John Arnold: Back at Lourdes, a place that never loses its spiritual allure
I pen these lines whilst still on pilgrimage in the village of St Bernadette at the foot of the Pyrenees, and my overpowering feeling these blessed days is simple - it’s great to be back here.
Some say familiarity breeds contempt, and maybe so in some walks of life - on the other hand, how often you hear people say that you can’t get too much of a good thing and Lourdes is certainly a very special experience for me.
Since 2019, the Cloyne Diocesan Pilgrimage, like so many others, has been absent from Lourdes due to the covid pandemic. Last June, I was lucky to be able to come here with the Waterford and Lismore group, and I also travelled here during winter time over the last three years.
Being back with the Cloyne pilgrimage this year is very special, though poignant, because of absent friends.
On Sunday afternoon, at a Mass for deceased members of the Cloyne Lourdes Hospitalité, Fr Donal Roberts spoke movingly and emotionally about the great people who had trod this path before us, people who loved Lourdes and worked so hard to promote the message of prayer and healing.
I started coming on an annual basis in 2007 and most of these 50 were friends of mine.
Fr John Keane told about a girl helping a poor blind man in Peru. The man was overwhelmed and asked: “Is there any chance you are Jesus?” He said after this week in Lourdes many might ask the same question to our Volunteers.
Last Friday, we thought our journey to France might never happen! Two planes were to take just under 400 pilgrims and a 7am flight took half that number. I was to travel on the second plane, along with helpers, doctors, nurses and Assisted Pilgrims.
An afternoon flight was the plan, ‘twas after ten before we took off. We finally, finally arrived at Tarbes Airport well after midnight. Luggage, myriad boxes of food, wheelchairs, medical supplies and a hundred and one other items had to be unloaded, sorted and put on buses, lorries, and taxis.
It was nearly 3am on Friday morning before they could lay down their weary heads in the Accueil Notre Dame. Finally, weary helpers took their suitcases through the silent streets of Lourdes en route to various hotels.
As we crossed the Domain, we stopped in the darkness at the Crowned Virgin Statue, which is always the first and last point of every trip to Lourdes. Generally, statues don’t smile, well, maybe occasionally in Lourdes - but all I know is that the ‘welcome’ from that effigy of Our Lady is like no other and you know, once you see it, that, yes, at last we are back.
As for our early morning feast, I like beetroot and, in fairness, any food would have tasted like manna from the desert at that hour of the morning!
We never regard it as work when helping, along with the red-clad youth from secondary schools all across the Diocese of Cloyne. Personally, I receive more blessings and benefits during these six days than I could ever have imagined on June 1, 2008, when the late Tom Fitzgibbon of Killeagh suggested to me to cross that Bridge over the Gave River and ‘give us a helping hand’ - a moment I’ll never forget.
As ever, our Transition Year students are wonderful - this is all new to them but in minutes they are in action, helping in every possible way - by heavens, their families should be so proud of these young people.
Bishop William Crean is the Chief Celebrant for our opening Mass at 10am. He acknowledges the sacrifices made by many the previous day because of the delays but echoes the joyous message: “It’s good to be here.”
The Grotto where Our Lady first appeared to Bernadette Soubirouis in February, 1858, is the heart and centre of Lourdes.
In recent years, 32 trees have been planted in the area leading to the actual Grotto, as the Lourdes authorities try to recreate something of the sylvan wilderness that was there in 1858.
Back then, the rocky outcrop of Massabielle was fronted by a mucky, boggy marsh through which a little stream meandered.
It was dark last Saturday night as I took two friends who were with us as assisted pilgrims, to the Grotto. My first sight of the statue of Our Lady is always a happy and emotional experience.
Back then, the Grotto itself was decorated, if that’s the right word, with crutches and walking sticks of the sick and the lame who were cured here. They were all gone when I next returned 36 years later in June, 2007, and in the intervening 16 years.
Saturday night saw a huge crowd at the Grotto after a massive Torchlight Procession.
I have never yet found the correct formula or mixture of words to adequately describe what the Grotto of Lourdes is like. Many go expecting to see some statue or depiction of St Bernadette looking up at the beautiful lady in the rocky niche but there is none. That’s what Bernadette Soubirous wanted herself, Lourdes was to be about Our Lady and no-one else.
This past week, in baking sunshine, I’ve seen thousands here, huge crowds, but that serenity and calm still prevail.
On cold November and December days and nights, on my very own at the Grotto, the feeling is still the same.
Later on Saturday night, four of us came back to pray the Rosary by the riverside.
For several years now, I’ve made the excellent Agena Hotel my base here on pilgrimage - with friendly and helpful staff and no shortage of food it’s a great place to stay.
Close to midnight, I met Bishop Martin Hayes, who’d just arrived in Lourdes. An affable man from Two Mile Borris, near Thurles, he recalled his Killimer Diocesan Pilgrimage. which was cancelled on Friday and rescheduled for Saturday. Like us, they too lost a full day - maybe we’ll all get a partial refund or compensation, but I wouldn’t bet on it!
TO BE CONTINUED...
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