|
Images of Lourdes 2005
Not only is each pilgrimage to Lourdes unique in itself, but also each pilgrim has a separate experience of faith and conversion. A Pilgrimage and this pilgrimage should perhaps be considered in the context of the messages of Our Lady spoken to Bernadette at the Grotto in 1858.
Firstly, there is the message of invitation and welcome, the starting point of the pilgrimage. At the second of the eighteen apparitions [Sunday 14 February 1858] Our Lady invited Bernadette to return to the Grotto: “Will you do me the favour of coming here each day for 15 days”. This gracious invitation to Bernadette 147 years ago is also the invitation to each pilgrim now. The response of each pilgrim to this invitation is different, and the memories of the pilgrimage week each reflect the individual response of faith. As one of the hospital pilgrims, Josie Christie from London, reflected some months later: “everything was lovely”. And for some the highlight of this week is just being at the Grotto in silence, and praying at the site of the apparitions of 1858. Mark Colacicchi, a hospital pilgrim [who as noted later in these notes, died later in the year], wrote in Ampleforth Lourdes Hospitalite Newsletter [September 2005] of the invitation that came from Richard Murphy (C59) and “lurked on my desk unanswered for about three weeks, and when I was admitted to hospital in April [2005] for some radio-therapy for the prostrate cancer I have, I took it with me” – it was here that Richard Murphy visited and that “I agreed that I would come”. Others will recall going to the Grotto, especially for the Mass there on Sunday morning, 17 July 2005, shared with the Archdiocese of Glasgow and Archbishop Mario Conti. Mark Collacicchi recalled being driven past the Grotto on the first day, while Mass was being said by another pilgrimage: “It did make a big impact on me, as apart from the photograph of the Grotto in 1858 in the book We Saw Her by BG Sandhurst, I had no picture of it in my mind’s eye” Then there was the Mass at the Citie St Pierre on 20 July 2005, with the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick – it was a perfect summer day, neither the searing heat or torrential rains of some years. Mark Colacicchi recalled being pulled up the hill by Richard Murphy, and at the Mass being anointed with the sacrament of the sick by Fr Alberic Stacpoole (C49): “part of that anointing process involves the priest laying his hands on the pilgrim’s head and saying a prayer. That moment will live with me for a long time. I really could feel the power flooding into me” Some will recall the Lourdes party. Others will remember the Blessing of the Pilgrims in St Pie X [underground basilica], and the Procession of the Blessed Sacrament – or the evening Procession of the Rosary or Candlelight Procession.
Secondly, there is the message of Penitence [not to be confused with penance or at least not limited to that word], a message of change and faith. At the eighth apparition [Wednesday 24 February 1858] Bernadette called to the crowd of 350 three times “Penitence Penitence Penitence” and next day, at the ninth apparition [Thursday 25 February 2005], a day of a cold, misty dawn with a crowd of 400 persons present, Our Lady revealed the Spring and invited pilgrims to come and wash in the water. As Bernadette scratched the muddy ground and chewed the grass, her friends began to abandon her. The visit to the waters either at its spring at the back of the Grotto or at the Baths itself will be a significant moment of pilgrimage. The grasping of the inner meaning of a pilgrimage to Lourdes and the sharing in Christ’s Cross will be found by many at this moment. Some of the young brancadiers and lady helpers served in the work of the Baths, and others came to pray and go into the waters. Going to the Baths with the Ampleforth Group on 19 July 2005, Mark Colacicchi wrote later that “the most impressive practical aspect as far as I was concerned was the attitude of the ‘Helpers’” He also recalled going up the Stations of the Cross, the path up the rocky hillside above Lourdes, and been pushed there in a wheelchair by Kim Roberts and Joe MacHale (A69), “a Herculean effort as it was hot and steep and I am no lightweight” – here Fr Paddy Bluett led the group, and each read a passage, and “then we try to make practical applications to our own lives”
