Lourdes Pilgrimage 2025
Our recent pilgrimage to Lourdes
Pupils from St Aloysius’ College recently took part in a pilgrimage to Lourdes, supporting young people with additional and complex support needs. Rooted in our Jesuit mission to serve others, the experience offered rich opportunities for friendship, companionship, and spiritual reflection. Throughout the week, our students lived out the values of compassion and care, walking alongside those they supported with kindness and grace. Fr Simon Bishop SJ accompanied the group and has provided a day-by-day account of the journey. His reflections offer a deeper insight into the moments of joy, service, and faith that shaped this unforgettable pilgrimage.
Lourdes Pilgrimage 2025
Day 1 - Arrival - In the first apparition of our Lady to Bernadette, Mary asked, "Will you do me the favour of coming here to meet me?" … in yellow t-shirts?! Well yes, as Mary had yellow roses on her feet! After a long day of travel, the pilgrims explored the Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes for evening prayer, bringing to her all the people and intentions who have asked us to pray for them. What an amazing gift.
Day 2 - Sports' day. Our first mass of the pilgrimage in the St Frai Chapel, the original hospital of Lourdes with Fr Simon and Fr Laco. We prayed especially for peace in our world and in our own hearts and then continued the pilgrimage with the sports' day. The egg and spoon race to the three-legged race, everyone coming together for fun in the sun. Before dinner we worked on our journals followed by a karaoke evening, which was much enjoyed by all.
Day 3 - The stations of the cross. Having responded to Mary’s first request to come to Lourdes in procession, we completed her second request of making an act of sorrow and penance for the healing of our world through the Stations of the Cross. Fr Simon led the group through the Stations of the Cross from the perspective of the Virgin Mary. What a faithful, loving disciple of Jesus especially in His four hardest moments. In the same way, she, too, accompanies us all in our suffering.
In the evening, we travelled to the City of the Poor for an outdoor mass in the ‘Green Basilica’ as named by Fr Laco, celebrating mass together in the beautiful wooded amphitheatre. He celebrated the Mass in Sign Language, making the beauty of the location 'speak' even more eloquently.
After a physically demanding day, the evening was intellectually stretching with a quiz designed by Mr Meechan. Medals and ice cream were given out to the worthy winners from the day.
Day 4 - Gavarnie
On Saturday, we travelled to the mountain town of Gavarnie. Enjoying time in the sun, splashing in the river followed by Mass in the chapel of Our Lady of Safe Arrivals, praying especially for all the many people who have asked us to pray for them, asking our Lady to help us to love and care for one another but also for our beautiful world.
Day 5 - Trinity Sunday. We spent the morning exploring the Museum of the Apparitions, fascinated by original photos of Bernadette and the shocking conditions of the 'cachot' (the disused prison) in which she grew up. Then down into the extraordinary architectural feat of the underground Basilica, able to hold around 20,000 people, before heading to the convent of the Poor Clare Sisters for Mass. By that time, a desert was certainly deserved!
Strengthened, we then carried our candle to the Grotto, with the names of all the people for whom we were praying, followed by the beautiful torchlight procession, joining groups from all over the world, in praying the rosary in multiple languages for the healing and peace of our world.
Day 6 - A day trip to St Jean de Luz with everyone taking a dip (toes!) in the sea. What a joy to see some of the guests showing such freedom as they splashed the St Al's students ... and staff!
Day 7 - Baths From the vast ocean of yesterday, we went to the Baths for the tiniest of gestures: having the holy water from the Grotto poured over our hands and faces. In our small groups of St Al's, Abercorn students and members of staff, we experienced the cleansing and life-giving water from the spring which St Bernadette discovered. Our Lady asked people to bathe in and drink the water in Lourdes and what a gift and blessing it was to be able to pray in deep gratitude for all those many people who had asked us to pray for them.
From there we prayed at the Statue of St. Margaret of Scotland, erected in 1927, praying especially for the country of Scotland before going back to our large group candle to thank Our Lady for this beautiful pilgrimage and for all those who had asked us to pray for them.
The pilgrimage would not be complete without the Talent Night, with the Abercorn guests taking pride of place although the St Al's students and staff also revealed some hidden talents!
Day 8 - (although it felt like the middle of the night!) began with a final check of the rooms before breakfast at 6am and the bus to Bergerac for the connection to Edinburgh. Uncharacteristically, the bus was remarkably quiet but as the day went on the excitement of meeting family again grew to a crescendo. A life-changing pilgrimage. With deep thanks to everyone who made the pilgrimage possible.
