Travelling to Lourdes is a wonderful experience full of fun, companionship, faith, friendship and laughter. Each person on our pilgrimage brings distinctive gifts and graces with them, benefitting those they meet during the week.
What do we do during our Pilgrimage Week?
We have a daily programme of events which includes a number of Masses and liturgies in different settings, with different themes. Bishop Richard celebrates a Mass of welcome for everyone and opening ceremony, where everyone is invited to have their hands blessed in recognition of the service we offer each other as we make our pilgrimage together. We also celebrate Mass at the Grotto where we remember friends and family members who have died, and a Mass of farewell shortly before we leave Lourdes. There is a Holy Hour during the week, a time for Lectio Divina, and many other opportunities for private and group prayer at the Grotto and in the Sanctuary.
You can visit the Grotto of Lourdes online every day via their TV Lourdes service with the Rosary prayed each day at 2pm UK time.
Applications open each year in January, here on our website. If you are unable to complete an online form you can contact us for a paper copy. We usually travel to Lourdes by plane, coach and jumbulance. Our Clinical Leadership and Pilgrimage Office team look carefully at the needs of all our pilgrims, allocating the most appropriate transport and accommodation on the basis of need. On arrival in Lourdes, we stay at a number of hotels, each ‘hotel group’ includes up to sixty pilgrims who form tight bonds throughout our week together. Our family groups stay together, as do our Redshirts and Purpleshirts.
