Barnes in Common

the magazine of Churches Together in Barnes
November/December 2005

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The Magic of Lourdes

by Fiona Keen

During the last week of July I travelled as a Hospital Volunteer with the Westminster Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes led by Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster.

There were over 1000 pilgrims from London including 40 malades (hospital pilgrims). We travelled by specially chartered trains, aeroplanes and coaches. I chose to travel by Eurostar to Paris. We then travelled through the beautiful countryside of South West France to Lourdes by a chartered TGV train for the Westminster Lourdes Pilgrims.

As we arrived in Lourdes late on Sunday evening my hospital duty did not start until the Monday morning. The hospital volunteers were split into teams and we worked alongside the medical staff, the majority of whom by pure co-incidence were my colleagues from Charing Cross Hospital! We were split into teams of 22 with 2 team leaders. Unfortunately one of my team members (HRH The Duchess of Kent or Katie K as she is affectionately known) was unable to come as she had fallen over her dog and hurt her leg!
On the Monday just as the morning was breaking I reported for duty at the St Frai Hospital at 6.30 am. We were required to wear white, which is part of the hospital rules. Our morning duties were to wake the malades and to help serve the breakfast. Later in the morning we had to get the malades ready for the opening Mass at the Cathedral of the Trees which was followed by a picnic in the nearby hills.

When we were not on duty we were free to explore Lourdes and visit the Shrine of our Lady of Lourdes where she appeared to St Bernadette in 1854.

On the Tuesday my team's duty started at 7.00 am as we were required to serve the breakfast and then take the malades to the open air Mass opposite the Grotto. In the afternoon we helped prepare the malades for the La Terrace Tea Party which was held on a fabulous terrace overlooking the glistening river. That evening the Torchlight Procession, which involved all pilgrims in Lourdes, went on for a couple of hours with lots of singing.

On the Wednesday my team started our duty at 9.00 am. The malades were given the option of attending the International Mass or Private Mass on the roof of St Frai Hospital celebrated by our hospital chaplains. In the afternoon we took the malades to St Savin in the Pyrenees for a picnic lunch amongst the beautiful scenery.

On the Thursday my team started our duty at 9.00 am again. We had to take the malades to Mass at the St Pius Basilica. Later we returned the malades to St Frai Hospital where we were on lunch duty. During lunch the Cardinal visited the hospital to meet the hospital staff and the malades. After lunch we took the malades to the Baths followed by prayers until the Blessed Sacrament Procession. Later in the evening we returned to St Frai Hospital to help the malades get ready for bed.

In the evenings we met up with the other teams for some much-earned respite. Lourdes nightlife could be compared to a spiritual version of Las Vegas with much singing and dancing from the clergy including Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor!

On the Friday, our last day in Lourdes we started our duty at 6.30 am. We had to wake the malades and do breakfast duty. Later in the morning we took the malades to the closing Mass at the St Bernadette Church. In the afternoon a couple of friends from my team and I took some of the malades to the Grotto for prayers, shopping for souvenirs and on a trip on the Petit Train of Lourdes for a ride around the old quarter, the upper town and all its monuments. Our final duty of the day was supper duty before the ward party at St Frai Hospital. The party included many talents from the malades and hospital staff including singing, recitals, stories and jokes.

When we all left Lourdes on the Saturday morning after an exhausting but very moving week we all realised that we had given the malades a very enjoyable and spiritual time in Lourdes. It was also a very humbling experience knowing that as we returned to our daily lives we had made a difference to others.

The next time the hospital volunteers meet again will be at a reception in the Throne Room of Archbishop's House at the end of September, given by kind permission of His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, in aid of the Westminster Lourdes Pilgrimage, to help raise funds for next year's pilgrimage when we all return again to give our time for the needy.

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