This photograph shows some of the people involved in our annual pilgrimage. They include the Clergy and Religious Groups, Doctors, Nurses, Handmaids (female helpers), Brancardiers (male helpers), Youth Leaders, Musicians and most important of all -

Our Pilgrims.

The Society of Our Lady of Lourdes was founded in March 1912 and is a registered charity. It organised its first Pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in 1922. Despite the General Strike in 1926 and the depression of the 1930's, it established a regular programme of annual pilgrimages, disrupted only by the Second World War - the picture on the left it from the 1933 pilgrimage. By the early 1990's, the Society's

ENGLISH NATIONAL PILGRIMAGE

for the sick comprised around 750 pilgrims.  Most of our pilgrims are accommodated in the Acceuil (hospital), whilst the remainder are looked after in their hotels.  The Rt. Rev. Christopher Budd, Bishop of the Plymouth Diocese, took over from the late Cardinal Basil Hume as leader of the pilgrimage in 1990, and continued to lead the pilgrimage till 2002.  During those thirteen years the Society built up close relationships with the helpers from the Plymouth Diocese and their pilgrims, as well as with their youth group, nicknamed "the bluebirds";  this involvement, we hope, will long endure.

We have also had the benefit of help from other Youth Groups over the years whenever the Society's pilgrimage coincides with the schools' half term.  This help materialised 14 years ago, when we were most in need of it.

 In May 1989, St. Bede's and Holy Family schools from Yorkshire were on pilgrimage, having set up camp on a nearby site. We were getting ready to take our pilgrims to a service when one of the schoolmasters asked if we needed help with transportation. This was an offer too good to be true and in no time the students were trained and eager to do their work. A strong working relationship subsequently developed and the pilgrimage has been enriched by the schools' involvement. 

Objectives of the Society

To promote devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes. To organise pilgrimages to Lourdes and services in Her honour. To provide financial and other assistance to enable pilgrims who cannot afford the cost to go to Lourdes.

Mass Offerings

Two masses are offered each week, one for living Friends, the other for deceased Friends of  the  Society.  There is also a monthly Mass offering for deceased Friends on the Society's obituary list.  Each year, in February, around the Feast of Our Lady on 11th February, the Society organises an Annual Mass and Service at Westminster Cathedral in central London.