MSC Missions Lourdes 2025

Pilgrimage Diary 

On May 25th 2025, a group of 100 pilgrims took off on a five-day pilgrimage to Lourdes, led by Irish Provincial Director and Spiritual Leader Fr Joe McGee MSC. Celebrating the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, each of our pilgrims joined us with their personal prayers and hopeful hearts on this very special journey. Mary Morrish, one of our pilgrims from the MSC Missions Office in Cork, shares her pilgrimage diary with us. 

 

Day 1 

Our journey got off to a promising start as we took off from Cork Airport on what turned out to be a perfect flight, which only took an hour and twenty minutes before we touched down on French soil. We were at our hotel before we knew it, and our true Lourdes experience began right away, with a trip to visit the famous Grotto and an opening Mass presided over by MSCs Fr Joe McGee, Fr Tony Horgan, Fr Charles Sweeney, and Fr Des Farren. 

After a busy day travelling and finding our feet, we unwound in the evening with a beautiful dinner and we watched the candlelight procession together – an extremely moving and powerful experience to finish the first day of our pilgrimage. 

         

Day 2 

Day 2 of our pilgrimage began with Mass at the Holy Grotto, an experience like no other. It was incredible experience to hear Mass in these magnificent surroundings, which we are all so familiar with from photographs, and the atmosphere of prayer and unity was something sacred indeed, with the pure emotion of it drawing tears from many of our pilgrims.  

After a delicious lunch, we went on a walking tour of Lourdes, visiting some of the places that were special to St Bernadette in her lifetime. We visited the cemetery where her family are buried, the Boly Mill (her birthplace), and Le Cachot, the abandoned prison where she and her impoverished family lived. We had the opportunity to see quite a bit of Lourdes and it was fascinating to learn so much about the area. 

          

On our return, we enjoyed a truly beautiful penance service, where our pilgrims had the opportunity to talk to our MSCs and be absolved of any sins they might have been carrying with them. It was absolutely wonderful.  

         

That evening, we celebrated a special 87th birthday at dinner, and Fiona and Ann, two of the ladies from the MSC Missions Office, hosted a fantastic evening of Bingo. This was swiftly followed by a sing-song, where Gerry and Dee, our group musicians for the entire trip, had everyone singing along! We all crawled into bed at about 1.00am after a great night. 

 

Day 3 

Tuesday marked Day 3 of our pilgrimage, and the morning began with a special ceremony for the anointing of the sick. The one-and-only Fr Charles presided over the blessing of the sick and it was wonderful – despite an extremely inconvenient jackhammer doing its best to interrupt the proceedings from outside! It would take more than a persistent jackhammer to stop Fr Charles, and the ceremony was a very moving experience for everyone. Afterwards, we enjoyed a short presentation about the miraculous healings in Lourdes, before gathering for a very tasty lunch. 

 

We spent the afternoon in the extremely charming village of Saint-Savin. We stopped for coffee, with the breathtaking sight of the Pyrenees as our backdrop. We had Mass as well, before returning to Lourdes for dinner and the candlelight procession – and of course, another round of singing before bed! 

       

Day 4 

Wednesday began with Mass in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, and then there was time for everybody to go for a bit of a wander. I went to the City of the Poor with one of our pilgrims, Idah Kamau, to make a donation to the wonderful sanctuary there on behalf of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. We collected over €600 in donations and were delighted to be able to present it to them to help them in their great work. 

In the afternoon, we visited the baths, which was an incredibly profound experience. The group then did different Stations of the Cross – Fr Joe & Fr Des led the Lower Stations, and Fr Charles & Fr Tony took the Upper Stations. On our last evening together with the full group, we had further celebrations over dinner, marking another birthday and a 30th wedding anniversary. We assembled at the Chapel of Lights to pray together and light the group candle for the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, with a final walk together in the candlelight procession. The MSC banners were up on the steps of the altar of the Virgin Mary, which was just lovely to see. We had one last sing-song with the entire group together – an evening of celebrations all round! 

 

Day 5 

Thursday was the final day for some of the group, and Fr Joe celebrated one last Mass for our pilgrims returning to Cork that day in the Chapelle de l’Adoration, colloquially known as the Dollars Chapel. The chapel is run by local nuns and is a delightful space. In the meantime, the remainder of the group attended the International Mass in the Lower Basicila. While we bid farewell to some of our pilgrims today, the rest of the day was then free for the others to enjoy Lourdes and its surrounding area at their leisure, before a final Mass for the remaining pilgrims at the Dollars Chapel ahead of their return flight home on Friday. 

