As I kick off with my year long presidency of the Stonyhurst Association, I need your help, and urgently.
We are short of volunteers for the annual Catholic Association pilgrimage to Lourdes(August 24th to August 31), in which Stonyhurst plays such an important part, and less than a week from the extended deadline (8th June) for the receipt of applications.
As per last Friday, despite getting new forms coming in, the pilgrimage remained far short of the number of volunteers we had last year (which stretched us to absolute limits). Unless we all work together to help make up the shortfall as soon as possible we face the sad prospect of having to reduce the number of disabled and elderly assisted pilgrims who so hugely look forward to their very special time in Lourdes, in our loving care.
While I know that every effort had been made to encourage new helpers to come for the first time, at this late stage getting as many experienced returners would be of huge support, even people who have not been been for a few years -age is no bar, so as long as you are reasonably fit and committed.
How can you help as of now?
If you haven’t volunteered yet, please try to do so.
Whether you are joining us or simply can’t, please contact friends and acquaintances from previous pilgrimages and encourage them to sign up. If you haven’t received them, forms can be downloaded from the Stonyhurst Association site.
Lourdes is a mystery and you either believe in what happened there or you don’t. It has been a place of pilgrimage since 1858 when, at the grotto of Massabielle, a young shepherd girl called Bernadette Soubirous claimed she saw a vision of the Virgin Mary. Those of us who are touched by Lourdes owe it to two things: the sense of real presence one feels before the candlelit grotto in the late hours of darkness, and the happiness and love generated by those you help as a volunteer.
