Diary - A Typical Week In Lourdes
If you want to know more about what we get up to each Easter Week in Lourdes the following diary should give you some insight from a child's
perspective. From year to
year we do vary some of the events, however, we do operate a very well tried and tested formula which means you are more than likely to experience a lot of what you find here in any one year.
Easter Saturday
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Today we had to get up really early so that we would all be at Piccadilly Railway Station for 4am to meet the coach (some of us had to get up even earlier to catch the coaches in Bolton)! We arrived at the airport in plenty of
time and we sat around drinking and chatting and getting to know the other members of our group, some of whom we had not met already.
I was very excited when we touched down at Tarbes airport near Lourdes – it was the start of our Pilgrimage. We got off the plane, straight onto a coach and then looked out of the window to make sure our luggage was put on too, I think I saw mine and it was still in one piece! It was just a short coach ride from the airport to Lourdes itself. |
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Lourdes was a very busy place with lots of hotels and shops. As soon as we got to our hotel, the Paradis (the regular hotel for Group 54), we went straight into lunch – I knew after this first meal that we were not going to starve! After lunch, we all found our rooms and unpacked.
Some rooms had great views over the river Gave flowing through Lourdes and others looked out to the mountains surrounding us.
Once we were all unpacked and had explored our hotel, we walked down to the Grotto to see where Mary had appeared to Bernadette all those
years ago. This was our first visit to the Grotto. There were many people visiting the Grotto from many different countries. There was a huge queue but Liz took us to a special entrance
so that we didn’t have to wait for long. We walked in and touched the walls of the Grotto – they were worn smooth by so many people feeling them – and we looked at the spring. Although we
were surrounded by people, it was very peaceful.
On the way back from the Grotto we visited a typical Lourdes cafe where we had a drink before going back to the hotel. Like many Lourdes cafes there was a great atmosphere. Other HCPT groups would usually be there too and there would always be some singing going on, sometimes we were responsible for the noise, other times we were just joining in with other groups, why the cafe owners never threw us out I don't know, they must get quite used to it when HCPT visit!
We had our evening meal back at the hotel and as we had all been up for the best part of the previous night getting ready to travel then it was not long before we were all in bed fast asleep.
Easter Sunday
This morning everybody was well rested after the previous day's traveling. After breakfast we walked down to the domain to join the other groups from HCPT Manchester region to celebrate mass together. Most of our masses throughout the week were enjoyable, however, when HCPT groups join together it always creates a great atmosphere. As ever all the musicians from the individual groups joined up and the music and singing was great. It was particularly special for some of the regular helpers today because previously HCPT Manchester region used to travel to Lourdes on Easter Sunday itself which often meant that there was not the opportunity to celebrate Easter Sunday mass as a region. This was the first year to travel on Easter Saturday instead and from all accounts it looks like the way ahead for the future.
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This afternoon we visited the Cachot. This was the old gaol where Bernadette had lived for a while with her family when she was young. It was very basic consisting of just
one cold and dark room, it must have been a very difficult place to live and grow up in. We said a prayer and took some photographs in the Cachot before going outside into daylight again.
Next we walked further up the town to the Boly Mill. This was a bigger house that the authorities had moved Bernadette and her family into following the apparitions. The house has now been made into a museum where we were able to walk around and look at things that were in the house when Bernadette was alive. Not wanting to break with Lourdes tradition we called in at a cafe for a drink before walking back to the hotel for dinner. |
After another 10 course meal (or so it felt like!) we walked down to the domain just as it was going dark to watch the beginning of the traditional evening torchlight procession. There were thousands of people from all over the world walking with candles from the Grotto, across the river and back around the domain as they have done day after day, year after year since all those years ago when Mary asked Bernadette to ask people to do this.
