PILGRIMAGE WELCOME - CROESO!
Ms Frances Mainwaring, Pilgrimage Director
The annual Welsh National Pilgrimage to Lourdes travels together as pilgrims from across the Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia. We are one pilgrimage community. We come together, united in prayer, to serve one another, to wash in the waters of the spring and to pray to Our Lady and St. Bernadette at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes.
It is a privilege to be Director of the Welsh National Pilgrimage, maintaining the tradition established by past pilgrims and building a lasting love of and devotion to Our Blessed Lady, based on the compassion and love shown by so many of its stalwarts, friends and members both now and over the years.
If you are interested in joining our next pilgrimage to Lourdes, either as a pilgrim or as one of our volunteer team or, would like to be kept up-to-date with information and events, then please explore our website and subscribe to our newsletter.
Everyone is welcome!
VOLUNTEERS
All volunteers who travel with us on pilgrimage give of their time, skillsets, and services willingly and are not employed by the pilgrimage. We rely heavily upon and recognise the generosity of all our volunteers. Without this devotion, support and dedication to the service of others, we would be unable to travel as the Welsh National Pilgrimage to Lourdes.
Applications are always welcomed from those who wish to join one of our volunteer teams. Guidance and preparation are provided for all who volunteer, in relation to practical matters as well as opportunities for spiritual reflection and enrichment. The full participation of all volunteers in the Pilgrimage programme is strongly encouraged. Time is set aside
throughout the week and at the end of each day for prayer, reflection and sharing with others across our pilgrimage community.
We welcome anyone interested in joining one of our volunteer teams to make contact via our pilgrimage email address and your details will be forwarded to the appropriate volunteer team lead.
HELPER TEAM
Helpers work in small teams. Guidance and supervision are provided and an experienced volunteer lead is always available for additional guidance should it be required.
Roles and responsibilities include:
-
supporting the assisted pilgrims with daily tasks (as required)
-
providing wheelchair transportation to liturgies, services and events
-
socialising in groups with the assisted pilgrims – chatting, sharing tea and coffee, shopping trips and ice cream stops etc.
The work of our helper team is essential to our pilgrimage. We are always eager to build on the knowledge skillset and wealth of experience of this team.
TRAVEL
We travel by air to Lourdes.
The cost of the pilgrimage includes:
-
4* hotel accommodation
-
Full board
-
Return flights
-
Coach transfers
-
A full religious programme
-
Allocation of tour company representatives throughout the pilgrimage week
-
Lourdes Sanctuary Donation
-
Insurance
A full religious programme is organised with additional time built in for reflection, discussion, and time to explore the beautiful Sanctuary and the town of Lourdes itself.
Our programme always includes Holy Mass in the Grotto, a visit to the Baths, involvement in the Blessed Sacrament and Torchlight Processions, as well as Holy Mass with Anointing, Penitential service, Stations of the Cross and a social gathering, which often proves to be one of the highlights of the week.
While in Lourdes, each pilgrim is charged a Lourdes Sanctuary donation, which contributes to the upkeep and maintenance of the Sanctuary. This will be added to and included in your overall pilgrimage cost.