For three years in the late 1990’s I had the great privilege of going to a small town in the south of France called Lourdes, a place of Catholic pilgrimage for the crippled, weak and weary. I went as a helper with HCPT (Handicapped Children’s Pilgrimage Trust). Each pilgrimage was an unforgettable experience, touching me in a special way.
On all three pilgrimages I travelled and stayed with the Scottish Youth Group, made up of young people from all over Scotland. In Lourdes two or three youth group members are allocated to different individual groups, sharing in the life and activity of the group for the rest of the week. The youth helpers are a unique blessing to the pilgrimage, offering a special energy and enthusiasm to the week. This is particularly evident in the parties they help to organise for the children, giving them the time of their lives.
The first thing to strike you in Lourdes during an HCPT
visit is the wonderful atmosphere. Any doubts or inhibitions soon evaporate and
you are carried away by a spirit of joy and friendship. The sight of five
thousand children and helpers singing and dancing to ‘Rise And Shine’ at the
huge Trust Mass, amidst a sea of bright colours and upbeat music, is very
uplifting. The music, colour, activities, prayer and interaction between the
children and the helpers are instrumental in creating a great atmosphere. This
is turn encourages the children, some of whom might be shy or cautious, to come
out their shells and over the week you can see them beginning to relax and
enjoy themselves, growing in confidence and trust.
Each group is like a family. The adult helper fulfils the
role of a parent for the week, bringing stability and instilling a sense of
unity and belonging in the group. As a family we share in everything we do and
in this I became strongly aware of God’s love and presence. This awareness
wasn’t just confined to mass, but it was there in our daily living. It was
there in spending the day at the beach, climbing the Stations Of The Cross,
having lunch and dinner, and also in the frequent café stops and sing songs. In
all of this God’s love was truly experienced and shared because He was alive in
each one of us. It was in the other person that God most powerfully revealed himself.
The gift of friendship was experienced in a special way. It was very touching
to see a special bond develop between the child and adult helper. As the week
passed they would grow in trust and intimacy and it showed, in a very real way,
the deep need in each of us to love and be loved in return. This is what we are
made for.
The children are the stars of the show, a great gift and
blessing. They have something unique to offer in just being who they are and in
the loving environment of the group they blossom and grow. They feel respected
and lover for who they are. They are very much the centre of attention. This is
not something they consciously seek, it is their innocence, simplicity, humour
and trustfulness that make them very attractive. In these loving relationships
you can see more clearly the dignity of the human person regardless of their
ability or appearance. It is an opportunity to see Christ in each person. Due
to their disability, mental or physical, they can be a challenge to love, but this
can be fruitful depending on the response of the carer.
Of all that we experienced together, the torchlight
procession stands most vividly in my mind; the outline of the Basilica against
the evening sky, masses of pilgrims bearing banners and candles pouring into
the large square, singing and praying in many different languages. There is a
wonderful calmness and peace in the air; the faces around me are softened by
the candlelight, the children sit contently. There is a wonderful presence of
God.
The effect of Lourdes in my own life has been profound and,
in some ways, transforming. I was given new hope and strength at a time in my
life when I was weak and doubting. I have been made a better person through
reaching out to others, helping them and offering the hand of friendship. There
is a great freedom in living for the other person; in sharing, giving, serving,
loving. Great peace and joy await those who choose to live in this way.
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