Thirdly, and perhaps for many most significantly, there is the invitation to be the People of God, to be the Church. At the 15th apparition [2 March 1858], Our Lady said to Bernadette: “Go and tell the priest to build a chapel here and to have people come in procession." As Bernadette walked to tell the Parish Priest, Fr Peyramale, the immediate purpose seemed to be to build a church [The building of the Crypt was the first response], many also see a call to be the People of God, to be the Church. Many on the Ampleforth Pilgrimage will find much significance in the sharing of life with others and in this sense being The Church. Memories of people and experiences – sitting talking to other pilgrims in Saint Frai or in a café, sharing in the nightly experience of Cafe Society on the roof of the Saint Frai Hospital [right up on the Fifth floor], the experience of pulling voitures (or pushing from behind), or of pushing stretchers down to the Domaine or up the hill to the Citie St Pierre. For many young there are wilder moments, not least at the Helpers Party at a remote club outside Lourdes with strange games standing on chairs, and then will remember the generosity and dedication and faith they shared. They prayed in the week for sick pilgrims, and for the victims of bombs in London on 7/7. The depths of friendships with the sick pilgrims and amongst pilgrims of all ages will be one of the special gifts of Our Lady to a pilgrim to Lourdes, and one that will often draw a pilgrim back again. Mark Colacicchi recalled the many he met in Lourdes: “hospital pilgrims.., doctors, nurses, floor sweepers, washers up, people who were going to pull me all over Lourdes in a ‘voiture’”. James Bentley remembers the most significant factor of the week as “Friendliness – everyone really warm and welcoming and accommodating”. This was a week of inspiration and faith and of sharing of hope. As much as in any year and perhaps more, 2005 was remembered with much affection and appreciation by almost all pilgrims.
This 2005 Ampleforth Lourdes Pilgrimage, stretching over eight days from 15 to 22 July 2005, was the 50th Ampleforth Pilgrimage to Lourdes [2003 was the celebration of the 50th year of Pilgrimage, but this was the 50th Pilgrimage] and it was the 52st year of pilgrimage since 1953. There were about 380 pilgrims, including 88 sick pilgrims staying in Accueil St Frai. The Year 2005 had the Pastoral Theme ‘Come to me all you who suffer’ {Mt 11.28). The Pilgrimage had been organised largely through the inspiration of Anna Mayer, the Chairperson of the Hospitalite Committee and of the Pilgrimage Group. Mike Thoms [brother–in-law Richard Tams (J86)] was The Chef des Brancardiers, now officially called Responsable des Brancardiers] – he retired from this post after the 2005 Pilgrimage and Rupert Plummer (W80) will be Chef des Brancadiers in 2006. Lucy Rowan Robinson [mother of Henry Rowan Robinson (T97)] is Chief Handmaid, assisted by Clare Armour [wife of Mark Armour (D71)] - besides organising the lady helpers and in fact the helpers in general, in 2005 Lucy Rowan Robinson, working with Clare and with Mike Thoms, acted as a sort Government Chief Whip to encourage the young, as it were, into the voting lobbies. In all this she was of course much supported by the Group Leaders. Bregje Dawson, back in London, organises travel and all the bookings. John Dick (O77) is the Liaison with the Hospitalite Notre -Dame de Lourdes. Caroline Thoms is the Administrator of the Hospital Pilgrims]. Sue Martin is the Pilgrimage Treasurer, taking over from Tory Godsall who has gone to work in Africa with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Fr Sebastian was in charge of Liturgy. Mark Pickthall (B76) runs the music – his wife Winkie is the daughter of Peter and Virginia Dagnell [Virginia died 2005] and the sister of Peter (T67) and Harry (T71, died 1999).
