Peter Viner

Please pray for Peter Viner, who died earlier this month. Peter used to come out to Lourdes with his old friend Richard. His support of Richard was an example to us all and he will be sadly missed on the Pilgrimage. Please keep Peter and his family and friends in your prayers.

May he Rest in Peace and rise in glory..

The River Gave floods - Part 2

Today (Monday) the waters of the river have now receded, since much of Lourdes along the river was flooded at the weekend. The clean-up has now begun. If you would like to donate to the authorities to help support this massive clean=up, please visit the official Lourdes page, here: http://fr.lourdes-france.org/evenement/operation-lourdes-solidarite-inondations-2012

In addition, if you want to see some of the clean up of the Grotto, please view the official YouTube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aTY_jhL5BFk&list=PL3BF20A5635F816EA

The River Gave floods - Part 1

The River Gave has just burst its banks and flooded the Grotto and much of the Domaine, see photo below..

Let us pray that everyone is evacuated safely and no major damage is done..

Official recognition of 68th miracle of Lourdes

From Independent Catholic News:

Lourdes torchlight procession A new miracle has been officially recognised at Lourdes today.  The unexplained cure of Italian nun, Sister Luigina Traverso,  has been officialy declared a 'miracle' today by Mgr Alceste Catella, Bishop of Casale Monferrato in Italy, the diocese in which the Salesian Sister resides. A press statement from the Communication Service of the Sanctuary of Lourdes this afternoon, states: 'On the occasion of the opening of the Year of Faith, this 11th October 2012, we have great joy in announcing the recognition of the 68th miracle attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes'. The new bishop of the diocese of Tarbes and Lourdes, Mgr Nicolas Brouwet, together with Doctor Alessandro de Franciscis, President of the Office of Medical Observations of Lourdes will be holding a press conference tomorrow in Lourdes. We will be carrying further reports tomorrow. For further information visit thte official Lourdes website here: http://www.lourdes-france.org/index.php?goto_centre=ru&contexte=en&id=405

Walsingham Retreat 2013

Every two years the CA Hospitalité holds a retreat at Walsingham - organised by Mrs Pat Richardson.

The next CA Hospitalité Walsingham Retreat is taking place on 5 - 7 April 2013, and will be given by Fr Nicholas King, SJ.

If you would like to attend, please fill in the form and send to Pat's address with a £20 deposit per person. Please download form here. The Walsingham retreat is a very popular event, so people should send their forms to Pat as soon as possible.

For news of the last two retreats and more information on 2013 retreat, please view here, or to learn more about Walsingham, please view here.

Bishop Peter's Homily

Bishop Peter Doyle has kindly allowed us to reproduce his homily from Lourdes 2012:

Homily at the Mass of the Anointing of the Sick during the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes

St. Bernadette was already sick with asthma and malnutrition and hunger when Our Lady first appeared to her. What did Bernadette see? A lady dressed in white and surrounded by light - Mary reflecting the risen glory of her Son, Christ the light of the world.

When Jesus takes Peter and James and John up the mountain, they catch a glimpse of that same light when Christ is transfigured - the vision of that future hope and glory which will flow from the suffering and death of Jesus.

The Transfiguration is the fourth of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary which we are praying with Bernadette today. In those mysteries we see that the light of Christ shines in the Church through our witness to the Gospel and in the celebration of the Sacraments as we reflect on the Baptism of the Lord, the Proclamation if the Good News, the Marriage Feast at Cana, and the Institution of the Eucharist. For the Sacraments are the celebration of the Paschal Mystery, that is, Christ's victory over sin and death through his suffering and dying and rising.

Like Peter up the mountain, we can just want to hold on to the glory bits. He wanted to capture that amazing experience by building three tents for Jesus and Moses and Elijah. In the same way we can want to hold on to this experience of Lourdes. But Jesus came down the mountain to embrace all human experience in his suffering and death.

That is what Jesus does in his Church today as we celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick. While the focus is on the anointing of the sick among us, the Sacrament engages us all. It is a sacrament you who are helpers and nurses and doctors have been preparing for and living out all week in your care and touch and tender compassion - yours has been and is the ministry of Christ and his Church.

You have been strengthening our sick brothers and sisters with words and actions of faith and by praying with them. You have been commending them to the suffering and transfigured Christ. You encourage them in their great contribution to the well-being of the Church as they unite themselves willingly with Christ's passion an death.

Dear precious sick pilgrims, you are, above all, witnesses to our mortal life being redeemed through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Now we celebrate with you the Sacrament of the Sick to strengthen you in carrying the cross of suffering, and to raise you up in times of anxiety, weakness and temptation. In this sacrament the grace of the Holy Spirit is given to you as we look back to Christ's death and resurrection, the source of sacramental power, and look ahead to the future kingdom of light and life pledged in the sacraments.

