CA Pilgrimage Timetable - 2013

If you are unable to attend our Pilgrimage this year, please keep us in your prayers and do join us during the processions and Grotto Mass via the Lourdes webcam. Our Pilgrimage timetable is below:

SATURDAY, 24 AUGUST

  9.00 am: Walking tour of the town

10.00 am and 10.45 am: Helpers’ welcome meetings - Accueil Notre Dame

  2.00 pm: Gathering Mass - St Bernadette Church (Grotto side)

SUNDAY, 25 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, 26 AUGUST

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

11.00 am: Pilgrimage photo (including the Hospitalité and Young Helpers’ photos)

  2.00 pm: Penitential Liturgy - St Bernadette Church (Carmel side)
  8.30 pm: Hospitalité Service - St Joseph’s Chapel

TUESDAY, 27 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 Lower Chapel)

  9.00 am: Mass for British Carmelite Pilgrimage (St John Vianney Chapel)
  9.00 am: Mass for Southwark and CA (Notre Dame Chapel)

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

11.00 am: Mass for Clifton Diocese (Bartrès)

WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST

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

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

  2.30 pm: Stations of the Cross (Prairie)

  4.00 pm: Mass organised by Glanfield - Rosary Basilica

THURSDAY, 29 AUGUST

  8.30 am: Liturgy with Anointing of the Sick - St Bernadette Church (Carmel side)

10.30 am: Doctor’s talk on Lourdes medical aspects - Accueil John Paul II, 1st floor

  1.15 pm: Passage through the Grotto for Assisted Pilgrims, followed by...

  2.00 pm: Thanksgiving Mass - St Pius X Basilica (Far end)

FRIDAY, 30 AUGUST

  8.00 am: Mass - St Joseph’s Church *

*Mass for those pilgrims whose travel arrangements make it possible

Tess Green

Please pray for Tess Green, prayer member and long supporter of the CA and its Hospitalité, who died on 9 July 2013. Tess passed away after a short illness. Tess is a well known figure in the Accueil and will be very much missed by everyone. Her funeral details will be circulated as soon as they are known. 

Please keep Tess, her husband Fred and their friends and family in your prayers.

May she Rest in Peace and rise in glory..

Update on the floods from the CA

From the CA management:

As you are surely aware, Lourdes has been very badly affected following the serious flooding of the River Gave last Tuesday/Wednesday.  While the coverage on the internet may be focusing on the damage in the Domaine, and the clearing up there, we are all gradually becoming aware of the serious situation in the town, particularly affecting the hotels along the two sides of the river, where the majority of our pilgrims stay.  Some hotels had only recently re-opened after refurbishment following the floods in October 2012.

However, due to the incredible efforts ongoing in Lourdes, and with the tireless support of John and Nicholas Tangney and their staff, it seems likely that we should be able to have a good pilgrimage in August, provided that we work together to solve certain problems.  We are certainly more fortunate than other groups who are travelling sooner, with less time to cope with changes, or those who do not have the support of a travel agent to do lots of the hard work.

The Domaine
The Accueil Notre-Dame is functioning.  Water did affect the lower level to some extent, but this is being sorted. The bridges in the Domaine too are being rapidly repaired.

The Grotto is now open and masses are being said there.  Processions have been taking place since Friday.  Obviously various other churches and buildings were flooded or damaged, including the St Bernadette Church and Undergound Basilica.  Even in August, we may not be able to use the venues that were orignally booked, and some times of services may have to change. However, the Pie X (Underground) should be open by then.

The Baths suffered serious damage again, and there is no definite date when they will re-open.

Many paths etc are seriously damaged, so much new tarmac is required.

Hotels
All the hotels along both sides of the river upstream of the 'Pont Vieux' were badly affected.  This includes the Alba, Mediteranne and Arcades on the Avenue du Paradis and the Notre-Dame, St Georges, and Beau Site on the Avenue Peyremale, these latter having been unaffected in October.  Most hotels have kitchens, boilers, main electrics or other services based on the ground floors or basements. This means that a clean-up is not enough, as a hotel cannot re-open without a functioning kitchen and lifts. It also means that some other hotels further from the river may be affected due to water ingress to basements affecting kitchens etc.  The above is not a full list of affected hotels, just a selection.

However, this is where the long-term experience and connections of Tangney Tours has been vital.  Tangney Tours will be able to source sufficient hotel beds to support the CA's requirements (and those of most of his other UK groups that preceed us).  At present we don't have the details of which hotels we will be using in August, and which will not be open.  Some people will undoubtably be in hotels where the CA do not usually stay.  Details will be provided by Tangney Tours soon, but other groups are travelling before us, and therefore have to be prioritised. Please do not contact Tangneys for information unless you really need to.  They will provide further detail when they can.

