Here's a summary of today's events.
The Marian procession was very beautiful last night. Our two cardinals made quite a sight as they walked along in their red vestments. By the time we get to the Salve Regina there’s the most marvellous atmosphere in the square in front of the Basilica, which was packed, by the way.
Our pilgrimage has been all over the place today, in the best sense of the word; we’ve all been busy doing a variety of things. Some were at the baths, others at the International Mass while another Mass was celebrated for the Reds (the junior branch of the helpers). Then there was more opportunity for the baths, Redcaps formation groups, the clergy lunch and the Stations of the Cross in three different locations – It’s all go.
We all met up again tonight, though, for what must be one of the highlights of the week, the Mass to mark the twenty-five years of the diocesan pilgrimage. And we had the Grotto all to ourselves; what a wonderful occasion. Some of our pilgrims here can remember back to the very first one. They have some amazing memories; some sad, as you would expect, of people who are no longer with us but more, many, many more, of happy times when they received help and healing from God through the people they met here and the events they experienced.
Below is Cardinal Vincent 's introduction to Day 3 of the Lourdes pilgrimage which was recorded earlier in the day.
Today is a particularly exciting day on the pilgrimage, the morning begins with the international Mass, with 4000 pilgrims present. During the day the pilgrims will bathe in the water of Lourdes and make the Stations of the Cross before coming together at 7.00 pm for Mass at the Grotto, an opportunity Cardinal Vincent describes as "a very precious moment".
Please keep the pilgrims in your prayers
