‘Amazing’, ‘Fantastic’, ‘Humbling’ … just three words that young people used to sum up their experiences at Lourdes this year. A hundred young people joined the diocesan pilgrimage in July, and they came from every corner – Whitehaven, Workington, Carlisle, Barrow, Lancaster, Blackpool and Preston – and shared in a most inspiring pilgrimage, getting to know each other, serve each other, pray together.

Sensing the Power

The theme of this year’s pilgrimage was ‘Making the Sign of the Cross with Bernadette’ and it was wonderful to follow in her footsteps. The cross was signed upon her forehead at her baptism, and she lived the cross through her life through her suffering, illnesses and times of loneliness, finally dying in the convent at Nevers with nothing but the cross in her hands, holding on to Mary’s words at the grotto, ‘I cannot promise to make you happy in this world but in the next’. The young people often pondered on Bernadette’s journey. Natalie Sanderson, 17, from Preston, writes, ‘On one of the days we hiked up hill to the small town of Bartrès and visited the sheepfold where Bernadette worked. The walk was hard but was well worth it and it was nothing compared to how hard Bernadette would have had to work to get there each day. But one of my favourite places ever would have to be the grotto, especially at night. The place is so overwhelming that you can sense the power of the place. I completely believe with my whole heart the miracle of Lourdes and I can’t wait to go back. On the way home by coach, we stopped at the convent at Nevers where St Bernadette’s incorrupt body is kept on show in the chapel. The body itself is amazingly still in perfect condition. Contained in a glass casquet, she looks so at peace after all the suffering in her life’.

Washed in the Water

Our Lady asked the people to come to Lourdes in procession and to wash in the waters there, to pray and to repent. It is always a privilege to take up Our Lady’s invitation and to come on pilgrimage to Lourdes and for Maria Callagher, 18, from Preston, this year was no exception. She writes, ‘I was fortunate enough to return to Lourdes again this year. Although I went with a slight doubt that it may not be as good as the past two times I have been the cloud of doubt was removed as soon as I arrived. I particularly enjoyed the Torch Light Procession and the International Mass as I find it fascinating to see people from so many countries come together because of their shared belief in God. But for me the highlight of the trip has to be my experience in the baths. I had never been in before so I didn’t know what to expect apart from what I had been told by other members of the youth who had been in previously. I had heard that the water is very cold and that you dry very quickly after coming out of the water. Both I found to be true – the water was so very cold and I did dry fairly rapidly. It was when I stepped out of the bath that I had a feeling that I had never before experienced. I felt an extreme sense of joyfulness but wanted to burst out crying at the same time. I think this may have been my first real religious, spiritual experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the quiet time spent by the Grotto at night. Some stand by the array of candles, some sit facing the Grotto listening to the river behind and some go to others for prayer ministry. However the time is spent at the Grotto, it is spent in reflection and prayer’.

To Give and Not to Count the Cost

And of course Lourdes is a place of immense healing for everyone, spiritual healing, emotional healing and even physical healing. Working with those who are sick, the VIPs, is a deeply humbling experience and Katie Gregory, 17, from Cleveleys, writes, ‘’I’m sure that I speak on behalf of all the youth section when I say that working with the VIPs has been a very inspirational experience. It has opened my eyes and reminds me to be eternally thankful for the gift of my health whilst travelling on my road with Christ. Jesus said, “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do unto me” and taking these words to heart has given us a firm base to be able to follow in Jesus’s footsteps using our abilities to help those less fortunate’. Katie also was moved by her visit to the Cenacolo community in Lourdes, a community to help young adults who have been caught up in addiction and who are now choosing a new way of life. ‘It was so encouraging to see how others search so hard for the security and support I have taken for granted. It really brought me back to the centre of my faith, reminding me just how fortunate I am to be surrounded by a Catholic family and friends’. Echoing these thoughts, Jon Lord, 20, from Poulton, explains that ‘Lourdes has helped me to appreciate what it means to truly serve Christ. It is about seeing Christ in each one of us, and loving and serving Him’.

Friends forever

And if Lourdes is a place where we pray hard and work hard, it is also a place where we all grew together in an amazing way. Jon Lord writes, ‘Lourdes is a great journey and with all good journeys, it is one which we share together as a group. At the start of the pilgrimage some of us may have been anxious or unsure of each other, but by the end of the week we are a true family, sharing each other’s joys and pains, living and growing together in fellowship and friendship. And the relationships that are formed in Lourdes draw us back as a community of pilgrims eager to serve the Lord. We may be at different stages of life, coming from different backgrounds and hold different views but the unique experience of this pilgrimage draws people together like nothing I have ever experienced before. Whether we are singing at Mass, praying at the grotto, or relaxing at the waterpark, it is togetherness that enables us to grow as a youth section and be the servants we are called to be’.

