Ampleforth Hospitalité Our Lady of Lourdes

Ampleforth Hospitalité
Our Lady of Lourdes
June 2014 Newsletter
Lourdes the Joy of Conversion
Theme of the year 2014
At first the theme that the Sanctuary offers us this year
might look a little forbidding. We think of conversion as a
dramatic change – the journey of St Paul coming to faith
on the road to Damascus, or St Mary Magdalene turning
away from sin – but our own lives seem to exist on a
much quieter scale. We know we are not perfect either
in faith or virtue, but conversion feels like too big a word
for what is going on.
To overcome this feeling we can look at Bernadette,
who said that if God could have found anyone less
significant than her he would have done. Her life was
one of conversion, and we can learn from her. As we do
so, it helps to keep two things in mind. The first is that
conversion means turning to God, and we are constantly
invited to turn every aspect of our life more deeply to
God.The second is that conversion is always the response
to an invitation from God to turn to him.
Bernadette was invited to the Grotto, as we are. The
Grotto became a place of conversion for her, not because
she lacked faith or was a serious sinner, but because it
opened up a path for her to grow ever closer to Jesus
Christ. One aspect of the way it did so for Bernadette
is also open to each one of us. Bernadette’s path of
following her Lord was one which drew her more deeply
into the Church. She left Bartrès to return to the poverty
and difficulty of the family home in the Cachot because
she wanted to come back to Lourdes to make her first
Holy Communion. Bernadette was 14 at this stage, but
poverty and lack of opportunity had meant that she had
not yet done so. When she had to explain to her foster
mother why she was returning, she said “The parish priest
wants me to make my first communion” invoking his
powerful authority to support her desire. After the first
apparition she went to speak to her confessor Fr Pomain,
and she went to confession regularly. After making her
first communion, Bernadette was asked by Madame
Estrade: “What made you happier: First Communion
or the apparitions?” and she replied: “The two things go
together, but they cannot be compared. I was very happy
with both.” As a girl Bernadette joined the Children of
Mary, and then when she was able to make her own
choice about a way of life she joined the Sisters at Nevers.
Bernadette was so deeply aware of the Church as the
indispensable context of her own spiritual life that at the
end of her life she called her sick bed, surrounded as it
was by white curtains, “my white chapel”.
Bernadette constantly sought to turn herself more fully
to the Lord who was inviting her into his joy, and found
in the Church the path to do so. Our path of conversion
can be one like hers, as we can find in the sacraments
we will celebrate this week, in the prayer we will share
together, in the service integral to our Pilgrimage, in our
life as Christ’s faithful, a path which will enable us to set
out as Pilgrims alongside the Pilgrim Jesus, who came
from the Father and returned to the Father along with us
his brothers and sisters.
If you are interested in reading more about the theme
of this year, you might enjoy looking at the document
prepared by one of the full time chaplains to the Sanctuary,
Fr Jean-Dominique Dubois OFM, which can be found at
http://en.lourdes-france.org/deepen/fundamental-texts/
theme-2014
Luke Beckett OSB
Spiritual Adviser - Ampleforth Lourdes Hospitalité
www.lourdesampleforth.org.uk
THE CHAIRMAN WRITES
“Laudate, Laudate, Laudate Domino”
All who have been to Lourdes will recognise these words sung
during the Torchlight Marian Procession every evening of the
Pilgrimage season.Walking out of the Tuesday English Mass held
for those serving with the Hospitalité Notre Dame de Lourdes
(“HNDL”) during our Stage week, I was particularly taken by
the singing and moved over to the side of the Rosary Square
until I reached the “Cord” held up by Hospitaliers to control
the crowds. One of many holding the “Cord” was Antoine
Tierny, immediate past-President of HNDL - still smarter than
most in his best suit, but performing the same service as other
Brancardiers allocated to “Ceremonies” for that week. It made
me think about the many years of service and the humility of
many of those who serve in Lourdes.
Anyone visiting the Men’s Baths that same week would have
found Gabriel Barbry, Antoine’s predecessor as President of
HNDL, serving there. 2 HNDL Presidents with 24 years of
Presidential service between them – but now serving Our
Lady on the front-line in Lourdes - alongside young students,
the middle-aged and the not-so-young.
Continuing on this theme of “service”, two of our former
Pilgrims, who haven’t been with us in Lourdes for many years,
have died recently and I would like to share some thoughts
with you on them both.
Tim Firth left Ampleforth in 1957 and came on the Ampleforth
Pilgrimage for several years. He shared digs at Oxford for
3 years with Michael Kenworthy-Browne, another OA and
stalwart of the Ampleforth Pilgrimage. Together they went
on to form the Oxford Pilgrimage and in due course were
both awarded HNDL’s then Bronze Medal for their work for
both Pilgrimages. Tim became a priest of the Westminster
Archdiocese, was Professor of Theology for many years at
the Diocesan Seminary and finally became a Vicar General.