On this and every day of the trip, our MSC priests prayed especially for our mission friends and benefactors at home and around the world, for MSCs everywhere and the communities they serve, and for the special intentions of everybody who had sent their requests ahead of the pilgrimage, with grateful and hopeful hearts.

 

Our MSC pilgrimages had to be put on hold for quite a while following the COVID pandemic in 2020, and this was the first year that we were able to return to Lourdes in person. It was a uniquely special experience celebrating the 2025 Jubilee of Hope with such a wonderful group of people in such a sacred space – a truly blessed time of reflection and prayer, while we also thoroughly enjoyed time spent with fantastic new friends, sharing new experiences and making memories that will last a lifetime. With sincere and heartfelt thanks to all who made our 2025 pilgrimage to Lourdes such a moving and memorable experience – until next year! 

 

 

MSC Pilgrimages: Lourdes 2025

“The invitation is open to all, so what’s keeping you?”

Do you sometimes feel that you’d like to do something different, something more?
What better way to embrace the spirit of faith, hope, and love than by joining us on our
2025 MSC pilgrimage to Lourdes in May?

A Jubilee Year of Hope: MSC Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2025

2025 marks the Jubilee Year of Hope, and the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart invite you to celebrate this special year with us on our annual MSC pilgrimage to Lourdes. From May 25^th to 30^th, Provincial Leader and Spiritual Director Fr Joe McGee MSC will lead our pilgrims on a five-day journey of reflection, prayer, and thanksgiving, with accommodation and daily meals included (ex. Cork). To find out more about how you can take part, please contact mary.morrish@mscmissions.ie or call 021 4546691.

Please click here for full details of our 2025 pilgrimage to Lourdes

Every year, people travel with us on pilgrimage for different reasons. Some may be struggling with illness, grief, stress, or other personal challenges. Other wish to take part in a traditional pilgrimage journey with like-minded travellers, sharing stories, experiences, and reflections on life. Many wish to simply pray, reflect, and offer thanksgiving for their blessings.

The experience of pilgrimage is different for every individual; the major common denominator, however, is joy, and an awareness of something bigger, of something more. A sense of something special comes into being on a pilgrimage; the Holy Spirit moves amongst those making the journey, while strangers become friends and unite in the solidarity of faith. Community spirit comes out in force – no matter where you may find yourself in the world, the message of God’s love overcomes all cultural barriers in a true celebration of faith, togetherness, and intimacy with God.

Please click here for full details of our 2025 pilgrimage to Lourdes

“A powerful, life-changing experience.”

Historically, pilgrims would leave their homes, their families, and all of their creature comforts, embarking on journeys that could stretch to hundreds of miles with nothing but what they could carry on their backs. Today, the circumstances of pilgrimage may be less extreme, but they are nonetheless powerful for it, and modern-day pilgrims continue to leave their homes and their daily comforts behind in the quest for spiritual fulfillment.

“Pilgrimage is about freedom,” says Fr Alan Neville MSC. “It’s about walking to the horizon – and when you get there, you keep on going. It’s about taking part in something that is at the same time enjoyable and profound. I’ve yet to meet one person who regretted making the trip. For every one of them it has been a powerful, even life-changing experience. The invitation is open to all, so what’s keeping you?”

If you’d like to find out more about the pilgrimage experience, you are welcome to read all about some of our previous pilgrimages to Lourdes. All are welcome to take the first steps towards another wonderful pilgrimage journey with us over the coming months, and make 2025 a year to remember for all the best reasons.

 

Read more about our MSC Pilgrimages

A Jubilee Year of Hope: MSC Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2025

2025 marks the Jubilee Year of Hope, and the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart invite you to celebrate this special year with us on our annual MSC pilgrimage to Lourdes. From May 25^th to 30^th, Provincial Leader and Spiritual Director Fr Joe McGee MSC will lead our pilgrims on a five-day journey of reflection, prayer, and thanksgiving, with accommodation and daily meals included (ex. Cork). To find out more about how you can take part, please contact mary.morrish@mscmissions.ie or call 021 4546691.

Please click here for full details of our 2025 pilgrimage to Lourdes

Please click here for full details of our 2025 pilgrimage to Lourdes
*

Following in the footsteps of St Bernadette: MSC 2021 Virtual Lourdes Pilgrimage

We would like to invite you all to join us for a very special Triduum of Masses on our virtual pilgrimage to Lourdes, which will take place online from Thursday, September 23^rd to Saturday, September 25^th.

