Pilgrimage to Lourdes
15th
-20th October 2008
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to Notice board
The small but
intrepid group of pilgrims from
Our
Lady Star of the Sea, Tobermory,
set out from Mull to Lourdes on
15th October
2008. They travelled from
Prestwick to Pau via Stansted and
stayed in Bartres
Villa, the HCPT self catering
house for groups in Bartres, about
4 kilometres
from Lourdes.
The Pilgrims
(Fr. Paul behind the camera!)
 
Candles burn at the Grotto.We had
one for Bishop-elect
Joseph.
The
Way of the Cross with its life-sized
figures.
 
The HCPT Villa
at
Bartres
View
from the Villa
 
relaxing
at the
villa
Fr
Paul in Procession after the Enlish
language Mass
The statue of St Margaret of
Scotland,close to the Grotto and one
of
the earliest to be erected there.
Here they had
peace and quiet in beautiful
surroundings,
while the riches of Lourdes were
just a taxi ride away. Two other
parishioners
were staying in the town but
joined the group, making ten with
Fr Paul
Hackett SJ.
During the four
days, there was the English
language
Mass at the Grotto at which Fr
Paul concelebrated, a visit to the
Baths,
the High Way of the Cross, a
torchlight procession on Saturday,
the International
Mass at the Basilica of St Pius X,
and a wonderful truly French meal
on
the Sunday lunchtime.
A highlight of
the visit was hearing the news of
the appointment of our new Bishop,
which was followed by prayer and
rejoicing
and grateful thanks! They made
sure that Mgr Toal had a large
candle at
the grotto to represent the
prayers of the Diocese for him. As
any good
pilgrimage should, this one held
challenges, worries, great
fellowship,
spiritual growth and an unmissable
experience.
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