Greg Daly
Some of the 1,300 pilgrims from Kildare and Leighlin in Lourdes. Bishop Denis Nulty has described the first ever diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes from Kildare and Leighlin as a “huge experience” after 1,300 people from every parish in the diocese visited the French Marian shrine.
Describing how he “enjoyed every bit” of the pilgrimage, Dr Nulty had nothing but praise for the “vast crowd” that had come on the pilgrimage in an attempt to unify the diocese in prayer.
“I proposed three years ago that it would help us as a diocese, bringing all the parishes together,” he told The Irish Catholic. “We do many things about structures and planning for the future,” he explained, saying that the purpose of the pilgrimage was to focus the diocese on “the important thing about getting us all going the one direction in prayer”.
The proposal met with a great reaction, he continued. “People really responded with great generosity to that invitation,” he said, noting how every parish in the diocese was represented on the pilgrimage.
“Many parishes brought their banners,” he said, adding, “the pictures on our website tell the story very well – they are tremendous, showing the colour of the pilgrimage.”
The success of the pilgrimage was recognised by the French authorities at the shrine, he said, with “huge compliments” being given on how well-run the pilgrimage was, singling out the contribution of young people from Newbridge and Portlaoise to the pilgrimage and noting the care given to about 80 pilgrims who needed special attention.
Describing the pilgrimage as “a graceful time of healing for all of us”, he said the pilgrims will carry home “tremendous memories”, highlighting especially what he described as “most moving encounters at the baths, at the stations, in the torchlight procession, Eucharistic adoration, and the Mass at the Grotto”.
Although this was Kildare and Leighlin’s first ever diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes, it won’t be the last, he stressed. “We will be going every year, with alternate years being large diocesan pilgrimages, on the same dates in July,” he said.