Northampton Diocese

Two members of Northampton Diocese have recently written for the Diocesan newspaper about their experiences of Lourdes with the diocese and the CA.

In the article, Paul Deveraux and Tracey Hemelge talk about their experiences of bringing family to Lourdes this year.

To read the full article, please view here.

HCP News

Peter and Mike Tingle join Simon Gallop and Nicole Gallop Mildon as HCP coordinators following the resignation of Chris and Hillie Buller.  Our thanks to Chris and Hillie as founding members for all their hard work over the years!

Families wishing to book their children in with HCP can download the form here. HCP accepts the children of helpers (handmaids, brancardier, nurses and doctors); it can also accept the children of Assisted Pilgrims on a case by case basis.

People wishing to volunteer with HCP are most welcome - please download the form here. We have a preference for people who have come with the CA as a helper at least once before and who have experience of childcare/teaching/youth groups.

Deadline for returning forms is 31 May 2011.

Please do not hesitate to contact HCP by email if you have any queries. 

Sponsored Walk 2011

As previously promised, here's a few more details about the walk:

We're meeting at 9:30 at North Greenwich pier, near the O2 (what used to be the Millennium Dome) and North Greenwich tube station.

We'll then walk west along the Thames, keeping as close to the river as possible until we get to Putney Bridge, where we will congregate in an appropriate pub for a meal and a few well-deserved drinks (venue tbd - suggestions welcome).

This route will be a little over 15 miles. While the terrain is pretty flat and even, some of you may not wish to walk the whole course. If that's you there is the option to use public transport to skip ahead and rejoin the main group.

For those who walk the entire thing, it should mean walking at a relaxed pace for about 6 or 7 hours, including rest stops, which means finishing by 5:00pm.

Sponsorship is going well, mainly thanks to the off-line fundraising many of you are doing. Please continue to gather pledges on our website, it's such a worthwhile cause: http://www.bmycharity.com/SW2011

So, any questions? Now's the time to ask them! Reply here or email us here.

John and Matt

Phil Devlin

The CA Hospitalité is extremely sad to announce that Mr Phil Devlin has passed away. He died early on Monday morning in Hitchingbrooke Hospital, Huntingdon after he had a fall at home last week where he broke a shoulder and leg. He developed a chest infection at hospital.

Phil has been coming to Lourdes since 1997, first with the GOBS Group, and then as an Assisted Pilgrim. He recently joined the CA Hospitalite as a Prayer Member.

May he Rest in Peace.

Happy Easter

The Catholic Association webteam would like to wish everyone a very Happy and Holy Easter weekend.

(Photo is from the Upper Basilica and was taken by Matt Betts.)

St Benoît-Joseph Labre

At various times during the CA Pilgrimage or during the Act of Consecration, we often pray to St Benoît-Joseph Labre, the pilgrim saint. Who was St Benoît-Joseph Labre? The Catholic Herald has written an excellent mini-biography of this great and humble saint, here.

Teresa Stockton

The CA Hospitalité is extremely sad to announce the death of Teresa Stockton, a long standing assisted pilgrim of the CA Pilgrimage, who passed away last week. Teresa was also a Prayer Member of the Hospitalité.

Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.

May she Rest in Peace.

CA Walsingham Retreat

On the weekend of 8th-10th April 2011 members of the Catholic Association Pilgrimage went on a retreat to Walsingham, England's National Marian Shrine, which is celebrating its 950th anniversary this year.

The retreat was led by Fr Antony Lester and organised by Mrs Pat Richardson. There were over forty attendees, including several past and present Heads of Service.

The following report comes from the British Province of the Carmelites:

"With Holy Week approaching, Fr. Antony invited his fellow Lourdes volunteers to consider what their impression of "The Passion" is, and how it has been influenced by art. He spoke of "The Passion" both as the suffering and death of Christ, and of his passion as an icon of God's passionate love for every human being.

The group stayed in Elmham House Catholic retreat centre, celebrated liturgies together in the Church of the Annunciation, and visited the various different places of worship run by different denominations in Walsingham. Many enjoyed social time in the beautiful Norfolk village, and made a trip to Wells-Next-The-Sea.

On the Sunday morning the group made the traditional Holy Mile procession along the Pilgrim's Way from the village of Little Walsingham to the Slipper Chapel in Houghton St. Giles."

Our group attended during the 950th Anniversary since the shrine was founded, and the whole CA Hospitalite received a certificate to commemorate our retreat in 2011. View here.

More information on our retreat is here.

