Each year, Abbey students are in the privileged position to have the opportunity to travel to Lourdes, France, to volunteer in helping the pilgrims, or malades, who seek healing to fully benefit from their time in this historic and holy place. The students also have the chance to savor the day-to-day life of the town, and enjoy their own spiritual retreat.
This year, seven Abbey students and two alumni attended the pilgrimage. Mrs. Susan McCarthy of the mathematics department accompanied them, along with Ms. Celia Brown, the School's director of medical services. "It was so much fun to witness the heartfelt compassion and friendships the Abbey students formed with the Assisted Pilgrims (AP) in Lourdes," Susan says. "From helping the APs with personal care to joining them for ice cream and coffee at the cafes after Masses and Torchlight Processions, everyone felt true joy from the involvement in the daily activities."
The participants in this year's trip were Emma Ventura '18, Ella Souvannavong '18, Megan Madden '18, Adam Suh '18, Lucia Billings '18, Noelle Brown '18, Shane McCarthy '18, and alumni Doug Lebo '15 and Sydney Welch '16.
One highlight of the trip was spending a morning at the baths from the spring in the Grotto de Massabielle in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. In addition to befriending the APs, students also developed relationships with the Sacred Heart (CT) and Ampleforth Abbey (U.K.) students who were also on the trip.
All of the participants were touched, and agreed that it was a life-changing experience. Susan recalls a conversation with a student on one of the last days of the Pilgrimage: "One of the Helpers commented that the Assisted Pilgrims helped us more than we helped them, which couldn't be more true."
View the slideshow from Lourdes 2017
↧