Congratulations to...

...Helen Carroll who received a Benemerenti in Lourdes this year. There was an audible gasp in the packed Hospitalité Service this year, in the Chapelle St Pierre (Acceuil Notre Dame), when Bishop Crispian Hollis announced a Papal Award for Helen Carroll, and a great burst of applause when he gave her the medal and scroll, Benemerenti.

The Bishop, our Patron, referred to her impressive service in and concerning Lourdes: 50 years a handmaid with the CA, 20 of which as Deputy Chief Handmaid; a spell on the Executive Committee and then a Trustee of the CA; about the same time with Leeds Pilgrimage as with us, including 30 years as their Chief Handmaid; a devoted member of the St Frai branch of the Hospitalité NDL (for over 40 years) and a councillor there for 10 years.

A story of consistent service to the sick. Well done, Helen.

(David Lewis)

Helen Carroll wrote:
I would like to say a very big “Thank You” for all the kind letters, cards, phone calls, I received following my presentation of the Benemerenti in Lourdes. These are truly appreciated and I keep everyone in my prayers.

Congratulations to...

Sue Balfour who received an MBE in June, for her services to the Red Cross.

Newsletter

Spring newsletter now available

Mary Lester: 1916-2004

Please pray for Mary Lester who has passed away recently.

Mary Lester first came to Lourdes with the Catholic Association in 2003. Accompanied by her niece Maureen, she stayed in the Accueil Notre-Dame, and she took part in the activities of the Stonyhurst group.

Friends and family agreed that her first pilgrimage to Our Lady's Grotto in Lourdes was a time of grace and strengthening for her, since she came back to Lancashire with her leg ulcers - from which she had suffered for many years - greatly improved.

Her second pilgrimage to Lourdes with the C.A., last year, saw the beginning of her final illness, and it therefore seems appropriate that she should have died on 8th December 2004, the 150th anniversary of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. In the Accueil, and in the weeks she spent in various hospitals, she was greatly supported by members of the Catholic Association, the Stonyhurst pilgrimage, and her family, especially Maureen and Mary's son Fr. Tony, who had joined the pilgrimage for the first time last year.

Fr. Tony celebrated her funeral in St. Peter and St. Paul Catholic Church in Mawdesley, near Chorley, on Wednesday 15th December. Tony was joined by a large number of his fellow Carmelite friars, including the Prior General who had flown over from Rome to pay his respects.

It was very good to see a large turnout from the Catholic Association Hospitalité, including the President (Michael Cleary), and clergy and pilgrims from Stonyhurst. During the placing of Christian symbols on the coffin, Angela Bergström-Allen laid out Mary's Carmelite scapular, and Clare Johnson - who had nursed Mary during both pilgrimages - laid out the photographs from Lourdes which Mary had enjoyed showing to her family and friends.

May she rest in peace.

Congratulations to...

Jim Walton and Julia Mason who married on 18th December 2004.

Website Updates

There have been a lot of changes in the website over the past year. In addition to having a team to decide on the content, we have a new name (www.catholicassociation.co.uk).

On behalf of the CA we would like to thank Roger Pettet for all the hard work and time that he has dedicated to the website. Roger has been the webmaster of the site since its inception, succeeding in persuading us of the usefulness of having a site to inform and educate. We wish him and Josie all the best for the future.

In future, any additions or amendments to articles will appear here. Because of the revamp of the site, there are too many changes to list, so please explore and if you have any comments, then please let us know by filling in our feedback form.