Frontline workers and the sick among those remembered in On-Line Pilgrimage to Lourdes
Those who lost their lives since the Pandemic began, those who are ill and frontline workers will be among those remembered in the first ever “Virtual Pilgrimage to Lourdes” which will be run Archdiocese of Dublin next week.
Due to travel restrictions, for just the second time in over half a century there will be no Dublin Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes this year.
In September 2019, almost two thousand people took part – the sick, carers, their medical teams, youth groups, students and priests and parishioners. Always a joyful, uplifting spiritual journey, it was with great sadness that the organisers were forced to cancel plans for 2020 in April last.
Since 1949, when it was led by Archbishop John Charles Mc Quaid, thousands of Dubliners have accompanied sick pilgrims to the French Marian Shrine every September. The only other time the pilgrimage did not proceed was in 1953 when Dublin Pilgrims, who had made their way from Westland Row in the city centre, to Dun Laoghaire, Holyhead, Dover, Calais and Paris found they could not leave Paris due to a train strike and had no choice but turn around and make the lengthy journey home again!
Next Tuesday (September 8th) Archbishop Diarmuid Martin will begin the first ever “Virtual Lourdes Pilgrimage” with an Opening Mass in St. Bernadette’s Church, Clogher Road. The pilgrimage will take place in six different Churches in the Diocese over five days and on webcam. As numbers are restricted in each Church, the wider public are invited to join live on line. For members of the Deaf community there will be an ISL Interpreter at all venues through the virtual journey.
Pilgrimage Director Fr. Martin Noone said they were delighted to be able to connect directly with Lourdes on the Virtual Pilgrimage on Saturday next when, while Mass is taking place in Dublin, a Dublin Pilgrimage Candle will be left at the Chapels of Light near the Lourdes Grotto by Mme Fionnuala Brua and Mme Caroline Traynor. Fionnuala and Caroline both live in Lourdes and have worked with JWT on previous Dublin Pilgrimages.
Fr. Noone said that while it was quite extraordinary to be able to bring people together in various ways in parish communities and on line for Lourdes 2020, every member of the organising team and the wider Lourdes Pilgrimage community are hoping and praying they will be boarding flights once again this time next year. ENDS
Dublin Diocesan Pilgrimage Lourdes at Home
Full Schedule
Sanctuary Theme 2020: “I am the Immaculate Conception”
Tuesday 8th September
Opening Mass 7.30pm in St. Bernadette’s Church, Clogher Road, celebrated by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. (Feast of the Nativity of the B.V.M.) A large Lourdes Candle will be lit at the grotto outside St. Bernadette’s Church and will be present at each ceremony throughout the week www.churchservices.tv/lourdes
Wednesday 9th September
Lourdes Holy Hour at 7.30pm in Our Lady Mother of Divine Grace Church, Ballygall Road led by Fr. Damian McNeice. https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/ballygall-parish-church
Thursday 10th September
Mass of Healing at 7.30pm celebrated by Fr. Pat O’Donoghue with the Sisters of the Redemptoristine Convent, St. Alphonsus Road, Drumcondra. While it will not be possible to have a congregation present, Fr Pat and the Community will be remembering in this Mass all those who are on working on the Frontline. www.churchservices.tv/redemptoristines
Recitation of the Rosary (Mysteries of Light) with Reflections and using illustrations from the front of Rosary Basilica posted on the Dublin Pilgrimage Website. www.lourdes.dublindiocese.ie
Friday 11th September
Mass for the Deceased 7.30pm in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Clondalkin, with Fr. Paddy Boyle. We will remember in this Mass the deceased of the Dublin Diocesan Lourdes Hospitalité, those from our Pilgrimage Family, former sick pilgrims and all those who have died during the Pandemic and in particular their families and friends who are grieving at this difficult time. https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/clondalkin-village-parish-church
Stations of the Cross with Reflections and images from the High Stations in Lourdes, led by former Students Pilgrims. www.lourdes.dublindiocese.ie
Saturday 12th September
Concluding Mass of the Lourdes at Home Pilgrimage in St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral at 12.30pm celebrated by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. The Pilgrimage Candle will then be gifted to the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Sean MacDermott Street.
Simultaneously, a Dublin Pilgrimage Candle will be left at the Chapels of Light near the Grotto at Lourdes by Mme Fionnuala Brua and Mme Caroline Traynor, JWT Reps living in Lourdes. The livestream for this Mass is at
https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/st-marys-pro-cathedral-dublin
Recitation of Night Prayer each evening (Tuesday to Friday) at 9.30pm organised by the Pilgrimage Spiritual Director, Fr. John Gilligan, and streamed live from the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saggart
The Deaf Community is invited to join a ISL signed Rosary on FaceBook each evening during the Virtual Pilgrimage The Facebook link is: deaf prayers for those in need. There will be ISL signed Stations of the Cross on Friday 11th September at 2pm. Available on webcam from www.churchservices.tv/dvi Deaf Village Ireland, Cabra.
There will be an ISL Interpreter at all venues through the virtual journey.
