Lourdes

Carmelite Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2013

The British Province of Carmelites will be making a pilgrimage to Lourdes between 23rd and 30th August 2013 with the Catholic Association, a charity that has over 100 years' experience of accompanying pilgrims to Our Lady's shrine in the French Pyrenees.

Carmelite pilgrims in Lourdes.

This Year's Pastoral Theme
Every year the Lourdes Sanctuaries nominate a "pastoral theme" to help pilgrimages focus on a particular aspect of the message of Lourdes. This year's theme, inspired by the current 'Year of Faith', will be "Lourdes, A Doorway of the Faith".

Pilgrimage is a time for growing in faith and friendship.

Carmelites and the Catholic Association

The Catholic Association (C.A.) acts as an umbrella organisation for a number of dioceses and groups who come on pilgrimage to Lourdes together, including the British Province of Carmelites (in 2012 we numbered about 40 in a pilgrimage of some 800 people).

The Carmelite group within the Catholic Association in 2012.

The whole Catholic Association pilgrimage in 2012.

The C.A. has over a hundred years' experience of bringing pilgrims to Lourdes, especiually those who are sick and disabled. We accompany to Lourdes several Assisted Pilgrims (APs, sometimes known as "sick pilgrims"), as well as teams of professional and volunteer carers (doctors, nurses, general helpers). You would be welcome to join us either as an Assisted Pilgrim, a helper, or simply as a regular pilgrim within our group.

Anyone is welcome to join the Carmelite pilgrimage group. Many of our participants are either members of the Carmelite Family (friars, women religious, or lay Carmelites), or are associated with a community or ministry of the Order, but this is not essential; anyone who is happy to be part of our group is very welcome to journey with us.

Pilgrims wishing to travel under the Carmelite banner this year should first read the covering letter from the Pilgrimage Director which explains more about the week; you can access the letter (in PDF format) by clicking here.

Publicising the pilgrimage
We are always looking to welcome new and returning pilgrims, and are grateful for your help in publicising our trip to Lourdes. To download a poster for this year's Carmelite pilgrimage please click here. Intentions forms for those wishing to send prayer petitions with us to Lourdes can be downloaded by clicking here.

Travel with Tangney Tours

Most pilgrims who come to Lourdes with the Catholic Association arrange travel and accommodation via the officially designated travel agent, Tangney Tours. You can read the Tangney's brochure for the 2013 C.A. pilgrimage by clicking here, and to access the Tangney's booking form - which includes full details of prices - please click here. Pilgrims who have not been to Lourdes before are strongly recommended to book a place on the Carmelite pilgrimage via Tangney Tours, who require all pilgrims to take out travel insurance, or provide evidence of their own cover. Historically most of the pilgrims in the Carmelite group choose to stay in the Hotel Solitude (which is conveniently located near to the Sanctuary entrance); some of the group travel by train or by coach, whilst most travel by air.

Pilgrims who wish to register as an assisted (sick) pilgrim - or who are going as a helper but wish to inform the Medical Officer of any serious health condition - are asked to complete a medical form. All pilgrims booking via Tangneys will also be sent an information letter/application form asking if they wish to volunteer as a helper; to download the letter/form please click here.

Carmelite group volunteers enjoying some well-earned social time.

Independent travellers

Pilgrims who know Lourdes well, and are confident to travel on their own - making their own arrangements for travel to/from and accommodation in Lourdes - are welcome to join the Catholic Association as independent travellers. However, in order to officially register as a pilgrim with the Carmelite group and thus receive the pilgrimage programme, badge and handbook, independent travellers must register by contacting the Carmelite Pilgrimage Director (details below). Independent travellers who are coming as helpers must likewise register with the Chief Brancardier and Handmaid, having first read their letter to helpers and application form . Independent travellers are strongly advised to arrange their own comprehensive travel insurance.

The nurses' team briefing.

Coming to Lourdes as an 'Assisted' (sick) Pilgrim
Since the days of the apparitions in 1858, Lourdes has enjoyed a reputation as a place of healing, physical, mental and spiritual. The Catholic Association accompanies approximately 150 "Assisted Pilgrims" (APs) to Lourdes who require varying degrees of physical care.

Approximately 100 of these are "Hotel APs" who stay in hotels in the town of Lourdes. They are visited as often as needed by pilgrimage nurses, and they are provided with wheelchairs if necessary, and volunteer helpers to push them.

Some 50 or so APs are based in the Accueil Notre Dame, the 'house of welcome' within the Lourdes Sanctuary itself, that is a cross between a hotel and a hospice. It provides a friendly style of accommodation, whilst also affording additional medical equipment for those who need it. Accueil APs receive meals within the Accueil, where there is a full-time staff of helpers who accompany them to the liturgies and on excursions into the town and surrounding countryside.

