Catholic Medical Quarterly Volume 73(1) February 2023
Pilgrimage to Lourdes
Dr Anuli Igboaka
Here’s a little story of how God took care of me at the beginning of my pilgrimage to Lourdes last year.
I had a strong desire to go to Lourdes for over a year leading up to the Westminster Diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes in 2022.
During the COVID pandemic, I had felt very blessed to have been able to join the Brentwood diocese in their local pilgrimage called ‘Lourdes at Your local’. For this, Bishop Alan Williams visited a different Parish in the Diocese of Brentwood each day. This opportunity came at the right time when I was going through a difficult time and needed a break. This pilgrimage felt like a gift from God and proved to be a very blessed experience.
Last
year, after much uncertainty and during another challenging time in my
life, I decided to join the Westminster Diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes as
a medical volunteer. However, leading up to this pilgrimage I experienced
much uncertainty and unrest about going.
However God really took care of me.
Examples of God’s Providence began in the Airport. Still unsure whether it was the right decision to go, when I arrived at the boarding gate I was told that I was lucky that I had met the boarding gate open.
When I boarded the plane, I discovered that those I was due to travel with were not on the same flight. Feeling a little anxious, I found myself sitting next to a lady on the plane whose son was considering studying medicine. This lady later proved to be of great help to me on my journey.
The first way God provided for me through this lady was by her sharing with me that I could travel to Lourdes sanctuary from the airport by bus - I had assumed I would make my way with those I had planned to travel with and as they were not there I had more uncertainty with respects to how I would get to the Sanctuary.
When we arrived at the airport, I heard that the shuttle bus only took Euros. However having assumed there would be a currency exchange facility at the airport, I found myself without any Euros. The same lady kindly offered to buy my bus ticket.
There was further Providence when my phone battery died and I had no other means to contact those who I had planned to travel with. I found a family in the airport who had an adaptor and I was able to charge my phone. It seemed that whatever I needed, God would provide. But it wasn’t only me that He provided for. As it happened, this family hadn’t been aware of the shuttle bus service and were planning to get a taxi to the sanctuary so they were pleased when I informed them that there was a shuttle bus service they could get instead.
As we arrived at Lourdes train station (with which we were totally unfamiliar), we came to realise that we were but a relatively short distance away from the grotto, but the bus couldn’t drive us any closer. felt inspired to pray the rosary as a group and so as we set out to walk to the Sanctuary I invited the group to do so. I was very glad when the other pilgrims in our newly formed group agreed to do this, and so as we walked through the streets to the Grotto we prayed. What a blessed walk it was, accompanied by the prayer of the rosary.
Passing through streets lined with shops & hotels, we finally arrived at the sanctuary at Lourdes, finishing the rosary just as we arrived. This felt very much like a "God-incidence" rather than a coincidence.
Other than myself, the pilgrims in this newly formed pilgrimage group had never been to Lourdes, so I agreed to show them around. This seemed to be another example of things falling into place. I very much enjoyed taking on this role and I think my fellow pilgrims appreciated having somebody show them around the sanctuary
We discovered that several of us within the group had connections with healthcare either through work or study. It seemed another God-incidence, something that connected us.
We visited the Grotto and some of the group stopped to pray, a special moment. As we eventually went our different ways I exchanged details with some of my newly found pilgrim friends.
As I was walking to my hotel, I was met with a kind invitation to lunch from the family that had formed part of our group. A lovely gesture and yet another example of God’s Providence at work.
Following this meal together, my time with all but one of these pilgrims ended.
What
a joy to have met these strangers at the start of my pilgrimage. And how
grateful was I to experience God’s care from the very beginning of my
pilgrimage to Lourdes.
This was only the beginning of many more experiences of God’s Providence. During the course of the pilgrimage, what we needed often seemed to be provided. For example, there was the instance of two members of the nursing team and myself arriving at a hotel to be met with a request to help a pilgrim who was in need of medical assistance. That's Lourdes for you.
There were several pilgrims who had stories to share about their journey to Lourdes and the unexpected turn of events that accompanied this. Yet each was still able to get there.
Lourdes is a place where miracles have taken place. If you get a chance to read about the 70th Healing Miracle of Lourdes online, please do. It only took place in 2008 so truly a miracle of our time.
I strongly recommend anyone thinking about going to Lourdes to simply make that decision and go - especially as a volunteer!
Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes
The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes was celebrated on the 11th February. St Pope John Paul II instituted the World Day of the sick to fall on this feast day.
Every year, a Mass in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes is celebrated in Westminster Cathedral on this feast day. Do try and go one year if you can.
If you are interested in volunteering in Lourdes this Summer with
Westminster Diocese, please visit
https://rcdow.org.uk/pilgrimages/lourdes/