Lourdes pilgrimage Easter 2017

Joe Myers, Year 12

On the 15th of April a group of Year 12 students took part in the annual Easter children’s pilgrimage to Lourdes in France with Mr Murray, Mr Merchant, Mrs Toner and Michael the Chaplain.

Our first full day in Lourdes was on Easter Sunday. We learned about the story of St Bernadette and had a tour of the town. This was followed by an Easter mass attended by all the HCPT groups already in Lourdes. This Easter mass was one of many highlights of our week.

Another highlight was our visit to Hosanna House on the Tuesday. We spent the day singing songs, playing games, making coffee and painting faces. This was topped off by a moving liturgy led by Michael. The day also coincided with Mr Murray’s birthday.

The final day of our pilgrimage was probably the most memorable. We spent the day working with the children, but had some free time in the afternoon followed by the regional mass and a liturgy led by Mr Merchant. This final liturgy was a moving and emotional experience that gave us time to reflect on the week.

Everybody involved in the trip had an amazing time and would highly recommend it to anyone who has the chance to go.  Seize the opportunity with both hands.

Mrs Merchant would also like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to our fundraising sponsors: Newcastle United Foundation, Manchester United Foundation, Camp Katur, Hilton Hotels and the Catenians for all their generous support. Without their help we couldn’t support our School Family Group, HCPT Group 36, with their sponsorship of four children from our local community attending the Pilgrimage.

Students were asked to summarise their experience:

Jade Mason: Lourdes has been one of the best weeks of my life. It has helped me look at life from a different perspective and appreciate lots more things. It is the most rewarding week ever and it is filled with constant happiness and laughter. I couldn’t put into words how amazing Lourdes is as a whole. Spending time with all the family groups is emotional but I know it has changed me as a person. I’d recommend and encourage everyone to go to Lourdes. It is worth it!

Joe Myers: Lourdes is a place where my belief in God has been reinforced. This is both down to the smiling faces of everyone there as well as the fact that it is a place that brings people of different nations together, all sharing a common belief. It has also made me feel a lot more comfortable with having my beliefs and has normalised things such as prayer for me. This makes it a very special place for me. Seeing the smiles of the children in group 36 will be one of the things I cherish about the trip for the rest of my life.

Jodie Ross: Lourdes has been a really eye-opening experience, seeing how young children always manage to remain happy even with the struggles that they face. It was amazing getting to visit the Grotto and the Basilica, spending time with friends and being able to make many new friends. The peaks would be going to Hosanna House and seeing all of the other groups; going on the petite train and having a water fight; taking part in the Trust Mass and visiting the waterfall up in Gavarnie.

Katy Burton: Lourdes has been an amazing experience and I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity. I have made so many new friends and made old friendships stronger. This trip has helped me to appreciate everything that I have and to see the positive side of life. It has helped me with my own personal problems and I now know eventually everything will be ok. Seeing all the children so happy when they have so many difficulties in their lives made me smile and be thankful. I can’t pick a favourite part because it has all been amazing and I would love to go back. It will be an experience that I will never forget. I know now that I don’t just have new friends but I am part of a family.

Rebecca Thomas: This week has changed me for the better and really opened my eyes. It was amazing how much we did in a week and the opportunities we had. Lourdes is by far one of the best weeks of my life and has made me truly appreciate everything and everyone. We all came as friends and left as family.

Chloe Edmondson: I have loved every minute of being in Lourdes. We have danced, sung and had so much fun. It has really opened my eyes to see what other people’s lives are like. I have not just gained friends, I now have a family.

Jess Bouron: I came on this trip not quite knowing what to expect but I have come back with so many precious memories. It has been such a worthwhile experience and I am sure we will all take the joy, hope and peace back with us. I have loved every moment from laughing and crying to singing and dancing. It has been amazing!

Joe Connor: This week in Lourdes has been a great experience for me. It has been amazing to see everyone so happy and to play a part in making people’s lives more enjoyable. My week has really helped me to change my perspective on many things and it has been an unforgettable experience.

Matthew Thompson: This week in Lourdes has been a great experience. One of the things I have enjoyed the most was going to Mass in the Underground Basilica. Another thing I have loved is just getting along with everyone. We all went as friends and came back as one big family.

Matthew Morley: I have loved every second of this week and it has been one of, if not the best experience, of my life so far. Even though there was a lot of heavy lifting and carrying it made me so thankful for the life I have and the opportunities I have had in my life. I enjoyed seeing the children from all the different family groups have a wonderful and overall I have made many memories which will last a lifetime.

Iona Scanlan: This week has been one of the most fun / amazing weeks ever! Completely different to how I expected. I didn’t expect to be so touched and affected by the atmosphere and spiritual feeling all around Lourdes. The torchlight procession, meadow and liturgy at the Grotto were some of my favourites. I’ve grown closer to many other people in group 714, and made life long memories! I am so happy that I came on the trip, it has really opened my eyes to how lucky I am.

Fay Staker: This week has been one of the most enlightening, amazing experiences of my life. My outlook on life has completely changed and I’ve never felt more lucky and thankful for the privileged life that I lead.  The opportunity to meet some inspiring children was fantastic, and I have now vowed to not complain about stupid, trivial issues and be more grateful and happy.

Emily Thompson: Lourdes is one of the most special places I have ever been. This week was full of different emotions and being able to spend time with all the children makes you appreciate everything you have and definitely changes you as a person.

Anna Short: Lourdes has been the most amazing experience and has really changed my outlook on life. It has easily been one of the most rewarding things I have ever taken part in.

Dominique O’Neill: Deciding to go to Lourdes is by far one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Every day has been so busy but so amazing and it has made me look at my life from a completely different perspective. Spending time with the children and knowing you are partly responsible for the huge smiles on their faces is the most rewarding feeling ever. I would definitely recommend going to Lourdes.

Emily-Louise Cain: I was really close to not going to Lourdes for a number of reasons, but I am so glad and lucky I have been able to come. I can’t fully explain how good Lourdes is because it affects people differently. I can say it was an amazing experience and even if I don’t get the opportunity to come again I will always have the memories from this trip. Coming to Lourdes seems to make it all seem about religion and I do feel more religious, but it is the small things I’ve liked the most also. Face-painting Cara’s and Taylor’s faces and seeing how happy they were was so lovely. This trip has made me realise that no matter how bad things have been in the past, are now, and will be in the future, there is always someone going through something worse or equal to yourself!

Charlotte Bloomfield: Before coming to Lourdes I wasn’t really sure what to expect but I can honestly say it has been one of the most rewarding and life changing things I’ve ever done. Being able to put such a big smile on someone’s face for doing something so small and easy makes you really appreciate the little things in life. I would definitely recommend Lourdes to everyone as it is something I am going to remember for the rest of my life and has changed me as a person.