I have seen examples of compassionate touch and healing grace abound this week, making holy the ministry to the sick. May we be renewed in that ministry as we return home. Now that ministry is brought to a high point in the anointing of the sick. May Christ's light penetrate the darkness of your sickness, and may the Lord save you and raise you up. Amen.

(c) Bishop Peter Doyle

2012 Pilgrimage Timetable

For those who can't be with us, our timetable for next week is as follows:

SATURDAY, 25th AUGUST

9 am: Walking Tour of the town

10 am and 10.45 am: Helpers’ welcome meetings, Accueil Notre Dame

2.00 pm: Gathering Mass - St Bernadette Church (Grotto side), including the presentation of CA Hospitalité Insignia
3.30 pm: Clergy Briefing - Salle 3, Mgr Billere

SUNDAY, 26th AUGUST

9.30 am: International Mass - Basilica of St Pius X

8.15 pm: Young Helpers’ Service - Lac de Lourdes (all young helpers welcome)

MONDAY, 27th AUGUST

9.15 am: Assemble at the statue of the Crowned Virgin to process to the Grotto for Mass at 9.45 am

11.30 am: Pilgrimage photo (including the Hospitalité and Youth photos)

2.00 pm: Penitential Service - Rosary Basilica
4.00 pm: Stations of the Cross (Prairie)

8.30 pm: Hospitalité Service - St Joseph’s Chapel

TUESDAY, 28th AUGUST - Excursion Day

8.00 am: Mass for Northampton Diocese (St Joseph’s Chapel)

9.00 am: Mass for East Anglia Diocese (St Joseph’s Chapel)

9.00 am: Mass for Stonyhurst Pilgrimage (Accueil Saint Frai Upper Chapel)

9.00 am: Mass for British Carmelite Pilgrimage (St Patrick’s Chapel)
9.00 am: Mass for Southwark (Notre Dame Chapel)

9.00 am: Mass for Portsmouth Diocese & CA (Mgr Théas Chapel)

11.00 am: Mass for Clifton Diocese (Bartrès)

WEDNESDAY, 29th AUGUST

9.00 am: Prayers with the Assisted Pilgrims at the Baths
1.15 pm: Prayers at the CA vault, Lourdes Cemetery

3.00 pm: Mass organised by the children - St Pius X Basilica (far end)

5.00 pm: Stations of the Cross (High Stations). Unsuitable for wheelchairs.

THURSDAY, 30th AUGUST

9.00 am: Doctor’s talk on Lourdes medical aspects. Medical Bureau, Salle de
Conference “John Paul I”

10.30 am: Mass with the Anointing of the Sick - St Bernadette Church (Grotto side)

2.00 pm: Service of Thanksgiving - St Bernadette Church (Grotto side)

3.00 pm: Passage through the Grotto for Assisted Pilgrims. Leave from St
Bernadette Church after Thanksgiving Service.

FRIDAY, 31st AUGUST

8.00 am: Sending Forth Mass - St Bernadette Church (Carmel side)

Look out for us on the webcam! :)

New Portsmouth Bishop Announced

Shrewsbury vicar general appointed as new Bishop of Portsmouth. 

From Bishop Crispian Hollis:

Our New Bishop

Dear Brothers,

I am delighted to be able to give you the news that my successor has been appointed by the Holy See.

Mgr Philip Egan’s appointment to become the 8th Bishop of Portsmouth will be formally announced in Rome and here on Wednesday July 11th.

Needless to say, I warmly welcome this appointment for which we have been waiting a long time and I know that Bishop Philip will be very quickly made welcome in your midst as your diocesan bishop.

It looks at the moment as if his ordination will take place in the last week of September but as soon as there is a precise date and time, I will let you know. It is certainly very important that he is in post in time for the two overnight meetings with Fr Gerry O’Collins SJ. Those meetings (Oct 3rd/4th and Oct 9th/10th) were specifically planned for our inauguration of the Year of Faith and for that early and vital meeting between our new Bishop and the clergy.

Please note that as from Thursday, the prayer for the Bishop in the Eucharistic Prayer should be “…for Crispian, our Apostolic Administrator and Philip, our Bishop-elect…”

I can’t end this short note of joy without once again thanking you for all the love and patience you have shown me over the years and, in particular, in the last year when I have been ill.

With my blessings and prayers,

+Crispian

Canon Brian Murphy-O’Connor

Canon Brian Murphy-O’Connor, priest of the Diocese of Portsmouth and one time CA Chaplain to the Sick & Hospitalité, died in the early hours of Monday 11th June. May he rest in peace.

Brian was a great supporter of the CA Annual Pilgrimage and well known to many of us. He was also one of the founding members of the August stage group, which will be at it's strongest for some years, in 2012.

Canon Brian Murphy-O’Connor’s Funeral Mass will be concelebrated at St. Peter’s, Winchester on  

Wednesday 20^th June at 11.00 am.  There is no parking on site but it is only 10 minutes walk from the Railway Station

Photo (c) Anthony Martin

Congratulations to...