Rosey Kennedy from Preston reports: “I remember when I started my training as a midwife, being told in one of our very first lectures that this wasn’t a job, it was a vocation. And yet as the word ‘vocation’ becomes more commonly used in the secular world it can sometimes seem like there’s an apprehension about saying it within the church. That is why it was such a joy to be at Oscott in July for the first national youth vocations festival.  

Held over a (fortunately glorious) weekend in huge marquees in the seminary grounds, ‘Invocation’ was an opportunity for young men and women to gather, to listen to hugely inspiring speakers, to discuss, to discern, to pray, to socialise and to hear affirmed and reaffirmed the amazing and reassuring message that we are created for a definite purpose. In today’s climate, and the midst of the fear and anxiety that often surrounds thoughts of the future we have a promise that there is a plan for our lives that brings fulfilment and happiness.

More than just listening to the words however, for me the real delight of the weekend was not only hearing, but seeing that fulfilment and happiness. We shared the weekend with members from most religious communities in the country, from Little Sisters of the Poor to Carmelites, Jesuits to Franciscans of the Renewal. It was an amazing chance to listen to different peoples stories of their journey with the Lord. Journeys that started for different people at different ages, in different times and in differing climates, journeys that navigated through apprehension, opposition, confusion and fear but all of which have led to immeasurable joy and peace in Christ. Not easy, not without struggles, but completely rewarding and deeply satisfying.

I enjoyed meeting and chatting with these people, seeing their different charisms, how people equally committed to following God, can live it out in so many different ways. It is reassuring to know that while some people achieve holiness through one way of life, it is equally obtainable through other paths and other ways. I left with a deep sense that we are incredibly fortunate as Catholics that we are not called to any particular way of life, except to Christ. I know that the call God has placed on my heart is unlike any call He has ever placed on anyone else’s, my challenge as I packed up my tent and left, was to make time to listen to that call, and discover His plan for me”.

For further details, contact Word Power, St Cuthbert’s the Old Convent, Burnfoot, Wigton, Cumbria CA7 9HU.

26-30 August 2010. Sanctuary. Youth 2000 Festival at Our Lady’s shrine at Walsingham Shrine, Norfolk. Bring your own tent or stay in the marquees provided and meet over a thousand young people in a field, all for the Lord! An unforgettable blend of prayer, inspiring talks and friendship. It’s a life-changer! Donation only, if you can’t afford it. Check out www.youth2000.org - There is a group going from the diocese, and catching the coach to Walsingham from Leeds. Contact central office for details.

Rosey Kennedy writes, “As young people when and where do we find that life, do we taste that sweetness, do we feel that hope? To whom do we send out that call? For those of us that meet 3 Sundays each month at Ladyewell Shrine it has become a place to answer these very questions.
As we begin another year of prayer, catechesis and socialising, ‘Youth Forum’ continues to give those of us who travel from Preston, Lancaster, Blackpool and beyond, our weekly spiritual uplift.
Gathering to join in adoration of our Lord, to share in discussions and lessons on matters of faith and church teaching and to meet in fellowship with other young Catholics we are strengthened and renewed. The rest of our busy lives are put into context as we are called together to find support, instruction and joy from the great Giver of all gifts. The time we spend allows us to be called forward by our holy Mother and be drawn closer to Him. This year may we find hope, sweetness and life through all that we do together”.

For further information, contact Nora on nora.m@hotmail.co.uk and check out http://ladyewellyouth.blogspot.com/

The Ladyewell Group will not be meeting over the Summer. Meetings will resume in September.

This past half term, Cardinal Allen High School in Fleetwood organised a pilgrimage to Lourdes for a coachful of young people from years 8 to 10. It had a remarkable impact upon all the young people, as Charlie Foley (15) recounts…

Monday the 7^th of June marked the first week after Cardinal Allen’s first Pilgrimage to Lourdes; it is hard to remember all the feelings and emotions flowing through our minds a week ago, but after starting with the long journey from Fleetwood to the Pyrenees, including more than a thousand miles of road and a grand total of two and a half days of being jammed in a warm coach, we were desperate for some space. However, all of this would become meaningless after we set foot around the French town of Lourdes, in what cannot be described with words, yet gave a deep feeling of understanding and a powerful awareness of Our Lord.   

