The Sanctuary of Lourdes is suggesting as a pastoral theme the words that Mary, the Mother of God, entrusted to Bernadette Soubirous on 2nd March 1858: “Go tell the priests to build a chapel here and that people should come in procession.”

2022 – “Go and tell the priests…”

2023 – “…to build a chapel here…”

2024 – “…and that people should come in procession.”

The pastoral theme this year completes the three linked themes from Our Lady’s instruction to Bernadette to go tell the priests (2022), to build a chapel here (2023) and now finally in 2024, to come here in procession.

The processions at Lourdes are always some of the spiritual highlights of any pilgrimage and taking part in them with so many other pilgrims reinforces us in our faith as we unite together with one purpose.

We are asked this year to treasure this aspect of pilgrimage and even to expand our opportunities to process together.

The significance of the theme increases when we realise that procession in this context, means also a pilgrimage:
“Bernadette was the only one to hear this instruction coming from the Lady. She was alone to transmit it. And now, the Church, as it obeys Bernadette, has been organising pilgrimages to Massabielle for a century.

"If Bernadette had not been Bernadette, Lourdes would not have become the meeting point of the Christian world. Because of this young, despised girl, an enormous flow of people started moving and hasn’t stopped coming from all around the world ever since.” Bishop Pierre-Marie Théas, Bishop of Tarbes end Lourdes (from 1947 to 1970)

The time of pilgrimage is completely different from the habitual Christian life. For some people it represents a particularly significant period of time. For the others, it will be a starting point, a moment of beginning again or a moment of coming back.

For some other people, a pilgrimage means a full discovery of the Church, of the Gospels and of Jesus Christ. The profound commitment of Bernadette inspires us to deepen our own Christian faith.

At the Grotto of Lourdes, early in the morning of Thursday, February 18, 1858, Bernadette was deeply touched by the words of the Lady telling her: Will you do me the grace of coming here for a fortnight? Although these words questioned her own freedom, the young Bernadette took them very seriously and promised to commit herself to do it

We thank God for the profound commitment of our volunteers and pilgrims over the years and pray that we may inspire many others to come in procession / pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes to treasure its  holiness and grace.

Fr Jeremy Howard - Pilgrimage Director