Thank you to Fr Antony Lester and Mrs Pat Richardson on providing everyone with such a wonderful weekend. Our slideshow of photos is below (thanks to Johan Bergstrom-Allen and Terri Betts for letting us use these).

Bishop Crispian receives a road honour

The road outside Bishop's House, Portsmouth and St John's Cathedral was re-named Bishop Crispian Way on Sunday, to mark his forthcoming retirement after 22 years service.

The road naming was a surprise for the Bishop and was revealed to him after Mass on Sunday morning by the Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson. Bishop Hollis was installed as the seventh Bishop of Portsmouth on 27 January 1989.

Bishop Crispian said: 'I am overwhelmed by the honour that is being done to me by the renaming of what I might call our section of Edinburgh Rd. As far as I know, no such honour has been done to any of my predecessors and I am still at a little bit of a loss to know what I have done to deserve this honour.

'I have now lived in the city of Portsmouth for nearly 23 years and I have come to love it as my home. I have always tried to engage myself in the life of the wider community of the city and when the time comes for me to leave, I will do so with great sadness.

'But I don't want to dwell on that today. Suffice it to say that I thank the Leader of the Council and his colleagues for the honour that they do me and the honour that they do to the whole diocese at the heart of which is our great city of Portsmouth.'

Bishop Crispian is leading the CA Pilgrimage this year, and is the CA Hospitalité Patron.

Italian Fundraiser for Glanfield

Mary Maybury has organised an Italian Night on the 16 April 2011 at the Holy Ghost Parish Centre, Luton to raise money for the Glanfield Children's Group. Tickets are only £5 per person and will include food, music, raffle and much more...

Details for Holy Ghost Parish Centre, Luton are here.

Tickets can be purchased on the door.

Congratulations to...

....Tracey & Nimal Hemelge on the birth of their daughter, Ophelia Hope Hemelge born this morning weighing 6lb 14oz.

Nurses Reunion

The Chief Nurse, Sue Woodford, invites all CA Nurses to a reunion in March.

There will be a Lourdes CA Nurses Reunion in Cambridge on Saturday 26th March at 11am in Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church Hall. This will be followed by Mass at 12.30pm, celebrated by Fr Simon Blakesley.

Afterwards, attendees are welcome to join Sue in town for some lunch.

If you are able to attend, please email Sue here.

Congratulations to...

....Andrew and Sarah Sparrow on the birth of their daughter, Evelyn Lily born this morning weighing 9lb 1oz.

Sponsored Walk 2011

This year the CA Sponsored walk will be along the famous and ancient Thames Path in London. It will be taking place on 7 May 2011.

We've chosen this not just for it wonderful scenery but also because it's an accessible route for most walkers, easy to get to and easy to extend for the more adventurous!

Bring your kids, bring your friends, bring your dog, but most important of all, raise some money for the CA to help us take sick, elderly or disabled people on a well deserved holiday and a rewarding pilgrimage to Lourdes.

All money raised goes towards the CA Hospitalite Sick Fund/Way Donnelly Fund, and to CA Trust to help nurses come with us.

Please sponsor us here: http://www.bmycharity.com/SW2011. Or, if you would like to join us on this walk, please let us know by email to (sponsoredwalk@catholicassociation.co.uk) or by visiting our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=110335642376182

THANK YOU!

John Kelly and Matt Betts

Stonyhurst Pilgrimage Ball

The Stonyhurst Pilgrimage Ball is to be held on Saturday 4th June 2011 to raise money for the Stonyhurst Pilgrimage Trust.

The Ball is being hosted by The Mellows Family at their home: Keepers Cottage, Wick Hill Lane
Finchampstead, Berkshire, RG40 3PY from 7.30pm.

Tickets £50 (under 25s £35)

Dress: Black Tie

To include:

• Drinks on arrival, and a Fabulous Meal with Wine!


• Piano playing by the sensational Dom Hartley!


• Dancing


• Licensed Bar


• Auction with Fantastic Prizes


• Tombola

Book your tickets early to avoid disappointment!

Contact Beverley Sillitoe at association@stonyhurst.ac.uk or by telephone: 01254 827043

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

See our poster here.

Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the World Day of Prayer for the Sick. Please pray for all sick members of the CA Pilgrimage and the Hospitalité on this very special day for them.



Lourdes TV will be showing the following ceremonies LIVE on their website here:

10am - International Mass
5pm - Blessed Sacrament Procession
9pm - Torchlight

Help the Pilgrimage

An appeal to all our Hospitalité members and others...

One of the important commitments we make as Hospitalité members is to help promote the Pilgrimage in our homes and parishes.

