Pilgrimage to Lourdes in Three Parts
May 1-8, 2024
Part 2 of 3: All Receive Healing

 Cathy slept during most of our chartered flight to Lourdes. Her status had changed from an ambulatory malade (sick person) to a non-ambulatory malade. She was brought to her airplane seat by wheelchair and a wheelchair carried her off the plane. For the rest of the trip, every event Cathy attended, included wheelchair or pull-cart assistance. The attention to Cathy and all malades was remarkable. Members and volunteers of the Order of Malta were incredibly compassionate and consumed with exceptional service to the malade community. The whole Lourdes experience for all malades and companions was wrapped in a deep and sincere blanket of love. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Order of Malta. You were simply amazing.

 Our opening prayer service was Mass in the Rosary Basilica, which also served as our first encounter with this massive Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine. This Mass was celebrated by Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron. During his homily he suggested that “many come to Lourdes, some receive miracles and all receive healing”. Cathy’s healing had already begun and she gained strength each day. By the last day of the pilgrimage, she was able to walk reasonably well with a supportive hand. When she walked onto the return airplane, the same flight crew cheered her miraculous recovery. The pilgrimage schedule was busy, organized, perfectly executed, and encased in prayer and spiritual dignity. Activities included:

            Daily Mass at various shrine churches

            Sunday morning International Order of Malta Mass in the shrine underground church with 25,000 attendees

            Cleansing and healing services at the Baths

            Marian Candlelight Procession

            Prayers and Mass at the Grotto

            Anointing of the sick

            Eucharistic Adoration Procession

            Stations of the Cross

            Sacrament of Reconciliation

            Three Receptions and Talent Show

            Tour of St. Bernadet home and parish church

            Twenty-three meals

            Ongoing update announcements

            A few hours of free time.

Next Update: Thursday, May 16^th