excellently run and so much fun — lots of games and activities and I met incredible people from all over the world who were an absolute blast. A highlight was our almost daily runs to a local lake (and one splash in said lake, which was freezing but amazing).
Overall — a great trip. I’m struggling a tad to get back on this time zone but we shall persevere!! I hope you all have a great week.
In Christ,
Jane
The Sisters of Life “Imprint” is a must read, always
I get giddy when this newsletter shows up, only thrice per year — every single article is good, all the time. The theme of this edition is “Hope” and I have been taking the articles to prayer each morning. You can read a PDF version here: Imprint Fall 2025: Hope.
Happy St. Jude day!
St. Jude is my favorite saint and today is his feast day! He’s the patron of impossible causes and he has done some serious WORK in my life. Offer up something that seems impossible to him today and see what happens!
Prayer intentions
Baby Luke who is gaining health in the NICU
Jennifer Fulwiler’s daughter, Lane, who is fighting a brain tumor
A special intention