....Tracey & Nimal Hemelge on the birth of their daughter, Analena Hemelge born this morning weighing 8lb 1oz. Congratulations to them all. 

CA Hospitalité Newsletter - Spring 2012

From the CA Hospitalité:

The Hospitalite Newsletter is now available online for you to download and print out, here.

The hard copies through the post will start to arrive in the next week or so.  If you do have moved / changed your name in the last 12 months please email me with your details as soon as possible, as our records on file for you may be incorrect / out of date.

Equally if you no longer wish to receive your hard copy through the post, or prefer to read online / print it out yourself please email me to confirm your decision.  Printing the Newsletter out yourself, not only means you can print it out in colour, but of course it saves the CA Hospitalite a lot of money which means money can be better spent on other things.

This year’s newsletter has articles on our 2012 Lourdes theme, “Praying the Rosary with Bernadette”; a wonderful reflection by David Lewis alongside a look forward by Fr Nick King SJ; plus the usual favourites including Ask Les (now on page 3).

Our thanks go to all our contributors.

We look forward to seeing as many of you at the preparation days and in Lourdes as possible.

We hope you enjoy it.

Nimal Hemelge

Secretary

Ave Maria Accommodation

Ave Maria Hostel – Bookings for 2012

Many people will be aware that we usually have a group of helpers staying in the Ave Maria hostel – this is budget accommodation with a cafeteria-style restaurant in the same building.  Following renovations in the winter of 2010-11, all bedrooms have full en-suite facilities, but they are small and you have to make up your own bed. 

We have 14 places for the week of the 2012 pilgrimage, and some were still remaining at the time of the Newsletter going to press. If you want to apply, please let your Head of Service know as soon as possible.  Any helper can apply, particularly those on a limited budget.  If you have a friend(s) with whom you want to share, that’s great; otherwise Sadie will organise shares depending on the rooms (doubles and triples) which we are allocated.

Including all meals, the daily cost will be 25Euros, although you actually only pay for the meals that you eat.  Including travel with Tangney Tours, the whole week of the Pilgrimage would cost about £550 travelling by plane or £460 by train.

Pope Benedict XVI's 85th Birthday - Lourdes connection

On his 85th birthday (yesterday, 16 April 2012), Pope Benedict XVI, preached about two saints with strong connections with Lourdes. The first, Saint Bernadette is well known to us all, the second, is much less well known - Saint Benedict Joseph Labre. Saint Benedict Joseph Labre is the patron saint of pilgrims as he spent much of his life in pilgrimage. He is often invoked in Lourdes, although few will know why.

Here's a link to a brief report on Pope Benedict XVI's homily:

http://www.zenit.org/article-34609?l=english

Angela Imobeke

Those who have been to Lourdes recently, will remember Angela Imobeke, a girl who came to Lourdes with the Glanfield Group for many years with her mother Georgina.  

Sadly Angela died on Sunday night after a long illness and a brave fight.  

Please remember Angela and her family in your prayers at this very difficult time. Please also remember her Glanfield family in your prayers. 

Lance Thwaytes

Lancelot Henry Thwaytes died aged 86 on 26th February while visiting his son John Paul for a holiday in France.

Lance has been visiting all his five children regularly at their homes in Switzerland, France and Scotland respectively since they all lead busy lives and do not have much time to visit him in Appleby.  Lance's funeral will be Friday 16th March at 11.00am at Our Lady of Appleby Church .

Lance first went to Lourdes in 1948 - then in 1955/56 he joined the Catholic Association Pilgrimage and was a brancardier under Peter Crane and then Pat Tombe.  He brought his fiance Fiona to Lourdes in 1958 and she came a few times with him in the early days of their marriage but she was not so keen on Lourdes as Lance so he came and worked as a Branc when he could.

After Fiona died in 2004 he again came to Lourdes and was last on pilgrimage with the CA last August when we three all stayed together in the Padoue Hotel and had a very good week together. 

Both Michael and I will miss him and his particular form of humour greatly. We had planned to be in Lourdes again together this coming August but the Lord has had other plans for him!

May he Rest in Peace and rise in glory..

Ann Whitehead

Spring Serenade

An evening of favourites from the world of opera and song, followed by supper!

Annie Gill - mezzo soprano
Nicholas Mulroy - soprano
Joseph Middleton - piano

on Saturday 14 April 2012 at 7.30pm

Tickets are just £40 including interval refreshments or £30 for under 25s. Supper is £20.

Book your tickets early to avoid disappointment!

Contact Beverley Sillitoe at association@stonyhurst.ac.ukor by telephone:             01254 827043 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            01254 827043      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      

All proceeds to go to the Stonyhurst Pilgrimage Trust to help provide funds for assisted pilgrims, current pupils and recent OS.