For over half a century, the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart have led annual pilgrimages to Lourdes. Last year, the arrival of the COVID pandemic meant that, for the first time in over 50 years, we were unable to travel to Lourdes with our mission friends and fellow pilgrims. Instead, we hosted a virtual pilgrimage, and this year, with many restrictions still in place and with safety still a significant concern, we invite you to take up your pack and join our group of virtual pilgrims as we pray together from home.

Every year, each one of our pilgrims undertakes a journey that is entirely individual, yet remains a quintessential part of something bigger. People join us for a host of different reasons, from struggles with personal challenges to a simple desire for prayer, reflection, and thanksgiving. The experience of pilgrimage is different for everyone, but that awareness of being part of something special, of something more, remains the same for all.

Undertaking a pilgrimage is a truly special experience, with strangers becoming friends on a shared journey. This year, we will once again be praying together from home – but we will be praying together. That spirit of unity and community never fails, as the message of God’s love overcomes all barriers in the pilgrimage celebration of faith, togetherness, and intimacy with God.

You are very welcome to join us as we follow in the footsteps of St Bernadette on this year’s virtual pilgrimage, with Masses streamed streamed live from the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, and a torchlight procession streamed live from Lourdes on the evenings of Thursday, September 23rd and Friday, September 24th at 8.00pm. Thursday, September 23rd will reflect on following in the footsteps on St Bernadette, Friday, September 24th will be a Day of Healing, and Saturday, September 25th will be a Day of Thanksgiving. Like so many other things that have had to change over the last two years, this will be a new and different experience for us all, but a valuable and meaningful one nonetheless. We look forward to having you pray alongside us on this year’s journey.

Click here to view the full schedule for our 2021 Virtual Pilgrimage

Watch our 2021 Pilgrimage Masses & Celebrations Live

Submit your prayer intentions online for our 2021 Virtual Pilgrimage

If you would like to read more about previous pilgrimages,
and view our galleries of images from Lourdes, please visit our posts on our 2018 and 2019 journeys.
*

Cancellation of 2020 Pilgrimages

As Joe Walsh Pilgrimtours Ltd. have ceased trading, we are now unable to fulfil any outstanding 2020 pilgrimage bookings, which were awaiting a rescheduled date due to COVID cancellations.

Any mission friends who had booked a place on our 2020 Lourdes or Fatima tours with JWT may submit an Aviation Regulation claim form to apply for a refund.

Each claim must be made by the individual who was booked on the pilgrimage; unfortunately, we cannot make a claim on your behalf. You can download a copy of the claim form here for your use.

 

For further information, the following helplines are available:

• Aviation Regulation: (01) 661 1700
• JWT Helpline: (01) 242 0800 (Monday – Friday: 9.00am – 1.00pm & 2.00pm – 5.30pm)

Please visit www.aviationreg.ie for further updates.

 

We look forward to journeying together on pilgrimage once again when it is safe to do so. In the meantime, you are very welcome to join our community of faith in daily prayer from the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, via our live stream.

Virtual Lourdes Pilgrimage 2020 :Carrying Our Daily Covid Cross

This Year, a year like no other we have had to cope and adjust to many new ways of doing things.
For over fifty years we have organized an Annual Pilgrimage to Lourdes but as you are all aware such travel is not permitted this year. That is why with the use of technology we are inviting you to join us on a virtual pilgrimage online at here

It will include Daily Mass at 10 am from Sacred Heart Church in Cork.
Angelus and Rosary with reflective images at Noon repeated at 3pm.
A reflection at 7.30 followed by a live stream from Lourdes. See our online schedule here.

It may not be the same as being there, but we hope through images and reflections during the week it will in spirit bring us to that place of peace and calm.
From Nevers, Bernadette made a spiritual pilgrimage to Lourdes every day: “Every day I go in spirit to the Grotto. I make a pilgrimage there.”

If you would like us to send out your petitions to Lourdes, please feel free to forward them to Fr. Michael O’Connell MSC at our Mission Support Centre.

You can also send in your prayer intentions online here
We pray through the intercession of Our Lady Lourdes that this time of prayer and reflection may bring us peace and healing during these troubled times.

 

Fr. Michael O’Connell MSC
MSC Pilgrimage team.

 

We might be unable to come and gather together physically in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, but we are all invited to come on a spiritual pilgrimage.
From Nevers, Bernadette made a spiritual pilgrimage every day:“Every day I go in spirit to the Grotto. I make a pilgrimage there.”

In the Gospel, Jesus tells us:

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them”.

(Matt. 18:20)

Lourdes Pilgrimage 2019

SUPPORT MSC MISSION PROJECTS

MSC Pilgrimages 2020

“The invitation is open to all, so what’s keeping you?”