However, in the 80’s, he felt he had lost his way in the Catholic
Church and re-joined the secular world, in order to continue
a deep religious search, which lasted for the rest of his life.
His Funeral held in the Anglican Parish Church in his small
Sussex village was a very moving affair, not least because of
the very large number of Catholic Priests in the Congregation.
It was clear he had not been forgotten. I am very pleased that
Michael K-B, Tim’s old friend, will be out on Pilgrimage with us
next month and joined by his son Nicholas, who now lives in
America.
Jane Wilson was a Paediatrician from what was then Lancashire
and is probably now Greater Manchester. She died earlier this
month aged 94. In the early 1980’s the Pilgrimage was short of
Doctors and Arthur Prestt – a splendid Presbyterian originally
from Wigan - came to the aid of Pilgrimage once again and
persuaded Jane to come on the Pilgrimage as a Doctor, which
she did for a good many years. Arthur, a County Court judge
who died several years ago, must surely have been the only
person in Who’s Who to list his Ampleforth Pilgrimage 5 Year
Medal under “Decorations”. Jane was a generous ear to all on
the Pilgrimage as well as being an excellent Pilgrimage Doctor.
Like Arthur, her faith - she was as a member of the Unitarian
Church - remained unaltered by Lourdes. However she came
back every year to serve the Pilgrimage. One of her sons was
in touch with Ampleforth following her death and asked for a
little detail of his Mother’s involvement in the Pilgrimage. Thus
the Notice of Jane’s death in the Times of 21 June mentions her
as a “doctor to the Ampleforth Lourdes Pilgrimage”. This may
not be a unique entry in a Times Notice; however, immediately
following the words “champion of the FPA” must surely make
this a first!
Please pray for Tim, for Jane and for their families during our
Pilgrimage, as models of service to the Pilgrimage.
Finally you will expect me to update you on the Flood Relief
work in Lourdes following last June’s natural disaster.
• The twin bridge over to the Church of St Bernadette is no
longer twinned! The span furthest from the Grotto has been
demolished. The Sanctuary is now considering how to replace
this. Meanwhile a “Bailey Bridge” construction has been
erected temporarily to ease the flow of Pilgrims, running from
the outside the Accueil Notre Dame over towards the Rosary
Square. It remains to be seen when this temporary solution
will get replaced. The temporary classrooms at Ampleforth,
which must have stood for over 50 years, come to mind!
• The Underground Basilica is fully restored and the Chapel of
St Patrick in the St Bernadette Church has been remodelled. I
used to think of it as a chapel in a broom-cupboard; now it is
a very powerful place of prayer.
• Plans are afoot to build additional protection from the river
around the Grotto. However all who saw the swirling waters
last June on the Internet will realise that this must be a very
difficult task.
• In the town, all of the Hotels and cafés re-opened. However
urgent works in many cases disturbed the usual winter repair
programme.This has affected us on the Ampleforth Pilgrimage,
as our Hoteliers were unable to carry out the planned work on
Ste Rose, without which UK Insurers are twitchy. Vinuales are
therefore re-housing the Pilgrimage in 2 of their other hotels
for this year until the work is completed. The disadvantage of
not having the whole Pilgrimage in one hotel is ameliorated by
us using 4-star hotels at no additional cost.
In order to include the announcement of the re-appointment
of Mike Thoms as Director of ALH, this note is written a little
later than usual. For those coming on the Pilgrimage, I much
look forward to seeing you out in Lourdes in what is barely
two weeks’ time. For those who cannot join us, the Pilgrimage
will as always pray for all ALH members.
Paul Williams
Chairman - Ampleforth Lourdes Hospitalité
www.lourdesampleforth.org.uk
ANNOUNCEMENT
Fr Abbot has asked me to advise you that he has re-appointed Mike Thoms as Director of the Ampleforth Lourdes
Hospitalité for a further term of 3 years from the end of the forthcoming Pilgrimage.
As many of you know, Mike has had a very successful first term, but changed his full-time employer this time last year
to become Director of the Arundel & Brighton Diocesan Pilgrimage. It was therefore expected that Mike would not be
available for re-appointment as Director of the Ampleforth Pilgrimage, once his current term expired. Mike duly advised
Fr Abbot, who asked Fr Luke and I to take soundings and advise him on who might succeed Mike. A number of potential
candidates were identified, but for a diversity of reasons, it was not the time to make an appointment and the matter was
therefore put on hold.
Since then, it has become apparent to those involved with both the Ampleforth and Arundel & Brighton Pilgrimages and
most of all to Mike himself, that there are only positives for all involved in his being Director of both Pilgrimages and that
there are no significant conflicts of interest in him doing so. With the necessary consent of his Bishop and his employers,
the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton Lourdes Pilgrimage Trust, Mike recently indicated to Fr Abbot that he was available for
re-appointment.The soundings, which Fr Luke and I took last year, indicated that this outcome was very much the preferred
option of many of our Pilgrims.
