Lourdes Direct: Hospital Visit

28 August 2008

Lourdes is a place where many sick people come.  The care offered by, what is known in Lourdes as the Accueil, is perhaps one of the most amazing aspects of the French pilgrimage shrine.  We take you there as cliftondiocese.com brings you a selection of podcasts - direct from Lourdes - as we toured the wards earlier today.   

We’ve got some amazing stories from both the sick people be cared for in the Accueil and those pilgrims caring for them.

Peter Tingle introduces us to Mike and volunteer Sophie.  Then we meet Father Nick King, a Bath-born Jesuit priest who tells about his voluntary work in Lourdes.  Father Nick explains the love that he sees in this place.  Peter’s dad Mike Tingle from the Holy Family parish in Patchway is another volunteer we meet.  Helen Carroll is staying in the Accueil - she’s been to Lourdes over 100 times!  She volunteered for many years and now receiving the kindness from others.  Another Accueil pilgrim who’s sick is Phyllis; and she spares us some time to explain her reasons for coming to Lourdes. 

cliftondiocese.com is bringing you regular podcasts and pictures from Lourdes - so people back home can feel that they are part of the pilgrimage.

You can listen to our Accueil podcasts in the multimedia panel on the right.

cliftondiocese.com has brought you - direct from Lourdes - news of the pilgrims’ arrival.  We also have a podcast from Bishop Declan encapsulating the Lourdes story and a further audio experience of the sounds of the opening Mass.  Video and podcasts from the torchlight procession and the Clifton Diocese Mass is also online.  We’ve found out what it’s like to volunteer to help others here in Lourdes. Earlier today we spoke with Clifton Diocese student for the priesthood Matt Anscombe who talked about why he’s taking part in the pilgrimage and then met top medic Dr Trevor Fernandes. 

Throughout the year a series of podcasts entitled ‘Lourdes Lives’ has been published weekly on cliftondiocese.com.  ‘Lourdes Lives’ features local people who have visited Lourdes talking about their, sometimes life changing, experiences.