The first day started with a startlingly early wake-up call at seven o’clock. As we were average teenagers more used to late-morning starts, it was difficult to fully appreciate the reasoning behind it, but, with a little determination many of us gathered our senses and began the day with hopeful spirits. We explored the history of Saint Bernadette, arriving at the “Cachot” – the old jail cell in which the Soubirous family were forced to accept as home when circumstances became dire – a queasy sense of claustrophobia filled our hearts as we struggled to cram into the little room, painfully less than twelve square foot. We began to imagine how much of a struggle it was for eight of them to eat, wash, sleep, pray and ultimately live in the simple room. It made us realise how truly fortunate we are. Soon after, our group entered the beautiful church of St. Pierre where Bernadette was baptised. In between the remarkable marble pillars and stain-glass windows rested timeless artefacts, such as Bernadette’s baptism certificate, written in genuine French. Little time was given to absorb the splendour of the site however, as we quickly were ushered off to Bernadette’s birthplace. We gazed for only a matter of seconds at the mill that her father owned and worked at, but it was enough to get the feeling of sheer poverty compared to many of our luxury houses today. Our group was then swiftly brought through to the Domain (the shrine area) which we explored and then had Mass in. 

Possibly the biggest religious experience any of us had ever been a part of was witnessing the torchlight procession on the same night, as a quick glance across the enthralled faces of our party would reveal. Never had I seen so many of my female friends overcome with tears and deep, unexplainable sadness; it was almost too much for me. The singing and candles combined to produce this indescribable feeling of poignancy witnessing this solemn yet stunning spectacle. Words that stretch beyond my vocabulary could not even begin to convey the true heartfelt emotion or the divine beauty of what we saw that night. People were truly overcome. This gave them a feeling of faith in God that they had not experienced before. The Domain offered the truly unique gift of closeness to God, the opportunity to put him first in a way that none of us could quite realise unless you have experienced it. The memory of that night will remain for ever in our minds. Some would say that they had never cried so much. The sense of being pounded with different emotions merging together into this sea of wonder was truly magical. It is not over yet though. In order to give ourselves some time to relax and reflect upon the day’s events, we were led down to the Grotto where Our Lady appeared, a very special place that we all quickly became attached to. At first glance, you would not expect it to be an amazingly beautiful place; at night the only light around is candlelight and it reflects dazzlingly in the river water. For many this made them feel a compulsion to speak to God, whereas others it was a time to simply absorb the significance of where we were. There is nothing quite in the same region of similarity. Also on site are thousands of candles lit for people. We lit our own because of the school’s recent and tragic loss of a fellow student. This drew people closer together, and brings me on to another point about Lourdes; the place brings together strangers. Although we go to the same school, many of us have never spoken before to one another, and Lourdes brought us together. The entire group got along with each other and we all were brought together into one big family.

When at Lourdes and more importantly inside the Domain, you truly feel that unlike modern society, the poorest and the handicapped people are the most important. At each daily procession, the sick come first, even in the procession we saw. Not a single person who was sick or handicapped was put behind the able-bodied crowd. They got the front seats and were always centre-stage: the day we went up to the Cité St. Pierre further emphasised this. Here volunteers go and support the ill constantly and they do it gladly. We saw where they ate together and could interact, but also saw the individual rooms each person had; they weren’t much, consisting of a bed, sink, toiletries, but enough to give the person a better life. Inside many of the chapels in the Domain, the walls are paved with thousands of prayers, thoughts and hopes of simple things, but, the most important things. This again emphasises the ‘serve the sick’ attitude at Lourdes.

With our newfound sense of severity, we began the final day taking part in one of Lourdes most involved processions: the International Mass in the underground Basilica. For a lot of people this was the greatest Mass they had ever been to, but the early mornings and tiredness were beginning to set in and many of us tried to keep each other positive and awake.

Another amazing experience was the sacred Baths of Lourdes; we waited for a good three hours, yet time did not seem to move between those three hours. We felt we were in a timeless situation; there were prayers, songs, people all around but little more than half an hour felt like it had past, we went in and were immersed in the water, only to come out dry and felt a lot stronger as a person. Many of us found the baths confusing; it was something that will never be forgotten, definitely a fantastic thing for anyone to do.

Much of the day was given to reflection as we sat peacefully on the lawns of the Domain. Again that sense of closeness to God returned. It is unlike anything on earth, a truly special feeling of contentment which acts uniquely on each individual. This was also conveyed through the final acts of our pilgrimage: the life-sized, bronze Stations of the Cross, mounted on a path up a hill captured the true gravity, image, and story of the Stations. Never quite before was the journey of Christ so real as watching each station reveal its story. Furthermore our participation in a concert in the Church of Saint Bernadette also helped our sense of Christian brotherhood. Finally, we finished the day with taking part in the procession.

For many of us the journey we took to Lourdes was unforgettable, it changed many of us as people, strengthened our faith and pulled us closer together and pulled us closer to God. Everything about it was special, even the local people, the welcoming and kind attitude was great enough for us to be openly comforted by clear strangers, an act that is almost non-existent in Britain. We are truly thankful to our school, and the teachers who organised this event and provided us with the opportunity to go. I’m sure we can all honestly say that we will never, ever forget our time in Lourdes.   