Easter Monday
After breakfast we started the day with a Group 54 mass in our hotel. After mass we took our guitars with us down to visit the Grotto then we called at a café for a drink where we were able to belt out a few more good tunes. It was a sunny day again which helped to add to the fun. We stopped in an open air cafe called the Terrace overlooking the river Gave. It was quite fun watching the “helper” try and make a list of all the required drinks (and to get it right).
| In the afternoon we visited the fort. This is a large castle on a hill overlooking the town. We chose to walk many stairs to get into the castle (I won't
make that mistake next time - I'll use the lift like many of the 'seasoned helpers'). You could see for miles from the top, we could see our hotel and all the surrounding hotels, the domain area
and the river going past the Grotto and on the other side we could see the old town of Lourdes. The whole area is surrounded by magnificent mountains.
After our trip around the fort we went on the train, they call it the Petite Train, its more of a train that drives on the roads through the town. Its a great way to explore the town for a few hours and a lot easier than climbing all those steps up into the fort! |
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Tonight was one of the big events of the week – the Fancy Dress Party. After dinner, everyone went up to their room to change into someone else! We were so well dressed that it was difficult to know who was who! At the party we danced and played games and there was the odd refreshment (or ten!). The party was absolutely brilliant; we stayed up late, had lots of laughs and went to bed absolutely exhausted.
Tuesday
We had our group photograph taken this morning. We walked down to the domain near the Grotto and stood to attention in our Group 54 sweatshirts and T-shirts (how we got them all through breakfast without a mark was a miracle in itself!) . Liz was very serious as she tried to organise us all. The photographer was French and tried to get us all to smile at the same time, which was not easy, especially when he said 'fromage' instead of 'cheese'.
In the afternoon a coach picked us up from our hotel and drove us a few miles into the mountains to a place called Hosanna House where we met up with the other Manchester Region groups for a few hours again. Hosanna House is a part of HCPT. It is a very large house, out of town, with spectacular views across the hills above Lourdes but only a short journey into Lourdes. It is specifically designed to accommodate people who are over 18 and therefore too old to travel to Lourdes with HCPT but wish to stay in a large family group style environment similar to other HCPT groups. Hosanna House groups are very similar to HCPT groups with a group leader, often a group nurse or doctor and a great team of helpers.
It was good to meet up with all the other groups from the Manchester Region at Hosanna House and to enjoy a regional mass together. Every group had someone that contributed to the Mass and it made us feel very close and happy. Afterwards, there was time to look round the grounds and to buy souvenirs if we wanted.
Tonight we joined in with the Torchlight procession. A huge crowd of people joined the procession, everyone carrying candles so that it looked really
beautiful. It started as dusk fell and was dark by the end, the darkness lit up by all the Torches. There were prayers in many different languages as we processed around.
Wednesday
We set off early this morning to travel, with the rest of Manchester Region, to Gavarnie, a mountain village in the Pyrenees. It was a very winding coach journey that took just over an hour. At the end of the journey we saw snow capped mountains. The sight was breath-taking. The weather in Gavarnie can change considerably from year to year due to the altitude and how early in the season Easter is. Helpers told me that on many occasions it has been very warm and sunny, sometimes even with snow on the ground and clear warm blue skies. Unfortunately on this occasion it was cloudy, wet and bitterly cold! We quickly jumped out of the coach and into the nearest cafe where we had our picnic lunch - bread, crisps, chicken, cheese and lots more (not quite the same as the more usual picnic on the meadows that they told me about but great fun all the same as we joined in with other HCPT groups in our favourite songs).
After lunch we had some free time. Most years we get to play football and other games on the field, some years we even get to have snowball fights and do some sledging, however, this year we spent a lot of the time ducking in and out of the sleet and we checked out the local gift shops. Most of us, however, did brave the weather for a ride on the horses and donkeys and we had a ride on the horse and cart which was much more civilised all things considered!
