“God is present in all the ordinary things of daily human life, loving and redeeming us.” Bishop Alan Hopes’ Installation as Bishop of East Anglia: Page 16
August 2013
The Pilgrim Diocese After many months of preparation and planning, at the end of July hundreds of pilgrims from the Diocese are travelling to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and to Lourdes. 50 young people answered the call of the Holy Father to travel to Rio for the largest global youth event, World Youth Day. At the same time over 700 people joined Archbishop Vincent Nichols in Lourdes. At World Youth Day the pilgrims had the opportunity to participate in music, exhibitions, dance, theatre, cinema, hikes, church tours and landmark visits to celebrate their faith and to connect with other young Catholics from across the world. This World Youth Day had a particular energy as it was the first overseas visit of Pope Francis. The return of the first Latin American Pope to the most Catholic continent in the world, with the joy and passion it created, was seen globally as a wonderful moment in the life of the Church. The Diocese of Westminster was particularly honoured as one of its own pilgrims, Kathryn Emmanuel, was selected to serve at a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis.
Lourdes flood appeal Over 700 pilgrims joined Archbishop Vincent Nichols in Lourdes from 21-27 July. An emergency appeal was launched just before the diocesan pilgrimage to raise funds for the town, which
Central to the spirit of the event for many young Catholics is the way it informs and enriches their understanding of their faith. Through this experience it equips them with the tools to spread the message of Christ and – in the spirit of World Youth Day – to go and “make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). Bishop John Sherrington, who travelled as part of the Diocese’s pilgrimage and led three catechetical sessions with young people from around the world, stressed the importance of communicating the faith to others: “After the resurrection and their encounter or meeting with the Risen Lord, the apostles and disciples of Christ were transformed from being fearful to being courageous, and then sent out by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to go out and tell others that Christ is risen” “Like the first disciples, as we grow in our confidence as Catholics by celebrating WYD, we are called to communicate the joy and enthusiasm of our faith and to be just, truthful and serve others. Many of the young people I spoke with at World Youth Day showed an eagerness to proclaim and serve Christ in their parish and community on their return.” suffered millions of pounds worth of damage in the June floods. Gerald Daly, Assistant Pilgrimage Director, visited Lourdes ten days after the floods. He said: "It really was a scene of total devastation, much worse than last October. It's incredible the damage water and mud can do. The Mediterranée, Alba and Notre Dame hotels were still flooded. But the emergency services and volunteers have been marvellous - working round the clock to clear things up." For the people of Lourdes who rely on visitors for their livelihoods, as well as for farmers and vineyard owners in the surrounding region, the floods have been a catastrophe which will
To read about WYD from a pilgrim’s perspective, as well as to see photographs and video footage, visit: www. wym.rcdow.org.uk take years to recover from. Speaking after the monthly Mass for Lourdes pilgrims at Westminster cathedral, Pilgrimage Director Fr Denis Touw said: "The floods have been a massive disaster for Lourdes. During our visit, we met Eric, manager of the Mediterranée. He was really distraught. For the second time in a few months his hotel has been inundated with mud and water. We must remember them all in our prayers." Donations can be made by cheque payable to WRCDT Lourdes Flood Appeal and sent to: Gerald Daly, Pilgrimage Office, Vaughan House, London, SW1P 1QN.