For our Pilgrimage in August 2011 (19 – 26 August), the CA Hospitalité is appealing for everyone to invite any friends, family members or fellow parishioners who might want to come to Lourdes as an assisted pilgrim, or as a volunteer helper in order to help provide the support that our assisted pilgrims need.

The CA Hospitalité Council have produced a promotional poster and letter, and we would be grateful if members could place it in their local parish church, local school/university, or wherever they think people would be interested. We would also be grateful if each member could add themselves as a local contact in the space provided, so that people can enquire further; or if you would rather not be the local contact, please add your Diocesan/Group Director as the contact (click here for list).

If people contact you about the CA Pilgrimage, lots of information can be found on the CA website FAQ pages, or if they contact you to come as:

• a volunteer helper, please ask them to contact us on volunteer@catholicassociation.co.uk
  
• an assisted pilgrim, please ask them to contact their Diocesan/Group Director (click here for list)

Download the promotional poster here.

If you would like to help the Council further in their promotion, please contact us here.

Thank you for your help!

CA Hospitalité Council

CA Hospitalité AGM

For those attending the AGM, the CA Hospitalité Secretary has provided us with the draft AGM agenda, so that attendees have the opportunity to ask questions or seek answers at the meeting.

Annual General Meeting 2011
12th February 2011, 11.00am – 12.15pm - Corpus Christi, Wokingham

President Welcome: Chris Buller
Opening Prayer and Act of Consecration: Fr Simon Blakesley.
Apologies
Secretary’s update: Nimal Hemelge
Treasurer’s update: Richard Long-Fox
Lourdes 2010 review: Read by Anna Jackson
Lourdes 2011:
· Spirituality and 2011 Lourdes Theme : Fr Simon Blakesley
· Chief Branc and Chief Handmaid: Matt Betts and Anna Jackson
· Travel Details: Matt Betts
· Chief Nurse: Sue Woodford
· Chief Doctor: Dr Adam Famer
· Young Helpers Group: Tina Walker
· Glanfield Group
· Stage
· HCP
· Music

Newsletter: Nimal Hemelge
Fundraising
Future Events
· Retreat: Pat Richardson – Walsingham

· Next AGM: 11th February 2012.
· Pilgrimage dates 19-26th August
· CA Sponsored Walk 2011
CA Hospitalité Insert: Matt Betts
Pilgrimage DVD:
BBC Documentary Production: Anna Jackson
Any other business

Followed by:

12.30pm : Mass, celebrated by Fr Simon Blakesley (CA Hospitalité Chaplain) in the Parish Church.

1.30pm : Lunch

If you still need to vote and advise your attendance/send your apology, please view details here.

Appeal from the BBC

The BBC are putting together a documentary film project about being Catholic in the UK.

Three 60 minute documentary films are being made for BBC4 by Wingspan Productions, an independent production company, about the experience of being Catholic in Britain today. The films will be made over the coming 12 months.

Wingspan are currently planning to make one film about men, one about women, and one about children. They are researching a number of possibilities for each film but are actively considering basing the film about women around a pilgrimage to Lourdes. They would therefore like to speak to women planning to go to Lourdes in 2011, either as nurses, handmaids, or indeed pilgrims themselves.

The production company would like to speak to both seasoned volunteers and those for whom this will be their first trip; those travelling alone and also those bringing family; and both those who are devout Catholics as well as those who may be less certain about their faith but nevertheless see the value of such acts of Catholic charity or pilgrimages.

In the first instance the company are really just hoping to speak to people as part of their research; getting in touch with them in no way commits you to taking part in the programme.

If you would be interested in finding out more about this project, please contact Anna Jackson (Chief Handmaid) on Chief_Handmaid@catholicassociation.co.uk.

We would love to hear from you.

Barbara Barnes

The CA Hospitalité is extremely sad to announce the death of Barbara Barnes (Northampton Diocese), a long standing handmaid of the CA Pilgrimage, who passed away last week.

Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.

May she Rest in Peace.

CA Pilgrimage Calendar

The CA webteam have recently added a new calendar to the CA website here: http://www.catholicassociation.co.uk/pilgrimage/calendar.shtml.

The calendar includes various application form deadlines, Hospitalité events, and Pilgrimage events.

If anyone has any events or dates that they would like to add, please let the webteam know here.

AGM 2011

The Hospitalité President and Hospitalité Council would like to invite all members to our Annual General Meeting 2011.

The AGM is an opportunity for you to put forward your ideas, receive updates from the Council, to meet with your friends, to bring a little bit of Lourdes back into your daily life and much more.

