Heywood and Middleton Lourdes Group Pilgrimage

Lourdes Pilgrimage 2006

The Heywood and Middleton Lourdes Group has announced that it will be travelling to Lourdes once again Friday 25 July - Friday 1 August, 2008. A group of 40 or so young people, aged 16+ including their supervisors, together with hotel pilgrims, will join the 800 strong Salford Diocesan Pilgrimage for a week of prayer, worship, reflection and socialising. A full medical team, consultant, doctors and nurses, goes from Greater Manchester with the pilgrimage.

In addition, the young people will assist the 50 or so pilgrims who, because of age, illness or disability, need assistance. The helpers are on duty some mornings at 6.30am and some nights do not finish until 11.30pm. But there is still time to party and to make that always moving late-night trip to the Grotto.

Each of the helpers has to pay their own fare so the group holds various fund-raising events to assist them. Last year these included a Social at Heywood Cricket Club and a Gala Dinner and Charity Auction at  Veena’s Restaurant, due to the kindness of its proprietor Councillor Farooq Ahmed.

The Group is grateful for the support shown them by its patrons, Jim Dobbin, MP, and Saint Joseph’s own Paul Gerrard. It is a life-changing experience for many of the young helpers and a moving sight for all of us to see how readily they give of themselves out of love.