Volunteers can offer six consecutive days of
service to the Sanctuaries with the Hospitalité Notre-Dame de Lourdes.
Volunteers can offer service to special needs
pilgrims with North American Lourdes Volunteers in May and October.
ALL INCLUSIVE Pilgrimage
Includes
• Airfare, taxes, fuel surcharge and ticketing roundtrip •
Ground Transportation roundtrip from Pau to Lourdes • Overnight
accommodations • Three self-service meals daily •
Travel-Medical Insurance • Formation and on-the-job volunteer
training
Tours of the Sanctuaries and holy places of St. Bernadette •
Experience the Baths, Eucharistic and Candlelight Rosary Processions
• Assistance of North American Lourdes Volunteers Pilgrimage
Leader • Spiritual Direction and Mass Daily with the Pilgrimage
Chaplain
About Pilgrimage
According to both the Old and New Testaments, people
have been making spiritual journeys to holy sites for thousands of
years. The purpose of pilgrimage is to grow in faith while making a
visit to a place made holy by a sacred event that took place there.
As pilgrims, it is often while away from our everyday life and
routine that we experience a deepening relationship with God. Over 6
million pilgrims from all over the world visit Lourdes, France each
year. Why? Because the Grotto is a special place of
healing, hope and peace for those who make the spiritual journey to
Lourdes. Is Our Lady Inviting You?
About Lourdes
In 1858 the Mother of
God appeared to a young girl named Bernadette Soubirous in the
Grotto on the outskirts of the town of Lourdes in the Pyrenees
Mountains. In all, there were 18 apparitions which included requests
to uncover a spring of water, pray, build a chapel and come in
procession. Since then, there have been thousands of scientifically
documented cures and countless numbers of conversions and healings
attributed to the waters of that spring.
A beautiful and
pastoral setting comprises the vast domain of the Sanctuaries which
now houses three basilicas, churches and several chapels. Two unique
"welcome" facilities offer special accommodations for the sick and
handicapped.
Volunteer Accommodations
Self-service meals are provided in two Sanctuaries cafeterias at
designated times.
Sanctuaries facilites offer modest shared accommodations without
housekeeping services.
Volunteers serving Special Needs Pilgrimages stay in Sactuaries
Accueils, special facilities of welcome offering hospital bed
accommodations.
General Itinerary
Following is the general itinerary outline for
college and university student Sanctuaries Service pilgrimages:
Day 1:USA departure on Air France
overnight international flight; dinner and breakfast served in
flight.
Day 2:Arrival in Paris; connecting
flight to Pau; private coach transfer to Lourdes. Lunch, Welcome
Mass and dinner.
Day 3:International Mass, afternoon
Orientation and volunteer service registration.
Day 4:Formation Day including the
Message of Lourdes, walking tour of the Sanctuaries and "In the
Footsteps of Bernadette" visit to her birthplace, Boly Mill and the
Cachot "jail" Soubirous home.
Day 6-10:Volunteer service duties as
assigned by the Hospitalite Notre-Dame de Lourdes.
Day 7:Mass, breakfast and departure
from Lourdes for return flight from Pau to the USA.
Time for personal prayer, devotions and family
provided each day. Eucharistic and the Nightly Candlelight
Processions with all the spiritual practices of the Sanctuary
available daily.
