Volunteer nurses meet with organisers of the pilgrimagePreparations for the Cork and Ross Diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes are well and truly underway with a series of events taking place over the weekend.
The pilgrimage which is fully booked and will take place from Friday 20th to Wednesday 25th September.
On Friday evening last, volunteer Lourdes helpers undertook safeguarding training, which was held in the SMA Wilton. Special thanks to Julie McCullough (Director of Safeguarding with the Irish Province of Carmelites) for providing our volunteers with this important training.
On Saturday, the young adult helpers group gathered in Mardyke House to prepare for the upcoming pilgrimage to Lourdes. On Sunday, a group of young and student nurses who are travelling on this year’s pilgrimage also gathered in Mardyke House.
The two groups began their day by getting to know each other and were introduced to the story of Lourdes and St Bernadette. They then had a sharing session on their hopes and expectations for the pilgrimage, which was followed by Bishop Fintan guiding them in the Examen prayer. The day drew to a close with the celebration of Holy Mass in the Presentation Brother’s oratory.
In his homily, Bishop Fintan addressed the two groups: “They say nobody goes home from Lourdes the same. I would encourage you to open not just your ears and mouth but also your life and your heart to the whole experience and I promise you, that like the blind man in the gospel who encountered Jesus, you too will be transformed by that experience”.
Lourdes Young Adult Helpers Formation Day
Safeguarding Training Day for the Lourdes Pilgrimage