The AGM hosted by the diocese of Portsmouth will be taking place at Corpus Christi Church and Hall, 60 Sturges Road, Wokingham, RG40 2HE on 12 February 2011. The nearest station is Wokingham and the Parish Church and Hall are only a 15 walk away through the town.

The AGM will start at 11 a.m. in the Keenan Rooms (Parish Hall) and attendees may arrive from 10.45 a.m. when tea and coffee will be served. Mass is at 12.30 p.m. After mass, lunch will be served in the Keenan Rooms and will cost only £15 (including wine) per person. Please email us to let us know if you will be attending at: agm@catholicassociation.co.uk. Please don't forget to vote too, more information here.

Vote!

As you will have seen in the newsletter and in Lourdes, Andy Joyce has served his full term, and his position is up for reelection.

Three Hospitalité members have been nominated and are canvassing for your vote.

Andy Joyce
Nominated by Antony Lester and Sue Woodford.

I have been an elected member of the Council for a number of years now and have enjoyed it immensely. I wish to re-stand for election because I believe that I can build upon the work that we have already achieved and continue to promote the message of Lourdes and the Hospitalité.

My time on the Council has been enjoyable. I have helped a number of the Heads of Service over the years, and have been involved in a couple of the Preparation Days too. I find all of this rewarding and so by standing for re-election I hope that you will allow me to continue the work that I have so much enjoyed and appreciated.

Mary Lycett
Nominated by John Cribbin and Rachel Easton

Lourdes 2011 will be my sixth consecutive year with the CA, volunteering as a handmaid, and since last year, as a nurse aid.

I come with the Stonyhurst Group and have partaken in Accueil care and hotel rolling, night duties and in 2009 I was deputy team leader with James Silsbury.

Back in the UK, I have been very fortunate in obtaining a degree from The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, after partaking in my first professional show aged 13 and first professional opera aged 17.

I am now undertaking a degree in Nursing at Cardiff University and am currently in my second year. It is from my experiences in Lourdes that changed my profession, and I owe it all to the fantastic people I have met in the CA and Hospitalité.

As an elected member, I hope to further the good work of the Hospitalité by being proactive rather than just reactive, assisting the Heads of Service, to take the time to listen to people and in doing so, give people the best service I can.

Dail Maudsley
Nominated by Patrick Noble and Matthew Sharrock

This year’s Pilgrimage was my seventh trip to Lourdes. For the past four years I have worked with the Glanfield Children’s Group and I was previously a member of the Stonyhurst group for three consecutive years.

Throughout this time I have held various roles and have been involved in both rolling and working in the Accueil as a handmaid, as well as acting as a carer for children with disabilities whilst working with Glanfield.

For me, my first journey to Lourdes was a life-changing experience. It has led to my involvement in more than just the Pilgrimage each year and amongst other things I am a member of the CA web-team, I attend the AGM and help to organise various fundraising events for the CA and Glanfield Children’s Group – a black tie ball and two cycle rides from London to Lourdes to name just two.

It is the wonderful people I have met and continue to meet in Lourdes that inspire me to return each year. Some of my greatest friendships have been forged during the hard work involved and I’m proud to be able to help support that work as well as to be part of it.

In the ‘real’ world I continue the charity theme and work as Managing Editor for the Royal College of Physicians as well as planning and organising the various charity fundraising events I am involved with throughout the year.

I would like to increase my involvement with the CA and believe that by working with Heads of Service throughout the year as well as in Lourdes, and using my experiences in the Accueil as well as the Glanfield Children’s Group, as an Elected Member I can enhance working relationships and have a significant impact, bringing those within the CA closer together.

If you would like to come to the AGM and vote for one of the above candidates, please email:
AGM@catholicassociation.co.uk.

If you email your attendance and vote, payment for lunch needs to be provided at the AGM. Please send your vote and notification of attendance by 31 January 2011. Only Hospitalité can vote in this election.

Bishop Michael Evans

Bishop Michael Evans of East Anglia has been having treatment for prostate cancer for the last five or more years. During that time he has carried on heriocally with a full diary. He has just told all those in East Anglia diocese that he now probably has only weeks to live and that he is as prepared for that as he can be, accepting it with faith as a gift of God's grace.

In a letter to the Diocese, Bishop Michael said: "In the last few weeks, the cancer has rather quickly taken control. My oncology and palliative care consultants informed me openly and honestly just before Christmas that I now probably have only weeks to live, and I am prepared for that as I can be, accepting it with faith as a gift of God's grace."