General News
Please remember that many other businesses in Lourdes were affected, some for the second time in ten months. Some familiar shops and cafes will still be closed in August, and some may never re-open.  Many seasonal workers have been laid off.

The flooding was also not limited to the town of Lourdes.  Some villages higher up have been seriously affected with houses and road swept away, and people evacuated from the area.

Apparently, there is still snow in the mountains, the whole of south-west France is still saturated, and the river still fast-flowing, so care must still be taken.

The Lourdes authorities have a website to accept donations by credit card etc (http://fr.lourdes-france.org/evenement/solidarite-inondations-2013).  If you know anyone who wishes to donate, but would prefer to apply Gift Aid and can wirte a cheque, there is a UK charity that can accept donations and pass them on (The British Hospitalite Trust, Charity Reg 299315).  If anyone asks, please direct them to me for further information.

The CA Trustees fully support ongoing work to ensure the Pilgrimage goes ahead. Please remember that all those booked through Tangney Tours will be found alternative hotels if their original hotel is unavailable.

Lourdes floods 2003 - III

Further update, via Tony Assante, with our thanks (11am, French time): The Hoteliers Association have said that 40 hotels were seriously damaged by the flooding. The cost to each hotel runs to roughly 1 million euros by their estimations. There is talk, not confirmed that riverside hotels will need to reconfigure to limit future damage. More information when plans are confirmed. 


Update from Lourdes, via Tony Assante, with our thanks (10am, French time):

The work is progressing, this morning a geological survey will examine the Prairie, which has been badly damaged as all the footpaths have come up and all the underground pipes, have been affected. They also need to check the stability of the trees that are near the river on the Prairie side of the Gave. The Way of the Cross of the Sick is practically unusable.

There are reports that future works will be undertaken to protect the Sanctuaries from future floods. More information when plans are confirmed.

Update from Lourdes this morning (9am, French time):

Several masses (details in link) all to be held in the Upper Basilica area: http://fr.lourdes-france.org/evenement/inondations-grotte-2013.

In addition, there will be a Eucharistic Adoration Service thisafternoon at 17.00 (France) in the Rosary Basilica.

There will be a Marian (Torchlight) procession tonight at 21.00 (France). The procession will leave from the Esplanade (from the base of the steps of the Rosary Basilica - north side).

Lourdes Floods 2013 II

Updates for Thursday 20 June 2013

5pm (UK time): Have you wondered where all the mud came from? http://midi-pyrenees.france3.fr/2013/06/20/en-video-le-survol-des-degats-des-inondations-lourdes-et-bareges-274299.html

2pm (UK time): Update from Lourdes, via Tony Assante, with our thanks: During the press conference this morning at 10.30 (France) the Rector, Fr Horacio Brito, and, the Finance Director, Mr Thierry Castillo, of the shrine, confirmed that no pilgrimages will be cancelled, despite the seriousness of the damage. The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, the Crypt and their chapels, together with the High Stations of the Cross are open. In a few days access to the Grotto and the Rosary Basilica will be reopened.
They continue to asses the damage. Other areas damaged by the flood will re open progressively (Confessions Chapel, Accueil JPII…). There are serious questions over the time scale for reopening the Baths, the St Bernadette Church and the St Pius X (Underground) Basilica. Pilgrimages already registered with the Shrine, will find that their programme will be modified, but they will be able to take part. Pilgrimage organisers will find further information on the Sanctuaries website: www.lourdes-france.org

12pm (UK time): Lourdes was badly hit, but please remember the villages further up stream who have been fully evacuated due to no electricity, the roads and houses being washed away. Here are the first scenes from Barege: http://midi-pyrenees.france3.fr/2013/06/20/dans-bareges-devastee-et-evacuee-plus-rien-plus-rien-273717.html

10.30am French time:
It has been announced that the French President, François Hollande, will visit Lourdes at 17.00 (France)

10am French time:
More photos from the Sanctuaries of the clean-up, via Tony Assante, with our thanks: http://lnx.tonyassante.com/wordpress/foto-ufficiali-del-20-giugno.html

Lourdes Floods 2013

Some updates on the Lourdes floods (as at 19/06/2013):

Please keep everyone there in your prayers..

Latest news (17:58, French time): Lourdes Sanctuary has released details of how to make a donation to help with repairing the flood damage: http://fr.lourdes-france.org/evenement/solidarite-inondations-2013

Latest news (16:09, French time): The Mayor of Lourdes has said that the town is "traumatised". These floods are far more severe than those in October. The flooding is likely to be nearly as severe, or more severe than that of 1937, the highest recorded at 5.3m. Whilst the October floods affected roughly ten hotels, this time the number is many times greater. The affected hotels may not be able to reopen this season. The financial cost will be huge. Seasonal workers are likely to be badly affected too.

