From Father David

As we celebrate Mass this weekend in our Churches, some of our parishioners and over 1000 members of our Archdiocese will be on pilgrimage in Lourdes, led by Bishop Williams.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, a pilgrimage is "a journey made to a particular interest or significance." In her 13th appearance on Tuesday March 2 1858, to Bernadette Soubirous, Our Blessed Lady to her to "Go and tell the priest to build a chapel here and to have people come in procession." and since then the chapels have been built and millions of people have processed to the place and made pilgrimage to this place of religious significance.

While away, the pilgrims will ask the intercession of Our Lady at the Grotto, and celebrate Mass there too, They will pray with the sick, take part in the Blessed Sacrament processions and the Torchlight processions too. As well the pilgrimage being a time of prayer and reflection it is also the annual holiday for some people and it will be a time of fun, reunion, and a chance to support the local economy in the shops and cafes.

While the pilgrimage is away, please keep all pilgrims in your prayers that the Lord will keep them all safe, that they will have a prayerful and spiritual experience as well as having a good time, and may the return home revived refreshed and they have enjoyed their pilgrimage.