Faith, youth, and community were woven together when members of the Raphoe Diocese took a journey to Lourdes at the end of May.
Fr Stephen Gorman, Pilgrimage Director led 26 young people from nine different Secondary Schools from the Raphoe Diocese on a pilgrimage to the Shrine at Lourdes where Our Lady appeared to a 14-year-old named Bernadette Soubirous in 1858.
The young pilgrims were accompanied by 10 youth leaders, Deacon Anthony Hartnett, and Fr Paddy Dunne, Pilgrimage Youth Chaplain. Another 181 pilgrims which included 11 Assisted Pilgrims, 56 Pilgrimage Staff and 7 Priests from the Diocese joined the young people in Lourdes, France.
Fr Stephen Gorman, Pilgrimage Director, said: “Lourdes holds a very special place in my heart, having previously been there as a youth and Brancardier before joining the Priesthood”.
Fr Gorman said that “it was a great honour and privilege for him to return this year as Raphoe Diocesan Pilgrimage Director, taking Assisted Pilgrims, who are the “Royalty” of Lourdes, and the youth back for the first time since the Covid 19 Pandemic”.
His prayer for all the pilgrims was that “they would open their hearts and souls to Our Lady Mary, and bring to her all that is going on in their lives, asking Our Lady for her intersession.”
Fr. Michael Mc Keever was Spiritual Director of the Pilgrimage, along with priests of the Diocese Archdeacon Willie Mc Menamin, Canon Dinny Mc Gettigan, Fr Rory Brady, Fr Adrian Gavigan, and Fr Brendan Ward.
The 11 assisted pilgrims were cared for by Professor Ken Mulpeter and Dr Santhosh David, and they were aided by a wonderful team of medical staff.
Dominic Carr led 9 youth leaders with 26 youth from all over the County. “They all had a wonderful time, established new friendships, and they were overwhelmed by their unique experience of the beautiful Shrine to Our Lady. They supported the care of the Assisted Pilgrims with whom they established a great bond.”
Fr. Stephen Gorman said: “Everyone takes something home from Lourdes and this is not confined to Lourdes Water, Candles, or Blessed Religious Objects. Every pilgrim brings a unique life experience to Lourdes, and every pilgrim consequently has a unique experience in Lourdes that cannot be put into words. The experience of the Eucharistic Procession, the Torch Light Procession, Mass at the Grotto, the Water Gesture, or spending some quiet time alone with Our Lady in front of the Shrine in the quietness of night, makes Lourdes a special place to find healing and strength to deal with all the many challenges we face in life.”
After the closing Mass, Fr Gorman commended all the youth on pilgrimage, and how “they showed great care and compassion to the assisted pilgrims. They were a fantastic group of young men and women and please God they will have taken many graces and blessings from their experience.”
Fr Gorman also gave a heartfelt thanks to all the staff who contributed so much to making it possible to care for the Assisted Pilgrims and Youth Members and for making their time on the Pilgrimage a very heartwarming experience.
The assisted pilgrims enjoyed a meal and a sing-song in the Agena Hotel along with the staff on their final night in Lourdes. Donal Boyle, Chief Brancardier, thanked Fr Gorman after the meal for all his hard work and dedication to the Pilgrimage and for all the time and effort that he put into making it such an enjoyable experience for all involved.
