Lourdes - The Last Day

This morning, bleary-eyed, I was up at 5.30 am to prepare for the last day of the High Stations of the Cross. There were only 11 of us in the warm dawn, watching the sun dispel the darkness, the jagged peaks of the Pyrenees in the distance, speckled with the white of snow-filled valleys.

The meditations this morning had been prepared by a priest who was familiar with and moved by the numbers of suicides that take place at Beachy Head, the seaside cliffs near to where I live. His words spoke of the aching despair in human lives that that only a God who gave up his own son to torture and death can understand – and heal.

 

Most of the Lourdes High Stations are gold-coloured life-sized iron statues arranged in groups. Traditionally, there are fourteen Stations in the Way of the Cross, however, the Lourdes High Way of the Cross adds a 15^th Station, a circular stone with a sunburst of radiating rays, the stone that the Gospel tells us was rolled away from the tomb. It has a Latin inscription on one side ‘He is risen as He promised. Alleluia! He is risen indeed.

Then back to the hotel for a shower, coffee and a croissant.

The final morning mass was at 10.00am in the open air in front of St Bernadette’s Altar, which is immediately in front of the Rosary Basilica. Greeting the A&B pilgrims was the usual avenue of redshirts – with Bishop Kieran Conry pointing the way and greeting the throng.

It was the hottest day so far in Lourdes and the merciless sun beat down. Fortunately there were a few trees and groups huddled under them while redshirts held umbrellas above the sick and elderly and scurried about fetching water, fanning them and applying sun cream. The celebrant, Bishop Kieran, wore his trademark blue Lourdes baseball cap during Mass, and the altar party was also decked out in a variety of natty headgear, including caps and straw Panama hats.

Bishop Kieran’s homily summarised his teaching during the week. Lourdes is different and we should embrace that difference with joy and thanksgiving. Soon, we will return home to a different reality, that of the world and our everyday lives; that reality is created by people and reflects their priorities of materialism, greed, addiction and triviality. Remember the reality of Lourdes, the selfless giving, the joy of living the faith – take that reality back home, let your light shine, smile on others and let the glory and joy of God be read from our faces and our actions.

 

Then, back to the hotel and our last lunch; melon with ham, then a main of roti de veaux, followed by a pear tart...and a surprise. It was my birthday and last year I managed to escape without any publicity. I’m a very quiet fellow, quite introverted and perfectly happy not to be in the limelight. But this year there was an announcement at the end of lunch, the presentation of a birthday card signed by the pilgrims, a thunderous rendering of ‘Happy Birthday’ - and some hugs! I could get used to this...

Soon, the coach arrived for the Easyjet passengers and we loaded our bags, got in and pulled away from the Hotel L’Europe, waving frantically back at the remaining pilgrims. The Arundel & Brighton Diocese Pilgrimage to Lourdes may be over for another year but we are all carrying back, in addition to our luggage, a piece of that holy place that is forever lodged in our hearts.