In view of the weather we left Gavarnie early so that we could get back to the hotel to celebrate mass with the other Manchester Region groups. Father Ged from Group 81 got to give a sermon
which involved Walnut Whips, I got the feeling he may have done that on one or two occasions before in Lourdes. We all got to eat them at the end (yummy).
Thursday
| It was a very special day today - the Trust Mass. We tried to get there early so that we could get a good seat. There were thousands of other people there from all over the world, over 5000 from HCPT alone not to mention all the other visitors that came in to see what was going on! Each group or region wore their own hats, sweatshirts, T-Shirt, scarfs (some even had their faces painted!) so that we didn’t all get mixed up. As the mass started, all the priests processed into the Basilica of St Pius X (the Underground Basilica); we looked for Father Paul and then he came and joined us. |  |
The Basilica is huge, much bigger than a football pitch. There was lots of singing during the mass and even when it was finished, we carried on singing songs. Some of the songs and hymns we sang included ‘Rise and Shine’, ‘Sing It In The Valleys’, ‘Shine Jesus Shine' and many more. It took a long time for everyone to leave but eventually we got back to the hotel for lunch.
In the afternoon we went to the Baths, just past the Grotto. Our Lady told Bernadette to wash with and drink the water of Lourdes. Father Paul led a
service about “Water”, during which we drank the water of Lourdes and then we went and queued up for the Baths. There were lots of people waiting to go in the baths – some sang and some
prayed but it was very quiet and spiritual. Not everyone went into the baths but those who did were amazed that the water did not feel as cold as it should (being straight from the Spring) and
that, once they got out of the water, they were dry in a few seconds even though there were no towels. We did not need much persuading to visit a cafe for a hot drink afterwards though!
We had our evening meal at the hotel then put on our disco clothes and walked next door to the Mediterranee Hotel where group 44 and 157 from Manchester Region had invited us to a party. We had a DJ dressed up as Elvis Presley who played some great music and we all had a whale of a time. It was a real effort to get some of us home to bed at the end I'll tell you!
Friday
Today was our last full day in Lourdes. I could not believe that the week had gone so quickly. We had a mass in the hotel shortly after breakfast which was a little tearful as we all talked about the great week we had had together. It was very clear that both children and helpers wanted to come back again given half the chance.
We had some time to do some packing after mass before a quick lunch then because it was our last day, we had some “free” time to go shopping in the
afternoon. Rumour had it that some of our group managed to find MacDonalds but we didn’t
tell Liz! We were able to buy all the souvenirs for our family, friends and ourselves so that when we went back home, we wouldn’t just have the memories.
This evening we went down to the Grotto. Father Paul said some prayers about light and we lit some candles during it and placed them with all the other candles in the candle area beside the Grotto. We had a quick stop at a cafe for a drink (of course!) then it was back to the hotel for a good night's sleep before our journey home tomorrow.
Saturday
Today was our last day in Lourdes. Although we were not traveling until the afternoon we had to have an early breakfast so that we could vacate our rooms by 10 o'clock. There were a few helper's faces missing at breakfast, they claimed they were still packing but it sounded like a line to me!
As with Group 54 tradition we had bought a huge candle, well over a metre tall and so thick that it needed two helpers to carry it. We decorated our group candle with our photographs, names and
some special intentions then we carried it very carefully down from the hotel to the Grotto. We said a few prayers and then lit and stood the candle in a special area near the Grotto where we
left it. It was wonderful to see
it lit up with all the others and to know that we will be remembered (and seen) here in Lourdes long after we have flown home to England.
From the Grotto we walked across the Domain to the statue of “The Crowned Virgin” in Rosary Square. Here we said three “Hail Marys" and tradition has it if we do this we will return to Lourdes again.
After a quick cafe stop we headed back to the hotel for lunch before our coach picked us up to start our journey back home.
Words by Paul and Sue based on the experiences of many children in the care of Group 54
and
Manchester Region HCPT on trips to Lourdes. Photos from Easter 2002 trip.
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Last modified 27 Nov 2003