Latest news (14:59 - UK time): How it looked yesterday, a video from the Lourdes Sanctuaries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QHGqf1BFx7I#!

Latest update 12:54 (UK time): From news reports it seems that the highest flooding was reached just before midnight on Tuesday 18 June. Today, the staff of the Sanctuaries, many on duty since 4 am have, since daybreak, been clearing mud as the waters recede. The Accueil Notre Dame, where our Pilgrimage stays, flooded to over a metre. The Low Stations of the Cross, flooded to 1.3 metres. Much of the town is still without electricity. Two government ministers are going to visit given the seriousness of the damage (Min for the Interior and Min for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy)

Latest update from Lourdes at 11.43 (France): The situation is extremely critical. Impossible to put a cost on clear up, but they fear the worst. In the Underground Basilica the flooding is so severe that the altar is completely submerged. St Joseph's Chapel is also submerged.

Latest Lourdes Sanctuary update at 10.20 on 19th June: Closed since yesterday morning, the Basilica of St. Pius X (the Underground Basilica) is also flooded with probably more than a metre of water. The damage is being evaluated and may be very considerable. The organization of human resources is gradually being implemented. Sanctuary employees are mobilized. Many volunteers are spontaneously offering help. We will start cleaning once the water has started to receed. It is likely that the Sanctuary will need the solidarity of all of you.


The Lourdes Sanctuaries issued the following update at 10am on Wednesday 19th June: "Our main concern is to continue the welcome of pilgrims who are on site in the best way possible. After a general power outage a check is currently in progress. The situation should be restored in the coming hours. It will also restore telephone links.
Despite the absense of light, masses are still being celebrated in difficult conditions. Accessible places of worship are those located on the upper part of the Sanctuary: the Immaculate Conception (Upper) Basilica, the Crypt, the Mater Dolorosa and Crux Gloriosa Chapel. Even though the flood water of the River Gave has not yet retreated, the damage is considerable and even more severe than in 2012."

One person killed in flash floods: http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/19/one-person-dies-in-flash-flooding-at-lourdes/ and: http://www.lepoint.fr/societe/hautes-pyrenees-les-crues-ont-tue-une-automobiliste-19-06-2013-1682465_23.php

Video footage of the floods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k_aKhOv0K4&feature=youtu.be

BBC news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22963461

News from Tangney Tours regarding the floods: John Tangney is on his way to Lourdes as we speak to see the damage and help the local people in anyway possible. These floods are much worse than those in October. We will keep you posted. Please keep all the Lourdes people in your prayers and thoughts.

Assisted Pilgrims Poster

We need your help!

Thank you to everyone who added our CA poster to their parishes and other places - we really appreciate it. We now need your help again to go and search for potential assisted pilgrims. There's still time for ALL of them to come to Lourdes.

Once again, have produced a CA poster which can be found below. We would be very grateful if you could put it on your parish notice board ASAP. In addition, we have produced a poster for East Anglia and Northampton, as below:

THANK YOU

• Assisted Pilgrims Poster 2013
• East Anglia AP Poster 2013
• Northampton AP Poster 2013

Nurses

The CA Hospitalité would like to ask all members who live in any of the CA Dioceses to contact their local hospital chaplains and see if they would be interested in putting up a poster about our Pilgrimage, and particularly an appeal for more nurses. We have posters below that can be used for this purpose:

• East Anglia

• Northampton

• Portsmouth

Margaret Fairey

Please pray for Margaret Fairey who passed away today. She was anointed yesterday afternoon and died very peacefully. Margaret is Colette Sharrock's sister and aunt to Matthew, Claire and Helen. Margaret worked on our Pilgrimage for a number of years and recently came in 2012 as an Assisted Pilgrim. 

Please keep her and her family in your prayers... May she Rest in Peace and rise in glory..

Pauline Tombe

Your prayers are requested for the repose of the soul of Mrs Pauline Tombe, the widow of our former Chief Brancardier Patrick Tombe, and herself a handmaid on the CA pilgrimage for many years, from the 1950’s to the 1970’s. She was 93, and died very peacefully.

Patrick Tombe was Chief Brancardier from 1969 - 1976. 

Past officials

Lourdes 2013

Our next Pilgrimage takes place from 23 - 30 August 2013. Each year, the Catholic Association Hospitalité of Our Lady of Lourdes is responsible for coordinating the welcome and care of pilgrims, especially our assisted pilgrims, who come to Lourdes. You will require a PDF viewer to view most of these forms:

• Volunteer Helpers
• Assisted Pilgrims
• Pilgrims
• Stage 2013
• CA Hospitalité Members - your help
• Further information

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