Twice each year pilgrims from the Killaloe Diocese go on pilgrimage to the international Marian shrine at Lourdes. It has long been a significant spiritual event in the life of the diocese since Bishop Rodger’s led the first pilgrimage in 1958. It marks a time when we are united in prayer as a community of faith. One of the key elements of any pilgrimage is remembrance of those in any kind of need, and Lourdes is a special place of prayer for those who are sick or suffering in any way. A key element of our spiritual journey is connecting with others, those who accompany us and those who remain at home. Pilgrims take the opportunity to have others remembered in a special way at the holy sacrifice of the Mass during our time in the sacred places and we invite them to make an offering that will be shared with others in greater need. Throughout the many years we have been able to support many young churches and faith communities in the missionary church. This year we have been deeply conscious of the suffering caused by war and violence in the Holy Land and have given the peoples of the land of our Saviour a special place in our prayer. The pilgrims were deeply moved by the plight of the parishioners of the Holy Family parish in Gaza and were proud to know that Aid to the Church in Need in Ireland had such a key role in helping Fr. Romanelli and his community through these terrible times. Inspired by Pope Francis who made almost daily calls to the parish for over a year and a half to check on their condition, bless them and pray for peace, our pilgrims were encouraged to hold the Holy Family parish in our prayers and remembrance as well. Some of our pilgrims had been part of our last Killaloe pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2016 and remembered it as a place where the Word of God came alive for them. It is the fervent wish of many of us to return to those sacred places in a time of peace and hope. In the face of darkness and fear we hope that our prayers will assure the Christian community in Gaza that they are not now, and never will be forgotten. We long to return there and hopefully greet our brothers and sisters in more peaceful and hopeful times.
Pictured at the Presentation of the cheque – Fr. Tom Ryan and Mr. Brandon Scott from Aid to the Church in Need