Shaun Morgan, 17, Preston, writes, The 2010 International Youth Festival took place at Hirvijari campsite near the city of Kuopio, Finland. It saw young people from Finland, England, Germany, Estonia, Hungary and Russia get together and take part in workshops and activities throughout the week.

On Monday the group from England set off at 6.30am and arrived at the festival at 6.40pm. We were given information about the festival and assigned to each cottage were we would stay for the week.

On Tuesday we started our workshops which included Drama, Dance, Newspaper, Music and Nature. These workshops had different nationalities within them and were organised by the Finnish. In the afternoon, we took part in outdoor activities and a football match. The Mass was organised by the Finnish, which was followed by dinner and evening entertainment organised by the German group. On Wednesday, workshops again took place in the morning and the afternoon followed by a walk in deep snow. We had to put on ‘snow-shoes’ so that we didn’t plunge into the thick Finnish snow. We all met up for a cup of tea in the woods and then returned to Hirvijari. The Mass was organised by the Germans and was followed by dinner. In the evening the group went to Hussola, and there was a barn dance with a band. Terry showed the IYF Group how badly / brilliantly he could dance. On Thursday, workshops took place in the morning followed by the IYF Olympic Games, which brought about a fierce rivalry between 3 countries by throwing snowballs at one another. After a tie break between Finland and England, England was crowned champions, which was mentioned constantly on Thursday evening. In the evening, England prepared and celebrated Mass which was followed by tea. After tea, the IYF Group could use the sauna then dive into a hole created in the ice lake. The English provided entertainment in the evening which was a quiz on Britain and pass the parcel. On Friday, the Finnish group took us to the city of Kuopio where we took part in the AMAZING (G)RACE! This was a race around Kuopio where we went to places of interest such as the Greek Orthodox Church and Kuopio harbour. At 7pm, the final worship took place in which all countries contributed. This was held in Kuopio Cathedral. In the evening there was a disco to end the IYF for 2010. The party took place in the coffee bar until 3am, and at 4am the Germans, English and Estonians set off home after yet another fantastic IYF. The next IYF will be next Easter in Munich. Photos and information will be on the Preston Impact website soon (www.iyfimpact.co.uk)

Impact Preston are also organising a retreat to Castlerigg in October 2010. For details, see below:

Impact Retreat at Castlerigg

Lizzie Cavanagh, 17, reports: A group of 18 Youth SVP members (from Year 11 through to the Upper Sixth) took part in a sponsored sleep-out in the grounds of St Mary’s Catholic College, Blackpool. The intention was to raise awareness of the plight of homelessness throughout the country but particularly in the Blackpool area. Earlier in the day, three 6^th Formers were interviewed by BBC Radio Lancs to publicise the event.

The sleep-out began at 7pm. All students had to make a shelter using only cardboard boxes to protect them from the elements. It was a very cold night!

A soup-kitchen had been set up to provide warm refreshments and there was a visit from Streetlife, Blackpool’s homeless charity organisation for 16-25 year olds.  Everyone tried to bed down at 11pm, but the howling wind didn’t help! Later in the night, the students were tested to their limits by rain and hailstone. They were not deterred!

Everyone was up at 6am having (just) survived the night. The students were rewarded with bacon sandwiches and toasted cheese sandwiches. Following another radio interview to mark the success of the sleep-out, it was a quick wash and brush-up and straight back into the college day!

Thank you to all those who prayed for fine weather and sponsored the students!

On Saturday 8^th May over 120 Altar Servers from across the Diocese travelled to Lancaster Cathedral along with parents, families, priests, friends and parishioners to celebrate the sixth annual Diocesan Altar Servers’ Mass celebrated by our Bishop. Bishop Campbell in his homily spoke of the importance of spending time listening for God speaking to us; The Lord’s power is infinite, and sometimes He chooses unexpected moments to speak to our hearts. ‘We must try and be alert, and listen for such moments… Do any of us make enough time to stop, be quiet, and allow God to say something to us?’ The Bishop asked.

At the close of Mass the Diocesan Chaplain to Altar Servers, Fr Robert Billing, invited all servers aged between 11 and 16 to the first Diocesan Altar Servers’ Retreat to be held from Wednesday 27^th October to Friday 29^th October 2010 at Castlerigg Manor, Keswick. The Retreat promises to be a wonderful opportunity to share faith, pray and socialise with other Altar Servers from across the Diocese in the heart of the Lakes.

 For more details about the Retreat speak to your parish priest or to Paul Briers at guildshop@yahoo.co.uk  or on 01946 834834.