"Rather than resign, I would like to continue among you as your bishop and the father of our diocesan family until this stage of my life ends. I do not know how long that will be. I am most grateful for the ways you have cared for and so prayerfully supported me in recent years. You remain very much in my thoughts and care. As I am sure you understand, I am able to do very little, and will need to rely on others. Please can I ask you to limit any expressions of care to prayer for now, rather than anything else to which I cannot respond."

"As I live now under the shadow of death, my prayer is very much that of St. Paul that I may know something of the power of Christ's resurrection and a share in his sufferings, trusting that the Lord is with me. I pray that even now, I can joyfully witness something of the good news we are all called to proclaim." Read full letter here.

Please keep Bishop Michael, his diocese and his family in your prayers at this very difficult time.

CA Hospitalité Newsletter

The winter CA Hospitalité Newsletter is now live on the CA website. Highlights in this issue include:

• Papal visit and Lourdes
• 2010 Reports
• Message from our new Chief Branc
• Hotel Nursing
• Treasurer's Report
• Elections 2010
• Ask Les

Please view here.

Glanfield Christmas Carol Singing 2010

The Glanfield Children's Group and friends got together for a third year to sing carols and raise money for the group on 11 December 2010. The carol singing took place at Whiteleys shopping centre in West London and at one point the group got to meet Santa himself.

The event was organised by Matthew Sharrock who was assisted by a number of musicians and singers. After a jolly afternoon of singing the team raised an excellent £526.07 for the Glanfield Children's Group. Well done to everyone who took part. Look at some photos in our slide show below:

Volunteer helpers - 2011 Pilgrimage

Our next Pilgrimage takes place from 19 – 26 August 2011, 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.

If you are planning to travel independently, please view our form and further details by clicking on the link below.

• Apply to be a Volunteer Helper
• Further information our Pilgrimage

CA Pilgrimage 2010 - Photos

Photos taken by Durand, Lacaze and Viron can now be viewed on our website in a slideshow or in folder. Please visit our photo page here. If you would not like your photo on this website, please email us ASAP, and we will remove it. Enjoy!

Thanks to Johan for collecting these photos from various shops

The CA Hospitalité Council needs you - Elected Members

The Council is looking for somebody totake on one of the Elected Members positions and play a further part in the workings of the Hospitalité and our Pilgrimage to Lourdes.

If you would like to be put forward for this position you need to be nominated by two members of the CA Hospitalité.

Please send your nominations to hosp_secretary@catholicassocation.co.uk.

All nominations need to be received by 15 October 2010.

An election will then take place in the Hospitalité newsletter.

Lourdes 2011

Our next Pilgrimage takes place from 19 – 26 August 2011. 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.

Assisted Pilgrims:
If you, or a friend/family member would like to come to Lourdes as an Assisted Pilgrim next year, please contact the Chief Doctor on: chief_doctor@catholicassociation.co.uk. Our Assisted Pilgrims are those who are ill or disabled, and would like to stay at the Accueil or a hotel, and will need assistance from our team of helpers. Financial help may be available, either through your Diocesan/Group Director, or through any member of the CA Hospitalité.

Volunteer Helpers:
Men and women of all ages and backgrounds come to Lourdes as volunteer helpers to answer Mary’s request for people to ‘come in procession’, but more importantly they come in response to the command of her son Jesus to love God and to love our neighbours as ourselves (Gospel of Mark 12:29-31).These volunteer-helpers, who are pilgrims themselves, strive to encounter Jesus in each pilgrim, caring for their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. The CA Hospitalité includes doctors, nurses, and non-medical helpers: brancardiers (male) and handmaids (female).

If you would be interested, or know someone who would be interested in coming on Pilgrimage next year as a volunteer-helper, please let us know at: volunteer@catholicassociation.co.uk, and someone will be in contact with you as soon as possible. Minimum age for helping is now 17 and there is no maximum age. NB, if you are aged 17-25, you can be a part of the Young Helpers’ Group, (a supervised group staying in a separate hotel) please let us know on above email address. Although we are unable to include people under 17 as full volunteers under the terms of our insurance, we welcome enthusiastic younger people whose families are on the Pilgrimage and who are interested in coming as volunteers when they reach 17 and wish to see what volunteer work is like.

Additionally, if you have children, the CA organises the Helpers' Children's Programme (HCP), which offers a programme of activities for the children (0 - 16) of helpers working on the Pilgrimage. It is generally open from 8.30 - 12 and 2 - 6 each day and your duties can be adjusted accordingly.