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Cloyne Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes
1-6 June 2002
Led by Bishop John Magee
The
Cloyne Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes took place from June 1st to 6th
and was most successful despite the inclement weather. There were 1,042 pilgrims
altogether, 122 of whom were accommodated in the Hospital as invalids and 77 of
whom were youth drawn from all the Secondary Schools in the Diocese and whose
task was to assist the invalids and be a caring core for the whole Pilgrimage.
They were very distinguishable by the red tee shirts with the Cloyne Crest.
The
Pilgrims arrived on Saturday, the 1st of June, travelling from Cork
Airport in two Jumbo Jets of the Icelandic Airline Atlanta carrying 470 pilgrims
each and a smaller plane carrying the remaining 102. The spirit of the Cloyne
Diocesan Lourdes Family was truly great and the numerous Doctors, Nurses, Carers,
Brancardiers and Handmaidens were testimony of a long-standing tradition of
pilgrimage in the Diocese.
The
Opening Mass of the Pilgrimage took place on Sunday morning at 10.30 a.m. in the
great Chapel of St. Bernadette and, given the pastoral theme for 2002 for all
pilgrimages to Lourdes, “My soul is thirsting for the Living God”,
and the reality of Lourdes to be highlighted for this year 2002 “ The Water
of the Spring”, the Mass began with the Blessing of water and the youth
carrying the water to each pilgrim so that each one could bless themselves with
the water. The opening Mass was truly uplifting and set the tone for the rest of
the Pilgrimage.
In the afternoon, before the Penitential Service, conducted by Father Eamon McCarthy, the Pilgrims gathered in front of the Rosary Basilica for the traditional photo call. The sun was blazing hot with a temperature in access of 34 degrees. Many of the pilgrims found the heat oppressive and the youth basked in it. But those of us who were seasoned pilgrims warned them that the weather could change very rapidly in Lourdes. The Penitential Service was really a great opportunity for renewal in grace and with the 18 Priests on the Pilgrimage there was ample opportunity for personal confession.
In the evening of Sunday we took part
in the Torchlight Procession and the recitation of the Holy Rosary. This is
always a most touching event and thousands took part in it. Rain began to
threaten near the end of the procession but it did not dampen our spirits. Later
on that night the heavens opened with thunder, lightning and torrential rain.
That was to set the climatic conditions for the rest of the pilgrimage.
On Monday morning at 10.30 a.m. we
were back again in the great Chapel of St. Bernadette for the Mass and Anointing
of the Sick. Again this is a most moving ceremony and with the participation of
the doctors and nurses the invalids were anointed. The Choir, under the
Direction of Sr. Nuala and with Fr. Tim Fuohy at the organ, led the whole
congregation in songs of praise. It was indeed a truly memorable liturgy. It was
announced by the Bishop that Father Dan McCarthy had been appointed as the new
Chaplain to the Sick in succession to Father Donal Roberts who had given eleven
years of dedicated service to the Sick of our Lourdes Pilgrimage. Father Roberts
had been appointed President of St. Colman’s College, Fermoy and so had to
relinquish his pastoral task of caring for the Sick in Lourdes.
The afternoon of Monday was reserved for the invalids to be
brought to the Baths of Lourdes and despite the rain and inclement weather
everyone who wished to wash in the baths, in accordance with Our Lady’s
request to St. Bernadette to drink and wash in the water of the Grotto, got the
opportunity assisted magnificently by the youth, the Priests, the Doctors,
Nurses and carers. The evening of Monday saw us all gathered together in the
Upper Basilica at 8.30 p.m. for a Holy Hour conducted, in his usual devout and
uplifting manner, by Canon Eamonn Goold, the Spiritual Director of the
Pilgrimage. The Basilica was packed to overflowing and all were brought closer
to our Eucharistic Lord by the talks given, the prayers recited and the hymns
sung. As we left the Basilica we encountered again the heavy rain.
Tuesday
Morning was to see us all join with Pilgrims from the National Pilgrimage of
England, from the Archdiocese of Birmingham and the Diocese of Plymouth with the
Society of Our Lady of Lourdes for the Mass at the Grotto. There were estimated
to be nearly four thousand at the Mass, which was celebrated opposite the Grotto
but across the river Gave on the prairie side. That was the very side of the
river where St. Bernadette received the last apparition of Our Lady. The main
celebrant of the Mass was the Bishop of Plymouth, Bishop Christopher Budd and
there were in all five Bishops and a large number of Priests concelebrating.
