MY PERSONAL RETREAT I am going on a personal retreat starting Monday the 12 th and will return by weeks end at Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine, Poondi Madha Basilica, South India.  This is a very special place for me a piece of heaven on earth.  The shrine is beautiful and has one of the four original statues made in Lourdes of the Mother of God.  The shrine is noted for the many miracles obtained for the pilgrims, from their heart filled petitions before our Lord.  The shrine also has a cross that encases a small chip of wood from the original cross of Christ’s crucifixion.  The cross behind a large glass partition is venerated by the many devotes to the shrine. The shrine campus is very peaceful where one can enjoy a park like setting will see ducks, geese, turkeys, parrots, and Emus.  The shrine has several  grottoes  to Our Lady and the Sacred Heart of Jesus among other statues.   Adjacent to the shrine is the Sinna Ran...