Speaking personally, I warmly welcome Mike’s re-appointment by Fr Abbot.
Paul Williams
Chairman - Ampleforth Lourdes Hospitalité
THANKS AND WELCOME!
I was lucky enough to visit Lourdes last week for a flying 24
hour visit on behalf of the other pilgrimage I serve. It was
therefore with great joy that I turned around a corner, and saw
two Ampleforth handmaids enjoying a glass of wine in a bar.
They assured me that they had not been there since last year’s
pilgrimage, and were two of seventeen Ampleforth stagiaires
volunteering in the Sanctuary last week, one of whom was Fr
Luke, and had been serving for hours in the baths, and only
relaxing in the bar for a few moments!
This chance encounter goes to the heart of what is remarkable
about the Ampleforth pilgrimage family. We are so blessed
that so many of you, whether you be a doctor, nurse, priest,
sick person or helper, give of your time so freely to join us in
Lourdes for one week, and that some of you go even further
to give of yourselves to serve in the Hospitalité Notre Dame
de Lourdes, and as faithful servants on the Ampleforth Lourdes
Hospitalité Committee, who work tirelessly to ensure that we
all have an enjoyable safe week in Lourdes.
Thanks to you all. I prayed for you all at the Grotto last week,
and so look forward to welcoming you to Lourdes when you
all arrive on the 10th July for some, and the 11th July for others.
Rev Michael Thoms
Pilgrimage Director - Ampleforth Lourdes Hospitalité
www.lourdesampleforth.org.uk
FIVE WHITE DRESSES HANGING ON THE LINE!
In the photo below you will see just five of the fifteen white
dresses that have been donated to the pilgrimage. They
will live in my office. We have a reputation, in Lourdes, for
being a very smart pilgrimage. However, in recent years
some have felt that our reputation might be slipping. If
you are coming on the pilgrimage this year, please have a
careful look at the dress code clearly explain in your joining
instructions and make sure you bring the right clothes with
you, bearing in mind that Lourdes can be hot and sunny,
or wet and cool. Only ladies need to wear white, but
all should be smart and appropriately dressed, and girls,
if what you are wearing isn’t suitable, then you will be
wearing one of the fifteen white dresses.
More than anything we want to thank you all for answering
Our Lady’s call to come to Lourdes this summer. I hope
we will all find some time to prepare for our pilgrimage not
just in practical ways, but in prayer and quiet contemplation
too. Even if we just have time to say:
Our Lady of Lourdes: Pray for us
St Bernadette: Pray for us.
See you very soon.
Diana Williams and Michael Dawson
Michael Dawson and I are really looking forward to seeing
you all in Lourdes . After a full year of planning, preparations
are almost complete for our pilgrimage in July. We hope
you are looking forward not only to catching up with old
friends, but also, to meeting many new friends. We will be
on the fourth floor in the St Frai and will be occupying
most of the beds, so we are all going to be very busy!
MESSAGE FROM ACROSS THE WATER!
The World Cup, as everyone knows, is a global sporting event, and for many, a sad lesson in geography. I overheard
someone recently question the legitimacy of the country Cameroon, and whether it was invented by commentators or
organizers for their own amusement.
However, fictitious nations aside, the World Cup is an opportunity to build a connection across borders and boundaries,
through the shared experiences of watching exemplary athletes display their strength and speed.
These teams are not only comprised of professional football players, but ambassadors to a degree. Each and every time
they walk onto the field they are representing their country and donning their colors with pride, in the hope they can
live up to the expectations of their nation.
For me personally, being afforded the opportunity to travel to Lourdes each year has been a gift. This year there are 25
Americans traveling over, and we consider ourselves extremely fortunate and blessed to be warmly received as pilgrims
with Ampleforth year after year. The first year for any American traveling with the pilgrimage is intimidating. This year our
14 first timers will arrive with the same concerns and anxieties all first timers feel and internalize, compounded with the
additional hurdle of cultural differences.
Initially, we only decipher about half of what is said by any Brit, but within a couple days, we learn the nuances of the
accent, exchange some jokes on vernacular, and feel settled in our group – finding a common ground.
As the week unfolds, each group develops a personality and becomes its own team, working towards achieving the same
goal, with each member feeling invested at each stage of the process. The Americans arrive as their own ambassadors,
emblazoned with stars and stripes, however, by the Anointing of the Sick mass, the entire Pilgrimage is comforting each
other in a blur of red and white, a beautiful (tearful) moment.
