Every Easter, the beautiful French town of Lourdes -- where our Blessed Mother appeared 18 times to a young peasant girl named Bernadette Soubirous in 1858 -- opens its hearts and hotels to some 2,000 children and young adults with special needs, and about 3,000 adult and teenage volunteers who care for them. This trip is unique for many reasons, the most significant being that the special PILGRIM
S (preteen through young adult) do not travel with their parents. Dedicated and trained volunteer HELPERS from all walks of life, including medical staff, travel with and care for them in a family-like atmosphere. This affords the young person a chance to experience a sense of independence; more importantly, it affords his or her parents well-deserved respite. And the volunteer helpers, without a doubt, get more from the week than they every could give. The trip is really a "pilgrimage vacation" designed to be the best of both worlds. The Masses, meals, tours and activities are fully inclusive and incredibly joyful, and the small group structure allows for deep bonds of friendship to form. There are opportunities to meet others on the HCPT pilgrimage from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the West Indies, Romania, Croatia, Belgium, Spain & Italy -- the highlight of the week is Thursday's Trust Mass, where we ALL gather in the Underground Basilica for an powerful morning of praise and worship.
Our journey begins from a New York area airport on Holy Saturday, and we arrive in Lourdes on Easter Sunday. Among the many activities we participate in are: daily Mass and trips to the Grotto, the Candlelight Procession, day trip to Gavarnie, a town-wide scavenger hunt, a tour of Bernadette's life, a Thursday night party, family-style meals and lots of social time. We return home -- changed for the better -- the Saturday after Easter.