The number of Amplefordians on the pilgrimage in 2005 was 84 [2003: 101, 2004: 52]. This number of 84 consisted of 43 [2003: 35, 2004:13] in the school or just leaving and 41 Old Amplefordians [2004:39] - seven monks and 34 laymen. The 34 Old Amplefordian laypersons were Pat Gaynor (D43) with Thyrsa, Donall Cunningham (A45), Dr Christopher Petit (W47), David Tate (E47), Dr Julian Smythe (E49) with Diana, Patrick Leonard (B51) and Andrea, John Morton (C55), Dr Robert Blake James (D57) with Rowan, Anthony Angelo-Sparling (T59), Richard Murphy (C59) with Mary, Col Michael Goldschmidt (A63) with Margaret, Mark Shepherd (B63), Philip Conrath (B68), Joseph MacHale (A69), Philip Westmacott (O71) with Sue, Rupert Plummer (W75), Mark Pickthall (B76) with Winkie, John Dick (O77) with Fiona, Richard Plummer (W80), William Martin (J87), Richard Tams (J87), Dick Murphy (C89), Dr Hamilton Grantham (H93), Harry Brady (W95), Paul Squire (T95), Tom Shepherd (H96), Edward Hickman (O01), Peter Westmacott (TA02), Ben [Fred] McAndrew (W/EW03), Rory Tyrrell (D03), Freddie Bader (H04), Michael Edwards (H04), William Hickman (O04) and Gavin Williams (EW04).
The 43 currently in the school or just leaving were Alexandra Allcott (A), Richard Ansell (J05), Paddy Baxter (T), James Bentley (O), Miss Joy Boro (M), Ben Charrington (O05), Ewen Christie (H), Michael Cumming-Bruce (O04), Nick Dagnall (O05), William Dawson (H), Stanislas de la Rochefoucauld (C), Aderetti Doherty (B), Eduardo Domecq (J05), Mateo Domecq (J), John Finnegan (J), Tom Gosling (EW05), Sarah Griffiths (A), Henry Guiver (H), Edward Holcroft (EW05), Olli Hughes (O05), Joseph Keogh (EW05), Louis Lassus (C05), Matthew Lovat (H), Martin MacHale (EW05), Henry Muller (H), Martin MacHale (EW05), Enrique Maier-Llamas (J05), Reggie Noel (EW05), Alice O’Brien (M), Andrew O’Rourke (T), William Osborne (J), Nick Outred (H), Theo Pembroke (EW05), Vaughan Phillips (T), Ruaraidh Plummer (H), Archie Reid (EW), Matthew Rigg (T), Herman Sequeira (T), Luke Sherbrooke (EW05), Freddie Simpson (J05), Megan Thompson (A), Julitta Ward (M) and Henry van der Does de Willebois (J05),
Monks present were Fr Benedict Webb (A38), Fr Martin Haigh (E40), Fr Alberic Stacpoole (C49), Fr Edward Corbould (E51), Fr Bonaventure Knollys (C53), Fr Francis Dobson (D57), Fr Matthew Burns (W58), Fr Bernard Green, Fr Hugh Lewis-Vivas, Fr Gabriel Everitt, Fr Luke Beckett, Fr Edwin Cooke and Fr Sebastian Jobbins. Other priests included Fr Tony Bluett [Florida], Fr Paddy Bluett [Diocese of Middlesbrough, and has since transferred to the Diocese of Limerick in Ireland], Fr Anthony de Vere - and others.
In all there were nearly 400 pilgrims including about 90 sick pilgrims.
Among the hospital pilgrims were three who died in the months that followed: Margaret Cranch died on 21August 2005; Joop Kramers [the father of Toby Kramers (D82)] died on 7 October 2005; Mark Colacicchi [the father of James Colacicchi (EW03) and Rory Colacicchi (T05), and the brother of William Colacicchi (A72)] died on 16 December 2005. Imogen Steuart-Feilding wrote of how Margaret Cranch “was on great form in Lourdes, enjoying many an ice cream in the Terrace and adding her indescribable personality to the week as a whole”.
In 2005 Katie Pfister retired as Lady President of the Ampleforth Lourdes Hospitalité in 2005, aged 93. She has been coming with Ampleforth on 39 pilgrimages since 1967. Maire Channer [for many years Chief Handmaid] and David Tate (E47) have become Joint-Presidents of the Pilgrimage.
