Jubilee Year Pilgrimage 2025

The first Diocesan Pilgrimage took place in May 1982. Since then, people from all over the Diocese of Hallam have joined in Pilgrimage to Lourdes together each year. Old age,disability,frailty and ill health does not prevent anyone from joining the Pilgrimage. From the young, the elderly,the healthy and those with health problems-we all serve each other in different ways. Our Pilgrimage includes a willing group of volunteers-including Doctors,Nurses,adult helpers and young people- who are there to provide assistance on the journey and in Lourdes. Our helpers volunteer their time freely with many returning year after year, maintaining the close friendships formed on Pilgrimage.

We have now finalised the arrangements for our 2025 Jubilee Year Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. They are Friday 27th June – Thursday 3rd July

We try hard to make the pilgrimage accessible, which is very challenging given the high cost of the aircraft charter flights. I am pleased to say that the fare for 2025 is £899 which is £20 higher than 2024 - an increase of 2%. The insurance premium is slightly less than 2024 at £45 (£49 in 2024) there are no pre-existing illness exclusions. You can, of course, arrange your own travel insurance and simply put those details on the form.

As before, we will stay in Lourdes for 6 nights Full Board, arriving in Lourdes Friday afternoon and scheduled to depart Thursday afternoon. Everyone involved in organising the pilgrimage does so on a voluntary basis, and the fare is calculated on the cost of the hotels and aircraft etc.

We will travel from Leeds Bradford Airport again, probably a mid-morning departure, but the exact flight times will be announced in early May. Whilst there are plans developing to reopen Doncaster Airport, the earliest that the airport will open is Spring 2026. Whilst different groups may look together to organise coach/minibus transport to and from the airport (e.g. from Doncaster and Rotherham), you are ultimately responsible for making your own way to and from Leeds Bradford Airport.

If you can join us, please could I ask you to send your booking form in as soon as possible -the earlier we receive booking forms, the easier it is for us to plan. To secure a place we ask for booking forms by 18th April 2025 at the very latest. The deposit is £250.00. If you wish to use online banking our details are sort code 40-23-67 account number 30023779 account name Diocese of Hallam

If a passport or GHIC needs renewing – the booking form can be sent in now and mark that section on the form – to follow. If travelling on a British passport do check it was issued after 3rd July 2015 since they are only valid for 10 years from the date of issue. Do ensure that there is 3 months left before expiry.

Do try to promote the Jubilee Year pilgrimage. Bishop Ralph hopes that we will have parishioners from every parish in the Diocese present with us in Lourdes as we join together in prayer.

Could our parish fundraise to send an adult pilgrim to Lourdes who would otherwise not be able to travel in this Jubilee year? Youth numbers are already very strong – it would be wonderful to support an adult 18+ to join the main pilgrimage.

There is a fundraising ball on Friday 21st March at the Holiday Inn West Bawtry Road Rotherham. Tickets for this Black Tie event with a Fizz reception from 7p.m. With a three course meal from 7.30p.m. Are available for £55 by email from Emma Cooper – hallamlourdesball@gmail.com All proceeds are for the Lourdes fund.

Going on pilgrimage to Lourdes presents us with an opportunity to reflect on how we can each respond to the Holy Father’s invitation to become ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ We do this with the Universal Church and with the particular perspective of becoming Pilgrims of Hope with Mary – our Mother. The Disciples encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus. A pilgrimage to Lourdes is an opportunity for us to reflect, to pray, to serve one another and to share a pilgrimage experience away from our daily lives. In essence it is an opportunity to experience that same encounter as the disciples and to try and become missionary pilgrims of hope.