Jottings of a Lourdes Pilgrim

Whilst the UK was basking in unusually mild weather for February this year, Lourdes was having snow and temperatures dropping below zero for a number of nights.

suppose we imagine the more southern parts of France to have much milder winters than we do, but it can certainly be very cold, and indeed during the winter months the airport in Tarbes so heavily used by Lourdes pilgrims during the summer season, is used by the skiers enjoying the slopes and après ski life.

It made me think maybe Lourdes has had a similar winter in February to the one of 1858. The month our Blessed Lady appeared to Bernadette on no fewer than18 occasions. Imagine a young, impoverished girl of just 14, dressed in hand me down clothes, possibly bare footed, collecting wood with her sister for the fire in the little two roomed accommodation she was living in with her parents.

Her family had fallen on ‘hard times’ and were living in a miserable two roomed former prison. No windows, no lights, no heating. The prison, or the Cachot is always on my list to visit when am in Lourdes each year. walk through the two small rooms, and look at Bernadette’s clock and shoes, the smallness of the rooms and the fireplace that the wood that Bernadette collected would have burnt. This is the young girl Our Blessed Lady chose to carry the message of faith and prayer to the Bishop.

Build a chapel, pray, bring the sick to drink and take the waters. I also like to stand on one of the bridges and look into the river. The river Gave is a shallow but fast flowing river. Are they the stones that Bernadette crossed when she saw the Lady? These are questions ask myself as wander around the narrow streets of Lourdes filled with pilgrims from all parts of Europe and beyond.

Lourdes is a place of prayer, of contemplation, of fun, of laughter. A place of physical and spiritual healing. There is a week in late July when the little village in the foothills of the Pyrenees becomes ‘Little Liverpool’ It’s like going home. This year is a very special year as it’s the centenary year of a Pilgrimage being organised from Liverpool in 1923. People from all walks of life visit Lourdes and for all sorts of reasons.

Why not join us this year, in such a special year – experience a week of the year like no other. For more information and booking e mail info@joewalshtours.ie - or come along and take part in the Liverpool Pilgrimage Easter Bunny walk/run on Bank Holiday Monday. Further details from Mpmmurphypat@aol.com

by Pat Murphy

To mark the centenary pilgrimage, we would love people to share their memories of Lourdes and any photographs or video clips you may have taken on any trips there over the years. We will collate these memories and use them on the archdiocesan website, social media channels and in the Pic.

It could be that generations of your family have travelled to Lourdes, that you met your spouse there, you could have photos from decades ago or even that a member of your family went on our very first pilgrimage in 1923.

If you have anything you are happy for us to share publicly or if you would even like to record a video message for us, then please email any details to communications@rcaol. org.uk and lourdespilgrimage@rcaol.org.uk and include your name, parish and year(s) you travelled to Lourdes.

We cannot guarantee that we will use them all depending on the volume of information we receive, but we will read and respond to all correspondence.