There was a palpable sense of joy as the Diocese of Westminster’s 700-strong pilgrims descended on Lourdes this year, having travelled by coach, plane and train to reach the small town in the foothills of the Pyrénées.
For some of us travelling by plane, a real highlight was when Cardinal Nichols took to the intercom mid-flight, to lead us in a moment of prayer. This was particularly special for one of our staff, whose 50th birthday is today; he was treated to a song, claps and cheers by all on board!
After the flurry of transfers and settling in, early arrivals attended an afternoon Mass in St Joseph’s Chapel, celebrated by Fr Chris Vipers, who invited pilgrims to ‘be gentle and kind to each other here; slow down, listen,’ and ‘hold one another in our hearts,’ as the popular hymn goes.
Led by the Cardinal, this year’s pilgrimage will bring together people from all walks of life to the place where Our Lady appeared to St Bernadette. Some pilgrims have attended every year for over a decade, and for many Lourdes feels like a long-awaited homecoming: ‘I have waited for nine years to come back to Lourdes,’ said Eddi, ‘since my first visit, I have always felt a strong desire to return to this place.’
As evening falls, the pilgrims will settle down to supper, taking time to rest, explore their surroundings, and prepare for a fruitful week ahead. Whatever we choose to do, tonight we will all be united in Christ’s great prayer of anticipation and abandonment to the Father’s will: ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’
May this, together with Our Lady’s fiat, be the spirit that sustains us as the Lourdes Pilgrimage 2024 formally begins tomorrow.
