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Eight years ago, Gemma Meik asked me to continue organising the Annual Pilgrimage to Lourdes that was originally started by her years ago.
I remember saying yes to her without hesitation and only later realised what I had committed myself to. On getting home, I told my husband Matthew about it and his answer was That's great, well done for accepting'.
He gave me the confidence I needed and have been organising the Pilgrimages to Lourdes ever since. I have also organised other Pilgrimages to the Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Krakow, to the Infant Jesus in Prague, and in the middle of organising the second Pilgrimage to Fatima.

Matthew and Judy Fernandes with Fr. Maciuszek

GEMMA MEIK

We always travel by coach from Holy Family Church with an overnight stop in Orleans on the way to Lourdes and in Nevers on our return journey Our Spiritual Director is Father Stan Maciuszek, Parish Priest of St. Wulstan and Our Lady of Grace in High Wycombe.

The river Gave that has to be crossed
before entering "St Michael's Gate".

The Pilgrims join us from all over, Wales, Luton, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire. This year we had a Pilgrim who came from Australia as well as two of my nieces who, travelled from Goa, India to join us.
To many, the coach journey sounds long and tiring, but we all enjoy ourselves, what with Fr. Stan praying and singing hymns, watching DVD's and listening to quiet relaxing CD's.
In between, a lot of loud conversations and happy laughter takes place, so the time just flies past.

The source of the spring
in the Grotto

Above the
Rosary Basilica
is this huge
'Golden Crown'
donated by the
people of Ireland.

Candles Dispenser

Our Pilgrimage can be described as a very prayerful one but also has a lot of happy, enjoyable times. We start each day with a Mass including one of the Masses being said at the Grotto by Fr. Stan. We sing at least 4 to 5 hymns at each Mass and we have Matthew to accompany us on his Keyboard.

Besides the daily Mass, we do the Stations of the Cross, the life size one on the higher level on the hill and the beautiful new Stations of the Cross in marble for the sick at ground level.

One afternoon we have the Holy Hour with Benediction at the Poor Clare's Convent Every evening or afternoon, we say the Rosary at the Grotto followed by the Candlelight Procession at 8.30 p.m.

The Grotto
with the new Altar,
changed about
four years ago.

Besides these planned praying as a group, one can see our Pilgrims not missing out on the Baths,
going for Confession in the Chapel of Reconciliation, lighting candles and praying at the Grotto.

We spend three whole days in Lourdes and yet we always leave feeling we could do with another day. On the last evening before we leave, we have a Social evening when Matthew keeps us entertained with all kinds of Music, Irish, Scottish, Italian, African, Konkanim (local language of Goa).

We have song sheets, so everyone joins in singing solos and together, and dancing, which is a lovely close to our prayerful time.

From Lourdes we travel to Nevers, where lies the incorrupt body of St. Bernadette in the Convent of St. Gildard.

This is an experience so overwhelming and unforgettable on ones first visit, but stays the same, however, often you visit.

It is wonderful that we can have our own Mass in the Chapel again with a lot of singing and music. We then walk in the footsteps of St. Bernadette around the Convent Gardens. In the furthermost corner of the grounds, is the Statue of Our Lady of the Waters. This is an extraordinary statue of Our Lady where Bernadette spent many hours praying, and this was because she said that this statue was the closest resemblance to the "Lady she saw."
We then visit the Museum where we can see many of Bernadette's personal belongings, like her clothes, shoes and the bag and umbrella she arrived with in Nevers from Lourdes.
There is also the chair where St. Bernadette was sitting when she passed away to go to her heavenly home.

We were 42 of us on this Pilgrimage and 22 had never been with us nor had met Matthew or myself. But we became one big happy family within 2 days of being together.
Everyone was friendly and kind and helped each other. I could see how new friendships were growing as there was exchanging of addresses and telephone numbers.

I can say that this was another wonderful pilgrimage and of course the success is only because Our Lady of Lourdes was there with us guiding, helping and protecting us and I pray that She keeps drawing us closer to her Son and gives me good health and strength to continue taking Pilgrims to Her Grotto in Lourdes.

PILGRIMAGE TO FATIMA
Monday 22nd June, - Saturday, 27th June, 2009

Fly from Heathrow : Full Board -
Accommodation at 3 star hotel in Fatima -
10 minutes walk from the domain.

VISIT'S TO THE HOMES OF LUCY,
JACINTA AND FRANSISCO

COST £500 - plus insurance

For further details please contact
Judy Fernandes - 01753 675786 or
Kitty Flood - 01753 533230

If you would like to comment on this feature or would like to tell us about your own experiences in Lourdes please e-mail our Guest Book or send a written letter to Kieran or Fr Kevin.

Original organiser, Gemma Meik has written to us. Read her letter in the guest book now.

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