Fr Darren, in company with four young people from the parish (Emma, Josh, Nisha & Peter) are currently with the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. This is their daily journal (Days 4-7)
Day Seven
Fr. Darren writes
Today was another hot start to the day. The ‘Low’ Stations of the Cross was the first liturgy of the day. These Stations are situated in the meadow accessible to wheelchairs; despite the heat there was a good number that attended. Each one of the stations was funded by different countries. The seventh station was paid for by England. I led the reflections on the Station, well most of them until I got to the 14th Station and noticed that there was another three! Fr. Philip Smith reflected on the extra three. The Diocese Mass of Thanksgiving and farewell was held after lunch. I offered this Mass for June Ellis RIP. The main celebrant was Fr. Philip Smith who also preached. Also during Mass any religious articles where blessed along with the diocesan candle which was decorated by the youth.
In the early evening all the Lancaster pilgrims processed together with the diocesan candle to the Grotto where a small liturgy took place and the candle was lit and was left to burn. After this I lit candles for the people from our parish that requested me to do so. I also lit a candle for the parish of St Clare's. After this I deposited the prayer petitions in the box at the Grotto.
Later in the evening was the farewell social that was held in the sick pilgrims’ hotel. There was a raffle and bingo to raise funds to bring sick people from the diocese to Lourdes. There was also a little sing along before every one retired for the night.
Day Six
Fr. Darren writes
Bishop Michael departed Lourdes this morning to return for a wedding. Today was a later start than yesterday as all the Lancaster pilgrims boarded coaches to visit the City of the Poor. This is at the top of a hill overlooking Lourdes. It is a place that provides free board and lodgings for people who cannot afford to visit Lourdes. Once we were at the City of the Poor there was another steep hill that we needed to climb to the place where we would celebrate Mass and have lunch. I celebrated Mass for a St Clare's intention: "thanksgiving." The VIPs in wheelchairs where assisted by three young people, one pushing while the other two attached ropes to the front of the wheelchair and pulled. Fr. Philip Connor chaplain to the Lancaster youth was the main celebrant and preached at the Mass. After Mass packed lunches was provided which gave people the opportunity to spend some time chatting over lunch. Everyone then boarded the coaches again and returned to Lourdes, the afternoon was then free.
Later in the evening there were two Holy Hours; one for the VIPs at the hotel and another in the Rosary Basilica. This is what Peter has to say about today,
“I have had an amazing time at Lourdes. Hearing the stories of all the sick pilgrims who have travelled to Lourdes has been really special for me, some have been telling me how they helped sick pilgrims when they were younger. We visited the City of Saint Peter, where the poor have the chance to stay at Lourdes, and we had an outdoor Mass there. We also had an hour of adoration. The Grotto has been especially amazing for me, because at night it looks beautiful, and I can feel Our Lady's presence while I have been praying there. I also spent time at the grotto praying for the intentions of the parish.”
Day Five
Fr. Darren writes
Today was an early start for all concerned as today we had Mass at the Grotto at 8:30am. This meant that the young people had to be up at 6.30am and at the VIP’s (sick pilgrims) hotels at 7.30am to assist in taking then to the Grotto. This morning at the Grotto I offered Mass for a special intention J & M St Clare’s parish. The Masses at the Grotto are one after another, while one Mass is going on the next set of pilgrims are lining up ready to enter the Grotto as the previous Mass ends. The grotto at Lourdes is very well organised so it runs like clockwork. If one Mass is delayed then the rest that follow are delayed, that is why it has to run like clockwork. The Grotto itself is a very quiet and peaceful despite the thousands of people visiting at any one point during the day, it is kept free from any commercial activities and the request for silence is mostly respected.
The rest of the day was free time, not for our youth though, as they are on shift work and spend the day with the VIPs taking them to various places through the day. I caught up with Peter this afternoon, he had just taken a religious sister who is a VIP to the adoration chapel and was due to go back and collect her an hour later. I also caught up with Nisha and Josh who were at the hotel for the VIPs, they were spending their time talking to VIPs in the hotel reception.
Late this evening was the torchlight procession with the statue of Our Lady. The torchlight procession starts at 9pm, but the preparation and the lining up starts from 8pm. Our young people were pushing VIPs in wheelchairs during the procession. Bishop Michael led the Lancaster procession, followed by the clergy, then the carers and then the youth section. The youth assisting the VIPs were up in front with the VIPs from other Dioceses. The procession started off in the day light and ended in the darkness of the night, the candles held by all the pilgrims lit the way of the procession towards the end as darkness fell. Half way around the procession the rain started, but this was short lived, it was only at the very end that the rain fell again. I have never seen so many people move so fast in clearing the square in front of the rosary basilica.
Josh was carrying the prayer intention today; this is what he had to say about today. “Lourdes has been an enlighting experience for me, today I took part in the torchlight procession where I pushed one of the VIPs (the sick). This was the part of the day that was most fulfilling for me and the appreciation that I recieved from the lady I was pushing made me feel the best that I have on the pilgrimage. I am looking forward to the last couple of days. When I leave here I will feel very sad to go. Today was my turn to carry the petitions from the parish, I prayed during Mass for those intentions and also when we visited the Grotto."
Day four
After the threat of a storm last night nothing more happened and today was the start of another hot day. My day began with Morning Prayer at the Grotto, this prayer was offered for the people of St Clare’s and also the prayer intentions which I was still carrying. At 9am we had the Mass for the anointing of the sick in St Joseph’s church, this Mass was offered for the people of St Clare’s. Fr. Philip Smith preached at this Mass. It was just before Mass that I passed the prayer intentions to Nisha, who will prayer for these intentions for the rest of the day. She also served Mass today. At 5pm today we had the Blessed Sacrament procession with a couple of other Diocese, lucky for us there was a large shaded area where we gathered. At 8.30pm I lead night prayer for the sick pilgrims at one of the hotels after which I went to the youth hotel for the youth quiz night. I did not know many of the answers, which was a disappointment to the team that I joined. I explained to them that it was not the winning that counted, but the taking part, this comment did not seem to help matters! After the quiz I walked with the youth as they headed for the Grotto for a time of prayer. This is what Nisha had to say about our 4th day.
"Lourdes is a very special place and it has truly touched me. The Grotto is so perfect, especially at night, and I can actually feel the presence of Our Lady whilst there. Spending time with the VIPs (the sick) is an amazing experience; they have so much to share about the previous times they've visited Lourdes. The adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was touching because it was nice to see so many people praising God in different languages and all believing in the same things as me. The atmosphere here is unforgettable; Our Lady really does speak to people here."
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