THE 46th Ampleforth pilgrimage to Lourdes
The 2001 Lourdes Pilgrimage was the 46th pilgrimage in a series stretching back to 1953. The size of the pilgrimage rose significantly this year from 280 to over 380 pilgrims, making it the largest pilgrimage to date both in terms of total numbers and sick pilgrims. Of the 100 sick pilgrims, 84 stayed in St Frai Acceuill and the rest in the hotels. The pilgrimage, from 13 to 20 July 2001, also differed this year in its emphasis on smaller groups.
The small group is the first and most intimate level of pilgrimage. Each one consists of about 20 helpers, a combination of brancadiers and lady helpers, doctors and nurses. Traditionally, each group is led by two young helpers, with a chaplain as an additional member. Helpers are allocated to a specific ward for two-day periods, caring for specific sick pilgrims. This allows helpers to get to know the hospital pilgrims, and build up a good rapport. This initiative arose at the request of some of the sick from previous years who felt that being greeted and cared for by familiar faces provided more reassurance. This year, besides its duties of service within the workings of the pilgrimage and especially in the St Frai Hospital, each group had three half days away from the pilgrimage. On two days they went with their sick pilgrims to celebrate Mass as a group. On the third day the group left the city of Lourdes for a period of prayer, recollection, discussion and relaxation. In addition, there was a ‘Refectory Group’, of senior members of the pilgrimage with Fr Abbot as Chaplain, helping with meals.
The second, wider, level of the pilgrimage was meeting as a whole. For many years now, at the opening ceremony on the first morning at the chapel of St Bernadette in the Rosary Square, the hands of the sick and of helpers were blessed in anticipation of the service each would give to each other. On the final full day of the pilgrimage and on the 20th anniversary year of his ordination, Fr Jock Dalrymple (E75) celebrated the Mass of the Anointing of the Sick at the mountainside Pyramid at Cité St Pierre, the centre for those who can stay in Lourdes free of charge. Three talks were given by Fr Abbot on the spirituality of Lourdes and Ampleforth shared in a Mass at the Grotto.
The third level of pilgrimage is sharing with the international pilgrim, which is always a central experience of pilgrimage in Lourdes. Each pilgrim has his or her own special highlight of the pilgrimage, but objectively the central event was the International Mass on Sunday, with all the pilgrims of Lourdes: the Church gathering to offer the Sacrifice of Christ in the Basilica of St Pius X. At the Mass there was Tamil dancing and a Peruvian band played. This Mass now involves the effective use of large television screens to provide unity, cohesion and vision as well as the practical details of texts and music. At the end of the Mass the concelebrating priests and many others processed to the Grotto to pray the Angeles. We took part in the Blessing of the Sick in St Pius X, the Procession Flambeau Mariale, the Torchlight Procession of the Rosary, and night visits to the Grotto.
Our sick pilgrims, on the second floor of St Frai Hospital, sometimes found themselves on the roof at night in what is known in the pilgrimage as ‘Café Society’. Late nights had elements of party and there was much commitment, generosity and joy.
The pilgrimage depends on the many who help in the organisation and planning. Fr Richard has been Pilgrimage Director since 1996. Katie Pfister is the Lady President, Anna Mayer is Chairman of the Committee, Mark Shepherd (B63) is President of the Pilgrimage [previously called Chef des Brancadiers] and Paul Williams (T69) is Administrative Director. Cath Gaynor [the wife of John Gaynor (T70)] and her deputy, Lucy Rowan-Robinson [the mother, granddaughter and niece of Amplefordians] did much detailed planning with our Chief Nurse, Alice Green, to match each group of 25 helpers to the service of the sick. In advance of the pilgrimage, there were training sessions with the group leaders in London, and many of the current Amplefordians visited sick pilgrims from previous years to discover more about the pilgrimage. Bregje and Mike Dawson organised the travel and Paul Rietchel (H65) organised the embarkation of the sick at the airport in England. Dr Robert Blake-James (D57) was the Chief Doctor.
There were 20 priests, one seminarian and four nuns on the pilgrimage, most of whom were members of a working group and served as chaplains within groups. In addition to Fr Abbot (T60) and to the Director of the Pilgrimage, Fr Richard ffield (A59), Ampleforth monks on the pilgrimage were Fr Maurus Green (W38, died 12 September 2001), Fr Alberic Stacpoole (C49), Fr Edward Corbould (E51), Fr Bonaventure Knollys (C51), Fr Francis Dobson (D57), Fr Hugh Lewis-Vivas, Fr Bernard Green, Fr Luke Beckett and Fr Chad Boulton. Other priests were Fr John Armitage [National Vocations Director, just appointed as Vicar General of the Diocese of Brentwood], Fr David Bingham MBE (B50 - Mill Hill Missionaries), Fr Paddy Bluett [Diocese of Middlesbrough], Fr Tony Bluett [Florida, USA], Fr Jock Dalrymple (E77 - Archdiocese of Edinburgh), Fr Anthony De Vere [Archdiocese of Birmingham], Fr Simon Everson [Chaplain at Farleigh School], Fr Leo Gorman [Passionist from New York] and Fr Christopher Whitehead. Group chaplaincy service was also undertaken by William Vattermott [a seminarian from St Louis Archdiocese, USA], two members of the New Hall community, Sr Margaret-Mary Horton CRSS and Sr Moira O’Sullivan CRSS, with Sr Renata Stewart and Sr Pat Robb.