Among those on the Pilgrimage were Jane and Kim Roberts - The Alistair Roberts Fund was founded in 2001 in memory of their son Alistair (H01) who came on the 2000 and 2001 Pilgrimages and who died on 19 December 2001. The Fund sponsored 16 pilgrims for Ampleforth Pilgrimage in 2005. .
As to others on the pilgrimage, there were John and Sally Martin [the parents of Hugh (J86), William (J87) and Henry (J90), Edward (J90)]. A year or two ago John edited and published an abridged version of Franz Werfel account of St Bernadette's story The Song of Bernadette. Franz Werfel was a German Jew and a journalist who hid in about 1940 in Lourdes, then as it happened the local HQ of the Gestapo, who were looking for Werfel. Franz Werfel eventually escaped to the USA, there to write his book published in 1942 and made into a Hollywood film in 1943. Copies of this newly abridged edition are available from the publishers Matthew James Publishing Ltd, 19 Wellington Close, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 2EE - tel 01245 347710 [if you telephone, they will probably deliver by the next morning]. John and Sally Martin website: www.bernadette-of-lourdes.co
Other pilgrims can be noted, many with Ampleforth links. George Gaynor [son of Cath and Johnny Gaynor (T70)] has come for many years as one of the sick pilgrims. Ros Wood is the Editor of the Red Book, the essential daily guide book to the pilgrimage. Sarah Long [sister of Neville Long (H84) and the daughter of Pamela Long [teaching at Ampleforth until she died in about 1990] was on her 14th pilgrimage [she is doing a Masters at Bath]. Like Katie Pfister, Anne Tuomey from Dublin was on her 39th pilgrimage consecutive Ampleforth Pilgrimage since 1967: she remembers this year “the good atmosphere, everything a bit being more spiritual, and the sick not been rushed - everything seem to flow”. There were others who have been on many pilgrimages: Kenya ffield [sister of Bernard ffield (T50), Oswald ffield (H64), Fr Richard ffield (A59), daughter of Cyril ffield (OA16, died 1966)], Ros Lynch [27th year on pilgrimage], Peter Markey from Yarm in North Yorkshire, Michael and Felicity Milbourn [the parents of Hugh (B93) and Gervase (B96)], Dr Mervyn and Dr Mary Shipsey [parents of Mark (T76) and John (T82)], Dr Seymour Spencer [father and grandfather of many Amplefordians], Sheila Spencer [aunt of Thyrsa Gaynor], Dr Janet Squire [mother of Paul (T95) and Mike (T98)], Lady Morag Stafford [widow of Basil Stafford (C44), mother and grandmother of many Amplefordians, sister of John Campbell (C44, died 2004), Bob Campbell (C46) and Fiona Gray [widow of Ken Gray (C44, died 1996)] – Fiona died 2005]. Others included Jane Stein [mother of Johnnie (B03) and Harry (B05), uncle of Tom Menier (T00), sister of John Lennon (D78, died 1998)], Imogen Steuart-Feilding [sister of Tom Steuart-Feilding (A99)], Gaynor Townley [mother of Peter (T91) and Joseph (T96)], Moira Mosley [sister of Pat Gaynor (D43)], Artemis Naughten from Zimbabwe and now Nairobi [the mother of Charlie Naughten (E99)], Dr Priscilla Noble-Mathews [sister of Peter Noble-Mathews (E42, died 2003)], Carol Riley [the mother of William (J97)], Henry Goldschmidt [son of Margaret and Michael Goldschmidt (A63)], Elizabeth Goodall [daughter of David Goodall (W50)] and Fiona Goodhart [sister of John Bowes-Lyon (E60) and David Bowes-Lyon (E65), mother of James Goodhart (E88)].
At the 16th Apparition [25 March 1858], Our Lady said to Bernadette “Que soy era Immaculado Conception” [I am the Immaculate Conception]. The Ampleforth Pilgrimage came to the Grotto to pray and believe.
Images of Lourdes 2005
Lourdes stage
back to the top
Miscellaneous
|
Miscellaneous
