Today we celebrated the closing Mass of the pilgrimage. In some ways it was a sad occasion but also a joyful one. Many of us feel renewed through our pilgrimage experience. Others have felt some king of inner healing and abundant graces have been received this week. The chief celebrant of the Mass was Archbishop Nichols and the homily was given by Bishop Bernard Longley. Bishop Bernard spoke of how Jesus has come to restore and refresh us through this time together. He may have come through a person or an event. He has come through his word and most certainly in the Eucharist. It was an encouraging homily and I don't think I shall the the only one to go home feeling renewed in spirit and ready to take up the threads of everyday life again.
After Mass we solemnly processed, as is the tradition, to the Grotto where the pilgrimage candle was blessed and lighted and will stay alight once we have all gone home.
Finally, it was time, once again, for the hospital party. Several people from among the malades and helpers had prepared their party pieces and entertained the rest of us in a way that was, at times, hilarious and everybody had a great time. All too soon, though, it was time to thank God for the grace of being here in Lourdes, and to say goodbye . . . hope to see you all again next year.
Bishop Bernard giving the homily at the Closing Mass
Distributing Holy Communion at the Closing Mass
Archbishop Nichols lights the huge pilgrimage candle
Hospital helpers and Redcaps recount their duties of the week in the form of a comedy song
Piper, Damian Bell duetting with one of the St Joseph's group
Father Chris officiates at a 'marriage' during a comedy sketch
Bonjour Westminster! Thursday saw Mass in the Cathedral of the Trees celebrated by the Archbishop. The theme of the Mass was the family and you can meet one of the many families on the Diocesan in the video below. The Archbishop also took the opportunity to announce the launch of the Westminster Hospitalité. Many of the big pilgrimages from around Europe have their own Hospitalité organisations which foster the sense of being part of the pilgrimage family and are linked to the main Hospitalité of Lourdes. This is an exciting new venture for Westminster and it will be interesting to see how it develops over the coming months. This afternoon it was the turn of Westminster to lead the Blessed Sacrament Procession. Thankfully the weather was beautiful. Bishop Alan Hopes carried the Host and the event passed off solemnly but joyfully, finishing with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the underground basilica.
Pilgrim Perspective
I've been talking to some of our pilgrims and asking them what Lourdes means to them.
Peter Clare and Charles Calder come here with the Heston Parish. Peter Clare finds himself inspired by the selfless service given by the helpers which brings about a sense of togetherness and is, he feels, in the spirit of Lourdes. For Charles, Lourdes is a place of happy memories because he came here with his wife for many years. Now that she has died he finds that coming to Lourdes gives him the sense that he is with her again.
Party Time
Yep, it's party time . . . well sing-along and party time to be exact. A large crowd got together in the Hotel Solitude tonight for the occasion. It was a chance to let our hair down, relax and mingle informally with each other. And a great success it was too. The former pilgrimage director, Father Chris Vipers and the current one, Father Dennis Touw opened the proceedings with some rousing tunes which paved the way for others to take the floor including, Anna Johnstone, an opera singer who delighted everyone with her lovely voice.
The music group and choir rehearse before the Mass
Archbishop Vincent Nichols chats with Redcaps
Peter Clare (left) and Charles Calder talk about what Lourdes means to them
Bishop Alan Hopes carrying the Blessed Sacrament
Father Chris and Father Dennis, with Giovanni Marseglia on the keyboard, get everybody in the party mood.
Today is one of the two days in the week when the international Mass is celebrated in the Pius X basilica. This is a popular Mass and many of our pilgrims were up and out early to make sure of having a seat in the huge underground space.
However not everybody was heading for this Mass. As I'd already discovered at their preparation day a few weeks ago, the group from St Joseph's Pastoral Centre had planned their own liturgy for this very day, the feast of Saint Martha, and they put in a lot of work and preparation to make it a joyful occasion. Some parts of the Mass were signed and Gospel was given twice, once by being read and once by being presented in tableau form. Bishop Bernard Longley was the chief celebrant and in his homily he spoke of the need to be always listening to the Lord, even when we're very busy caring for others.
The sun came out for our Grotto Mass today, which was a huge blessing. This liturgy was shared with the dioceses of Arundel and Brighton and Shrewsbury and the Order of Malta Volunteers. Archbishop Vincent Nichols was the chief celebrant and the homily was given by the Right Reverend Brian Noble, the bishop of Shrewsbury. Father Noble spoke of the fact that Bernadette's life, after the apparitions, was not some sort of low-key epilogue to those amazing events but that she lived out the message of Lourdes. She gave herself in service in the convent at Nevers and carried the increasing burden of her own failing health. Her life was one of spectacular ordinariness which presents a radically different way to live from the modern pressure to achieve.
This afternoon it was time to put on my guide's hat as I had an appointment to take the St Joseph's group on a walking tour of Lourdes. We started off at the Parish church and worked our way slowly down the hill taking in the Cachot, where Bernadette lived at the time of the apparitions, and the Boly Mill, where she was born. I always get a great deal of pleasure from taking people round Lourdes and today was no exception. The group enjoyed visiting the places associated with Bernadette as much as I did.
This evening, Westminster led the Torchlight Procession. Our bearers did a fine job of carrying the statue of the Blessed Virgin up to St Michael's Gate and back to the basilica whilst everybody prayed the Rosary. Now and again, when the Rosary is said at Lourdes You can hear the Hail Mary spoken in some very unfamiliar languages and tonight was one of those nights. I heard one or two Asian tongues and something that my companion informed me was Japanese. I must say they sounded beautiful.
Singing in the sunshine - the Grotto Mass begins
The St Joseph's group at the Boly Mill - Bernadette's birthplace
Entering the Cachot - where Bernadette lived in poverty
Westminster Diocese at at the head of the Torchlight Procession
Our pilgrims made a happy showing in the procession
In the midst of the Torchlight Procession
Archbishop Vincent says hello- it wasn't as wet as it looks!
Now I know that when you see the video below you will think me very cruel and think that I made our new Archbishop stand in the pouring rain to say hello. However, let me explain that we were both keen to do something outside and the drops of rain on the lens are in fact drizzle, I promise it wasn't as wet as the video makes it look!
Archbishop Vincent echoes his homily from earlier in the morning, explaining why pilgrimage as a group is important. Enjoy! And fingers crossed for a sunny one tomorrow. Fiona
31 July 2009 | Lourdes | 
