Postcards From Far Away: Postcards from Maastricht

It's summertime (although you'd barely know it with the weather we're having) and with the time that is left, we've decided to see more of what the Netherlands has to offer. The city of Maastricht has been on our list for awhile, and when a few friends invited us to to drive down with them, we jumped at the chance. Maastrict is called the crown jewel of the south (it borders Belgium and Germany), and I can definitely see why. Unlike many Dutch cities that have a familiar look about them, this medevial town has an entirely different feel to it. It is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands and was occupied by the Romas some 2,000 years ago. The city was then passed between The Franks (Germanic tribes), the Kingdom of Burgandy and the Spainards, until 1632, when Maastricht came back under Dutch rule. All of these changing cultures have greatly influenced the architecture and overall ambience of this wonderful city.

Since the southern region of Limburg is one of the only remaining Catholic areas of the country,
we were able to arrange a special visit with some religious sisters living in a convenant in the heart of Maastricht, who belong to the order of the Sisters of Charity of St. Charles Borromeo. Immediately we made a connection with them and shared a long lunch with heart-filled conversation. I was especially touched by one of the Sisters from Indonesia who shared with me her conversion to Catholicism and her calling to religious life. She converted for a boy, but was soon overcome by a love for the poor and wanted to serve them with all of her heart. Her family could not understand why she had to leave behind her former life. It was because of Jesus she said! Wow! I was overcome with emotion and shared my own faith journey with her. She is definitely a kindred spirit.

After leaving the convent several of the Sisters accompanied us to a nearby museum which housed holy objects, relics of saints and other ancient religious art. We then meandered through the cobblestone alleyways taking in the many church spires and old buildings until we found the Catholic Basilica of Our Lady. This Romanesque parish houses a famous shrine to Our Lady Star of the Sea also known as the "Stella Maris." This title was given to the Virgin Mary by seafarers who viewed her as a protector of those whose livelihood depend on the sea. After taking our time in the church, we walked across the city until we reached the bank of the Maas River with a picturesque view of the Maas bridge in the distance, the oldest in the Netherlands built by the Romans in ages past. We crossed the bridge and accessed the other side of the city where we were able to view the old fortifications built to defend the city in the 16th century.

We finished our day sitting under a big umbrella at a cafe in the infamous Vrijhof Square enjoying a bowl of soup and a refreshing beer. Afterwards, we returned to the convent to gather our personal items where we found the Sisters having a communal dinner together. They wished us a safe journey home and stood in the rain waving at us until our car had disappeard over the hill. Here are some of my "postcards" from Maastricht. Mine would read: "Dear Sisters, Thank you for a lovely visit and tour of your convent. Your hospitality and joy will stay with me long after our time together. I hope to come again and spend some time in quiet reflection and prayer with you. Blessings!"