Welcome home to our Lourdes pilgrims!






Bishop Ian describes the pilgrimage:


“The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle dew from Heaven”. Shakespeare’s words might have applied to our Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. Despite the fact that it rained most of the days that we were there, our spirits were not dampened.

All of us would agree that our spirits were lifted by the experience and nowhere more so than at our Mass at the Grotto. It was still dark at 7.30 on the Sunday morning as we gathered for our Diocesan Mass. The clergy, as always, had a privileged position under the shelter of the overhanging rock of the Grotto. The congregation, which included other pilgrims, in particular from California, were standing out in the rain.    

 Another moving occasion for us was the celebration of the Mass for the Sick, during which we all received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Fr John Paul McKinnon’s homily reminded us of the bond that exists between the minister of the Sacrament and the recipient of the Sacrament. All of us are weak human beings united by our frailty and strengthened by the grace of God. Fr. John Kelly, who had joined us from the Diocese of Motherwell, gave us an inspiring homily on St Bernadette during our Mass in the Rosary Basilica. On two occasions I was privileged to lead the Blessed Sacrament Procession and to bless the sick.  The more hardy among us climbed up the hill of the Stations of the Cross while the less hardy, but more wise, followed the stations along the banks of the river.  

As part of our farewell to Lourdes we processed – though the rain, of course – from St Joseph’s chapel where we had previously celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation to the grotto, bearing a giant candle in the name of the Diocese.  We concluded our pilgrimage with a visit to the Statue of St Margaret of Scotland. We thank God and Our Lady of Lourdes for the graces and blessings we all received.