On 21st April, a group from Loreto College embarked on their Easter Pilgrimage to Lourdes with HCPT as part of the Manchester Regional Group. Each year HCPT takes around 1000 disabled and disadvantaged children aged 8-18 to the HCPT Easter pilgrimage holiday.
But what is Lourdes? Lourdes is a town in France, where it is believed that Mary, the mother of Jesus, appeared to a girl called Bernadette. The town has become associated with miracles of healing, so is visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year. Many sick and disabled people visit Lourdes, some with the hope of healing, others for the opportunity for prayer and friendship.
Despite the very(!) wet weather, our week in Lourdes was hard work, great fun, and hugely inspiring. Here’s what some of the students had to say about the trip:
“Lourdes was the most amazing trip and truly life changing experience. I feel so immensely blessed and honoured to have been given this opportunity… Lourdes has truly changed my life, and I can’t wait to continue to go.” Mia
“My time in Lourdes was truly special and honestly one of my best experiences of my life. Interacting and spending time with children from a wide range of backgrounds and some of which with disabilities was both perspective-changing and immense fun! Above all, seeing the joy our company brought to the children and the gratitude they expressed to us was heart-warming and very rewarding. Lourdes itself is a beautiful and powerful place with many interesting things to see and experience. I am extremely thankful to Loreto for giving me the opportunity to take part in this life-changing experience and cannot even express how much I would recommend the trip to any students considering going. It is indescribable what the trip is actually like, it’s something you have to experience, but it is something I guarantee you will love! I hope to return again in the near future.” Tadiwa