Additionally some 30 or so children and adults with learning difficulties come to Lourdes under the Catholic Association umbrella as members of The Glanfield Children's Group. The Glanfield Group welcomes children and young people who have a wide range of illnesses and disabilities, or who are socially deprived. The Group stays in one of the hotels in Lourdes, and runs a programme in parallel with the main pilgrimage.

Coming to Lourdes as a helper

One of the common experiences of pilgrims to Lourdes is that we all help each other in a variety of ways, physically or spirituality. Coming to Lourdes explicitly as a helper is enormously rewarding for many pilgrims. In order to accompany Assisted Pilgrims (APs, sometimes known as "sick pilgrims"), the Catholic Association relies on professionals and amateurs who volunteer as helpers. The pilgrimage is always keen to welcome doctors, nurses, and general helpers (male 'brancardiers' and female 'handmaids') over the age of 17. Young helpers (aged 17-25) are organised as a specific group within the pilgrimage, and along with other helpers are organised into teams for different roles. The helpers are coordinated by a social and spiritual organisation known as the Catholic Association Hospitalité.

As well as requiring carers to see to AP's physical needs, the Catholic Association welcomes clergy and religious in chaplaincy roles, working with the Chaplain to the Sick. Volunteers for the Music Group are also appreciated for their work in supporting prayer and liturgy during the pilgrimage. Those with specific skills, such as physiotherapy and aromatherapy, are also welcomed.

In addition to carers for adults, the pilgrimage welcomes childminders as part of the Helpers' Children's Programme (HCP group).

All helpers who are to be in regular contact with children or vulnerable adults must comply with the Catholic Association's Safeguarding Procedures, and complete a Criminal Records Bureau check prior to the pilgrimage.

Deciding what 'category' of pilgrim you belong to

As the description above states, our pilgrimage is open to a wide variety of different pilgrims; please check the table below to see which information/booking forms are relevant to you. You can download documentation in PDF format by clicking on the blue hyperlinks.

What are your needs?	What to do next
If you are an able-bodied pilgrim wishing to spend time in Europe’s best-known Marian shrine, staying in a hotel and taking part in the C.A.’s full spiritual programme, either as a regular pilgrim or as a volunteer helper... Young adults wishing to help please see below Nurses wishing to help please see below	You need to register with the pilgrimage, either by completing a booking form from Tangney Tours or by registering with the Carmelite Pilgrimage Director as an independent traveller (responsible for your own travel and accommodation). Independent travellers who wish to be helpers must complete the helper application form. Pilgrims booking through Tangneys will be sent a copy of the letter asking if they are willing to volunteer as a helper, or it can be downloaded by clicking here. All pilgrims, including those who are able-bodied, must complete a medical form.
If you wish to come to Lourdes as an 'Assisted’ (sick) Pilgrim who needs full or occasional medical support either in hotels or in the Accueil Notre Dame (house of welcome) within the Sanctuary...	Assisted pilgrims staying in the Accueil cannot travel independently; they must travel with Tangney Tours. The first stage of the application process is to complete the Medical Form. Having had it completed by their GP, pilgrims should send the form to the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Nuala Mellows (address on the form) by the deadline of 15 July 2013. If the pilgrim is accepted by the Medical Officer, he/she will be contacted regarding other booking arrangements and payments. The cost of staying in the Accueil is £662.00. Assisted pilgrims requiring less care who wish to stay in hotels should complete the Tangney Tours booking form, and will be sent a medical form by Tangney Tours. For information about the Glanfield Group for sick and disabled children and young adults please contact the Carmelite Pilgrimage Director (details below).
Young helpers (aged 17 - 25) who are willing to assist on the pilgrimage.	There is a subsidised rate for young helpers of £500.00. The Young Helpers booking form must be returned to the Young Helpers' Group leaders, David and Judy Ball, by 1st June 2013.
Qualified Nurses and Doctors or other medical professionals (pharmacists, physiotherapists, etc.) who are willing to assist on the pilgrimage.	Nurses please complete the nurses' application form. Some special accommodation and/or funding may be available for nurses. Doctors and other medical professionals should contact the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Nuala Mellows; to email her click here.

Hard copies of all the booking forms, and further information, are available from Johan, the Carmelite Lourdes Pilgrimage Director (pictured), who runs the British Province's Carmelite Projects & Publications Office:

Mr. Johan Bergström-Allen, T.O.C.

Carmelite Projects & Publications Office

More House

Heslington

York

YO10 5DX

Office tel: 01904 411521

Please click here to email Johan.