Despite the torrential rain the congregation remained fixed with reverential
attention and participated in the singing magnificently. The youth and all the
carers were simply drenched in their service of the sick and they gave a
wonderful testimony of Christian love. Our own Bishop John Magee preached the
Homily and using the theme of “Jesus is Lord” he called on the
pilgrims not to lose sight of the essentials of the pilgrimage namely: Peace,
Prayer, Penance and Priorities. He stressed the need for each one to find space
for themselves and to confront their own lives personally in the light of the
four Ps.
In the afternoon the Stations of the
Cross had to be held inside the underground Basilica of St. Pius X due to the
inclement weather. One small group, led by Canon Michael Harrington, faced the
weather and followed the Way of the Cross in the rain. Then at 5.00 p.m. the
Eucharistic Procession was held in the underground Basilica led by the Diocese
of Cloyne. This is one of the highlights of our Pilgrimage and the sight of our
youth taking such a prominent part in the Procession, with the Bishop and
Priests and pilgrims from every Nation and Language, is one which will remain
forever in many minds and hearts.
At 8.30 p.m. there was an encounter
between the Bishop and the Youth in the Hospital Chapel. It consisted of
scriptural reading, singing hymns, a talk from the Youth Chaplain, Fr. Finbarr
Buckley, a talk from the Bishop and then witnessing from the youth themselves.
In an atmosphere of prayer and recollection it enabled the youth to concentrate
on what the Pilgrimage had meant to them.
Wednesday Morning we woke again to the sound of rain and fortunately the Mass at 9.30 a.m. was scheduled for the underground Basilica. This again was a most wonderful celebration of the Universal Church and, despite the rain and thunder outside, the thousands who took part in the International Mass were truly one family under God. No Pilgrim will ever forget the intensity of the spiritual experience it was for all.
Wednesday afternoon was to be marked
by all our Pilgrims – and I am sure our Lady didn’t mind – as a time of
national pride when our Boys lined out against the might of Germany. Special
screens were erected to enable all watch the match and I am sure there were some
of the prayers directed forcefully during the extra time to help Robbie score
the equaliser and to keep our hopes alive. The Green flags, bunting and
headgears were all in evidence at the hospital and in the hotels where the
pilgrims were located. The Bishop took the Priests of the Pilgrimage to lunch in
a little restaurant in the village of Bartres, where St. Bernadette had spent
much of her life. The Proprietor of the Restaurant kindly provided a television
set so that they could also follow the match of the World Cup. A special party
in the Hospital for the sick followed this joyous event and all who took part
were really in tremendous form. The rain continued to fall and we were wondering
were we ever going to see the end of it.
Thursday morning saw us all getting
ready to leave for home. Much packing had to be done, especially at the hospital
with wheelchairs and kitchenware and all the necessary equipment for the
pilgrimage being packed away in storage for another year. Last visits to the
Grotto were made, bottles of Lourdes Water were procured and emotional scenes of
farewell were witnessed as the members of the Cloyne Lourdes Family began to
disperse. It was the unanimous conviction of all that this year, despite the
weather, we had a most successful Pilgrimage. Many of the youth have committed
themselves to return as soon as they can because, for them, it was an experience
they will never forget. All during the Pilgrimage, at every ceremony and
especially at the Grotto, we all prayed particularly for our young sisters and
brothers who were about to sit their Junior and Leaving Certificate
Examinations. We wish them every success.
Sincere
gratitude is expressed to all for making this a memorable Pilgrimage; to Canon
Tim O’Leary for the excellence of his guiding all as Director of the
Pilgrimage; to Father Toby Bluitt for his directing of all Liturgical
Ceremonies; to Canon Eamonn Goold, Spiritual Director, to Dr. Sean O’Flynn,
Director of all Medical Services and to Dr. Geraldine McCarthy, Matron and
Director of Nursing Services; to Mrs Mary McSweeney, President of Lourdes
Hospitality for the Diocese of Cloyne; to Mr. Oliver Dorgan, Chief Brancardier
and to Ms. Helen Foy, Chief Handmaiden; to Father Dan McCarthy, Chaplain to the
Sick and Father Finbarr Buckley, Chaplain to the Youth; to Sister Nuala Reidy
and to Father Tim Fuohy together with every member of the Choir who all made our
Liturgies so meaningful and spiritually uplifting. To
all of these and to each and every Pilgrim goes the gratitude of the whole
Lourdes Family of Cloyne.
And
so the Cloyne Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2002 has come to an end. The
preparation for that of 2003 has already begun. May the Diocese of Cloyne and
all those who take part in and promote the annual Pilgrimage to the Shrine of
our Lady of Lourdes be every blessed by our Heavenly Mother and ever directed to
Her Son Jesus, so that all together we can proclaim that
“Jesus is Lord!”.
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