Scottish Catholic Observer

As Scotland’s biggest diocese, Glasgow Archdiocese’s pilgrimage to Lourdes is always a special trip and this summer’s was especially so. “It was Archbishop Philip Tartaglia’s first pilgrimage since taking over so it was important, and I think it was a bigger affair,” Fr Tom White, the pilgrimage organiser, said. “Nearly 400 people came in the end, we took two full charter airplanes, one for ordinary people and one for the sick, which we christened ‘Sick Force One.’”

Fr White said he believes the archbishop really appreciated the experience. “What I remember is the opening Mass at the Basilica of the Rosary, it was completely filled by people from Glasgow, and he looked around and said ‘we’re a big old crowd aren’t we.’” he said. “I think he appreciated that.”

Archbishop Tartaglia told the SCO that he has always had a special place in his heart for Lourdes.

“I looked forward very much to returning this year with the archdiocesan pilgrimage for the first time as archbishop,” he said. “I received the call informing me that I was to be Archbishop of Glasgow last year as I was leaving the shrine, and so I was very conscious as I returned that my ministry is very specially linked to this place.”

The archbishop added that it had been a ‘great boost to faith to see the evident care and love of so many helpers towards the sick and frail who are the real VIPs in Lourdes’ and he reserved special praise for the ‘spirit and dedication’ of the young helpers.

Challenges

Though the pilgrimage was a great success, it was not without its problems, not least because the whole grotto was badly flooded a few months ago.

“There was a lot of snow over the winter, then a cold spring, then a hot humid period with lots of rain, so it was a perfect storm really,” Fr White said. “Lourdes has lost 2500 beds so there was an impact. Four hotels we were going to use were closed and though we worked it out there was a lot more juggling.”

A pilgrimage like this would usually be planned out months in advance, however this one was a little more ad hoc. “With 400 people it is a big logistical operation and we had to decide what was possible at a meeting every morning,” Fr White said. “The Pius X Basilica is still closed and flooded again while we were there which had an impact but it all worked out in the end.”

Dedication

The dedication of the people of Lourdes in the face of the floods also impressed many.

“There was one woman, Finoul Brauh, who is the representative for the travel agent we use, whose hotel was badly flooded and lost her house,” Fr White said. “But she was telling me she was in Thailand when the tsunami hit and she lost her husband and kids in the aftermath. And even later she would see people walking along the beach looking for family that had been lost. And despite having lost so much in the floods she was totally unfazed by it, after what happened in Thailand.”

There were other challenges to overcome, as a vomiting bug hit 60 members of the pilgrimage, including a large number of the St Margaret’s of Scotland    youth group.”

“That was a shame, because for me the youth group is really the heart of the pilgrimage,” Fr White said. “And they were again this time. There was one couple who had got married the weekend before we came out and the rest of the youth group paid for them to come to Lourdes and join us after their honeymoon.”

This lovely gesture is typical of the deep bonds that are formed in pilgrimages.

“It’s nice for me, having organised the past four pilgrimages, and we have seen the romance grow from a budding relationship to now newlyweds,” Fr White said. “And many of the youth group were at the wedding and the couple arrived the night of the hospice party for the sick, which was a lovely moment.”

Memorable figures

Other memorable figures of the pilgrimages include Maureen Smeaton, a matron on previous trips who was marking her 40th year of going to Lourdes, but there was also a place for those who couldn’t make it.

“Because we do take very sick people with us, there are always people who sign up who can’t make it because they die first,” Fr White said. “Sadly, that happened this year with Claire Dawson, who died earlier this year aged 107.”

Despite her advanced years, Claire a long time supporter of Lourdes who had visited the shrine many times had hoped to join the pilgrimage this year for a few days.

“Her husband was the headteacher of the local primary school to my parish of St Mary’s and I serve with her son-in-law on the board of St Margret’s children society so I know it was a real sadness she couldn’t make it,” Fr White said. “But at the Mass of healing we prayed for the repose of her soul, and we knew she’s in the Father’s house now.”

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—     Archbishop Tartaglia’s Lourdes homily in full in this week’s print edition of the SCO, in parishes from August 16