As we begin to settle into the rhythms and routines of 2020, we look ahead to a year full of potential, with new opportunities just waiting to be discovered. Many of us will decide that this will be the year to do something different – and what better way to embrace the spirit of faith, hope, and love than by joining us on one of our 2020 MSC pilgrimages? This year, we will be going on pilgrimage to Fatima in May/June, and to Lourdes in September.

Every year, people travel with us on pilgrimage for different reasons. Some may be struggling with illness, grief, stress, or other personal challenges. Other wish to take part in a traditional pilgrimage journey with like-minded travellers, sharing stories, experiences, and reflections on life. Many wish to simply pray, reflect, and offer thanksgiving for their blessings.

The experience of pilgrimage is different for every individual; the major common denominator, however, is joy, and an awareness of something bigger, of something more. A sense of something special comes into being on a pilgrimage; the Holy Spirit moves amongst those making the journey, while strangers become friends and unite in the solidarity of faith. Community spirit comes out in force – no matter where you may find yourself in the world, the message of God’s love overcomes all cultural barriers in a true celebration of faith, togetherness, and intimacy with God.

“A powerful, life-changing experience.”

Historically, pilgrims would leave their homes, their families, and all of their creature comforts, embarking on journeys that could stretch to hundreds of miles with nothing but what they could carry on their backs. Today, the circumstances of pilgrimage may be less extreme, but they are nonetheless powerful for it, and modern-day pilgrims continue to leave their homes and their daily comforts behind in the quest for spiritual fulfillment.

“Pilgrimage is about freedom,” says Fr Alan Neville MSC. “It’s about walking to the horizon – and when you get there, you keep on going. It’s about taking part in something that is at the same time enjoyable and profound. I’ve yet to meet one person who regretted making the trip. For every one of them it has been a powerful, even life-changing experience. The invitation is open to all, so what’s keeping you?”

If you’d like to find out more about the pilgrimage experience, you are welcome to read all about our 2019 pilgrimages to Fatima and Lourdes. All are welcome to take the first steps towards another wonderful pilgrimage journey with us over the coming months, and make 2020 a year to remember.

******This year’s Pilgrimages have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic we hope to resume in 2021.******

Read more about our MSC Pilgrimages

MSC Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2019

Each year, the arrival of September heralds an exciting time for the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, as we embark on our annual pilgrimage to Lourdes.

This year saw another wonderful pilgrimage group embark on the well-trodden path to Lourdes on September 14^th, for a five-night trip undertaken by the familiar faces of friends and new acquaintances alike. A total of 86 pilgrims travelled from Cork and Dublin, and the group swelled in numbers even more in Lourdes, as friends both old and new joined our MSC party.

The group’s spiritual leader on this year’s journey was Fr Charles Sweeney MSC, and he was joined by MSCs Fr Des Farren, Fr John Finn, Fr Timothy Gleeson, and Fr Michael O’Connell.

The pilgrimage began on Saturday with prayers at the High Stations of the Cross, led by Fr John Finn. Different pilgrims carried our banner from station to station in a lovely afternoon of peaceful reflection. Evening prayer took place in the Church of Seven Dolours.

Sunday morning dawned with a 7.30am Mass at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, which was celebrated with English-speaking pilgrims from the USA and India. “This was a very special time to be at the Grotto, as dawn broke and we watched the sun rise,” says Fr Michael. This was followed by breakfast, and a guided tour of special places connected with St Bernadette of Lourdes.

This year’s pilgrimage was a special one, celebrating the 175^th anniversary of the birth of St Bernadette of Lourdes, who was both on January 7^th 1844. St Bernadette is widely known and loved for her experience of apparitions from Our Lady of Lourdes – “a small young lady” who appeared to Bernadette on 17 occasions in a niche in the rock at Massabielle, while Bernadette, aged 14 at the time, was caring for her family’s flock of sheep. The Lady requested that Bernadette “go to the priests and tell them to build a chapel here”, but it was not until their seventeenth meeting that “the beautiful lady” identified herself to Bernadette. That chapel was to become what is now the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, the site of miracles visited by millions of people every year.

“It was lovely to see the improvements made to the domain area,” notes Fr Michael. “There have been new trees planted near the Grotto, improvements at the baths, new taps to wash your hands and face, and the candles have been moved to the opposite side of the river. There is also a special emphasis on prayerful silence.”

Holy Hour on Sunday night was led by Fr Charles Sweeney at the Chapel of St Maximilian Kolbe. “Everyone lit a candle, and we remembered and prayed for our deceased,” says Fr Michael. “The healing service on Monday evening at the Upper Basilica was also very special.”