In addition, other Amplefordians on the pilgrimage included: Anthony Angelo-Sparling (T59), Jack Arbuthnott (E96), Mungo Birch (T), Dr Robert Blake James [Chief Doctor of the Pilgrimage] (D57) with Rowan, Tom Bowen Wright (H97), James Carty (H95), Edward Caulfield (E75), Edward Chambers (O01), Felix Clarke (E), Archie Crichton-Stuart (E), Donall Cunningham (A45), Tom de Lisle (O98), Alejandro de Sarriera (O01), Arnaud de Villegas (B96), Charlie des Forges (W92), John Dick (O77) with Fiona, Paul Dobson (C01), Lucy Dollard (A), Ben Fitzherbert (E), Pat Gaynor (D43) with Thyrzsa, Daniel Gibson (E93), Toby Gibson (E87), Tony Gibson (O55) with Bryony, Colonel Michael Goldschmidt (A63) with Margaret, Edward Hall (E99), Harry Hall (E01), Roger Harle (C01), Edward Hickman (O01), Robert Hollas (T99), Tony Huskinson (O61), Daniel John (W), Simon John (W63) with Kathy, Nicholas Ledger (C), Hugh-Guy Lorriman (H92), Henry MacHale (W01), Joseph MacHale (A69), Edward Martin (J90), David Maunsell (O46), Ali Mayer (J91), James McBrien (O86), Dominic McCann (O), Ewen Moore (T), John Morton (C55), Charlie Murphy (E), Dick Murphy (C89), George Murphy (D01), Hugh Murphy (J98), John Murphy (C94), Richard Murphy (C59) with Mary, Peter Noble Mathews (E42), Inigo Paternina (W86), Dr Christopher Petit (W47), Mark Pickthall (B76), Richard Plummer (W80), Rupert Plummer (W75), Mark Reynolds (C), Alistair Roberts (H01), Matthew Roskill (H97), Andrew Sanders (E59) with Jane, Mark Shepherd [President of the Pilgrimage] (B63) with Alice, Tom Shepherd (H96), Ben Sherbrooke (W), Hugh Sherbrooke (C66) with Nicky, Paul Squire (T95), Richard Tams (J86), David Tate (E47), Michael Vickers (C41), Peter Westmacott (A01), Philip Westmacott (O71) with Sue, Chris Williams (W98), Gerald Williams (D64), Henry Williams (E01) and Paul Williams (T69). Thus, there were on the 2001 pilgrimage a total of 83 Amplefordians (including nine priests, seven monks and two others) - this compares with 64 (including five Amplefordian priests) in 2000.
photos
20th Ampleforth Stage Group to Lourdes 6 - 15 July 2001
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Simon Goodall made his engagement to the Hospitalité at Mass on 11 July 2001. This ‘Commitment within the Hospitalité’, is fourfold: ‘the mission of the Hospitalité by coming regularly, as far as is possible, to Lourdes, welcoming and serving all pilgrims’; the acceptance of undertaking humbly the work which will be asked by the persons in charge of the Hospitalité; an agreement to respond to the message of Lourdes; a commitment to follow this message of Lourdes at home. After his engagement, Simon was appointed as Responsable of an Enkempe.
Photo: Goodall-Lourdes
Other Ampleforth Pilgrims in Lourdes
John Dick appointed Responsable of the Ceremonies in Lourdes, July 2001
John Dick (O77) was appointed by the Hospitalité of Lourdes as one of the Responsables of all the Ceremonies [previously known as Chef de Service]. As such he is one of those responsible for events
in the exterior of the Grotto, at the International Masses in St Pius X, at the Blessing of the Sick each afternoon in St Pius X, and at Flambeau Mariale (the night candlelight procession of the
Rosary). He is the first Amplefordian to hold this position.
Besides John Dick, other stages included those done by Julien Horn (J96), Nicholas Kenworthy-Browne (E90), Killian Sinnott (J99), John Strick van Linschoten (O97) and Kenneth Williams (E67) . Killian Sinnott and John Strick van Linschoten were leaders of Enkempes. Myles Pink (D90) is President [Chef de Service] of the Pilgrimage of the Archdiocese of Westminster, and those on this Pilgrimage included Vice Admiral Michael Gretton CB (B63), Peter Gretton (J01), Alexander Hickman (D90), John Hickman (A60) and Hugh Young (D90).
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