Lourdes Revisited.......

I have just returned from Lourdes. It's been my second visit this year. I accompanied a group of young people with CLM (Cuairteoiri le Muire - Visitors with Mary). This is an organisation that has been on the go for nearly 50 years - it is a voluntary movement bringing the sick, disabled and underprivileged to the Marian shrine.


The group of young people, boys and girls, were secondary school pupils from different schools in Mallow and Clonakilty. (According to them, there is a new town in Cork called Mallakilty!!) It was a great experience to be with them - to see them celebrate their faith, pray, help others and have great fun. Lourdes, and Mary, never cease to amaze me at the people they call.


Late on in the week, I had the privelige of meeting a priest friend from Cork who joined the Dominicans with me back in 1987. He is now serving as a secular priest in the diocese of Cloyne. Meeting him reminded me of the early days of my own exploration of vocation to the Order - and meeting the young people from Mallakilty certainly encouraged me in my own vocation. They were just great!


Lourdes is quiet this year - the word is that people are holding off until next year to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the apparations. Take a look at the website http://www.lourdes2008.com/