Chai Brady
The Archdiocese of Armagh has begun a ‘virtual pilgrimage’ to Lourdes today to reach out to the 550 of pilgrims due to travel there this week but due to the coronavirus pandemic the pilgrimage was cancelled.
Organisers have instead decided to conduct it virtually using social media channels.
This will be available to watch through links on their pilgrimage Facebook page: Armagh Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes Facebook. Over the course of the original pilgrimage dates, May 7-12, Archbishop Eamon Martin, Bishop Michael Router and the pilgrimage priests will celebrate daily Masses following the themes that had been chosen for the pilgrimage.
Petitions
The archdiocese has also set up a dedicated e-mail account: armaghlourdespetitions2020@gmail.com which allows pilgrims to email their petitions. These will be printed off daily and placed in front of the altar at each Mass.
Each Mass will be offered up for these intentions along with those of pilgrims, volunteers and deceased members and friends of the pilgrimage.
The 2020 pilgrimage to Lourdes for the pilgrims of Dromore, which was to take place directly after the Archdiocese of Armagh’s Lourdes pilgrimage, was set to be their 50th trip – the golden jubilee pilgrimage.
A spokesperson for the diocese wrote: “Such an anniversary only heightened anticipation and bookings for the annual trip, and organisation was proceeding at full tilt when Covid–19 quickly spread throughout Europe, and lockdown was imposed. The potential for a pilgrimage to Lourdes soon became impossible, another casualty of the pandemic.”
They have instead decided to ‘bring Lourdes to Dromore’, and go online for their pilgrimage which runs from May 12-17.
Every evening at 7pm via webcam from www.lurganparish.com, St Peter’s and St Paul’s parishes Lurgan will celebrate Masses, a healing service, a Rosary procession, Stations of the Resurrection and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for those at home.
They will also “unite themselves in prayer” with the grotto in Lourdes and are encouraging people, and not just those within the diocese, to spend some time there via the live stream of ‘TV Lourdes online’.