Monday also saw Mass at Bartes, where St Bernadette lived twice. Here, our pilgrims had the opportunity to venerate a relic of St Bernadette, and view a sample of her handwriting that has been preserved through the ages.

Tuesday afternoon brought prayers at the Lower Stations of the Cross, followed by a Rosary mediation at the Chapel of St Maximilian Kolbe. Wednesday morning’s Mass at the Bois St Francois at the City of St Pierre, or the City of the Poor, was another particularly lovely moment as Mass was celebrated in the open air beside the beautiful lake. “We thought it was starting to rain at one point,” recalls Fr Michael, “but it was just the wind shaking the rain off the leaves in the trees! The weather was wonderful on the whole, and it only rained at night.”

The return flights were not until the evening on the final day, which gave our pilgrimage group a full day at their leisure to revisit their favourite spots, and spend time in prayer by the river or at the Grotto – a perfect end to the journey.

“We had another fantastic group of pilgrims this year,” says Fr Michael. “We were especially blessed in our guitarist, Jerry, and his wife, Deirdre.”

From candlelight vigils to a beautiful outdoor Mass celebrated at the City of the Poor, this year’s pilgrimage was a prayerful, grace-filled trip that left all involved with full hearts. All of our benefactors and mission friends were remembered in the prayers of our MSCs and pilgrims on this year’s journey, and as always, we would like to thank everyone who participated for making this year’s pilgrimage a resounding success.

If you would like to find out more about the annual MSC pilgrimage to Lourdes, please click here.

MSC Pilgrimages 2019

A journey that begins with a single purpose often ends with much more…

As January gets into its stride, we look ahead to a year full of promise and new opportunities – and the 2019 MSC pilgrimages are a wonderful way to embrace the spirit of faith, hope, and unity over the coming year. This year, we will be going on pilgrimage to Fatima in May/June, and to Lourdes in September.

Each year, pilgrims join us for different reasons. Some may be struggling with illness, grief, stress, or other personal challenges. Other wish to take part in a traditional pilgrimage journey with like-minded travellers, sharing stories, experiences, and reflections on life. Many wish to simply pray, reflect, and offer thanksgiving for their blessings. The experience of pilgrimage is different for every individual, but one thing remains the same on every journey – a sense of great joy in the awareness of being part of something bigger, of something more.

“A powerful, life-changing experience… The invitation is open to all.”

“Pilgrimage is about freedom,” says Fr Alan Neville MSC. “It’s about walking to the horizon – and when you get there, you keep on going. It’s about taking part in something that is at the same time enjoyable and profound. I’ve yet to meet one person who regretted making the trip. For every one of them it has been a powerful, even life-changing experience. The invitation is open to all, so what’s keeping you?”

With a true sense of friendship, companionship, and community, our pilgrimages offer a warm welcome to all.

“Each pilgrim brings a special wish in their hearts, a prayer.”
– Pope Francis

MSC Pilgrimages 2019

Pilgrimage to Fatima
May 30th – June 3rd (4 nights full board)

Pilgrimage to Lourdes
September 14th – 19th (5 nights full board)

For further information, please contact Joe Walsh Tours on +353 (0) 1 2410803.

Read about our 2018 pilgrimage to Lourdes.

MSC Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2018

Each year, the coming of September sees a flurry of activity at the MSC Missions Office as we prepare for our annual pilgrimage to Lourdes. This year’s pilgrimage took place from September 17^th to 22^nd, and as ever, it was a wonderful journey for all involved.

MSCs Fr Michael O’Connell, Fr Tim Gleeson, Fr Joe McGee, Fr Eugene Clarkson, and Spiritual Director Fr Charles Sweeney joined our pilgrims on this year’s trip. The opening Mass, which saw 80 pilgrims join together in prayer and song, marked a beautiful beginning to what was a truly enriching journey for all.

Mass at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes is always a highlight of the pilgrimage, and this year was no exception. Here, the sun shone on our MSCs and pilgrims and they prayed for our MSC mission friends and benefactors in the magnificent surroundings of the Grotto.

Another very special stop on this year’s pilgrimage was Mass at Sheepfold Chapel. This rustic chapel dates back to the 1800s, when St Bernadette would shelter her sheep under its thatched roof. With a great sense of peace and serenity residing here, Mass was an especially memorable occasion for our MSCs and pilgrims.

Many thanks to all involved in making this year’s pilgrimage such a rewarding one, where many happy memories were made, new friendships blossomed, and old acquaintances were fondly renewed. Until next year!

 

If you would like to find out more about the annual MSC pilgrimage to Lourdes, please click here.