The World Cup will be coming to what I am sure will be an exciting close during the Pilgrimage, however, I know the
shared experience we will be building, moment by moment during our week in Lourdes, will resonate to a much greater
degree with our group, and especially our first timers.
Still, Americans are clinging on to a small hope that Our Lady of Victory is on our side in our next match(es)…
Margaret Shafer
www.lourdesampleforth.org.uk
LOURDES REUNION
This year was the first London Lourdes Reunion I have attended in over 20 years, and it was well worth coming back after
such a long wait. It was a wonderful reunion, made especially enjoyable as the Church of Christ the King in Chingford, is the
parish church of a number of Ampleforth Pilgrims. To be welcomed into their church made the reunion deeply powerful for
me. There were a fantastic number of HPs present, some of whom had come a long way, and a good number of helpers - I
was pleased to see another nurse!
Fr Luke celebrated Mass, and gave an excellent sermon on the theme of God always being with us, to help us prepare for Holy
Week (the reunion was on a Saturday in Lent) and to remember why we all come to Lourdes. The choir sang beautifully and
movingly, and we prayed for each other and all our absent friends.
After Mass, there was so much delicious food to share and it made for a very relaxed and entertaining lunch, and a wonderful
opportunity to rekindle Lourdes’ friendships. A huge thank you needs to be said to both Ros Lynch and Ros Wood and their
“home team”, and to Lucy R-R for organizing such a memorable and enjoyable reunion. It won’t be 20 years before I am at
my next one!
Jenny Micklem
www.lourdesampleforth.org.uk
RETREAT WEEKEND AT AMPLEFORTH
On our arrival at The Grange there was, as always, a delicious tea ready for us, and a warm welcome, this time from Father Prior,
who was our acting host. It is always a happy time of greetings and coming together again, and indeed, for some of us it is a mini
holiday, and a Holy one into the bargain, all made easy, ‘on a plate’ as it were!
From our programme sheets we learnt that we would have talks from Father Luke, Father Edward and Father Hugh; and,
we were given the times of all the Divine Offices in the Abbey Church; an invitation to share those hours of prayer with the
Community. For this opportunity we are so grateful; it is truly a privilege, and a Joy granted us by the monks.
Joy was the subject of Father Luke’s talks, the Joy inherent in our Faith. He took us through the gospels looking at the various
experiences of Joy. The first was the Visitation of Our Lady to Elizabeth, and the Joy experienced by both women, which is
ongoing and celebrated in our Faith. Another, was the advent of the Christ, this was like coming out of darkness into light. The
new order was essentially Joyful compared to the old, with the promise of a Kingdom and of pardon and forgiveness, and of life
everlasting. “Rejoice and be glad, your reward is in heaven”.
Our Lord used the parables, in which the experience of Joy was the outcome, to explain His teaching, for example, the treasure
buried in a field and the prodigal son returning home. Also, Joy is experienced through his miracles such as the healing of the
blind man, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, the wedding in Cana and many more. Then, the Joy of His Resurrection which is
the ultimate for his followers, and for Christianity.
Saint Bernadette, suffering bad health and persecution, sets us the example of Obedience and Faith, and the consequent Joy in
her meetings with Our Lady. Without suffering and sadness there would be no Joy, without the Crucifixion there would be no
Resurrection; this is the essence of our Faith and while we talk of the Mass as a Sacrifice, it is also a celebration of our Faith in
which should rejoice.
Father Edward drew our attention to the person of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. He explained the meaning of Palladianism, the theory
that perfection in our being is possible and therefore obligatory, which was condemned by the Church in favour of the wisdom
of St Augustine.The human urge to be perfect is still around, and causes self-denigration, so we de-value ourselves which leads to
a lack of hope and sometimes affects our faith. Our Lord loved sinners, for example St Mary Magdalene, rather than those who
don’t think they are sinners such as the Pharisees! The real sin is not so much in the falling, as in failing to get up. We should try
and accept our vulnerability and failures, and the limitations of our human minds which have to cope with mystery, doubts and
fears. All suffering, physical and mental, is redemptive, as Our Lord’s on the Cross was necessary for the Resurrection. So, with
humility, turn to Him in Person in prayer. Be with Him, and listen. Accept His unconditional love, and your own inadequacies, and
you will achieve forgiveness and find great inner peace.
Father Hugh started his talk by endorsing the fact that Joy in this life is OK! He went on to give us a condensed and very
interesting history of the Desert Fathers’ devolvement through the ages to the Benedictine Monks we know today.Their vocation
was originally one of seclusion and prayer in the service of God and a gradual involvement with the lives of lay people, exercising
hospitality, education and working in parishes. Having moved into Europe, the French order eventually progressed into England
and as they say the rest is history and is beautifully laid out to see in the monastery at Ampleforth.
All busy people have a discipline of some sort to give them order their lives; whether single or married and whatever your
call is in life. As Father Hugh says, no one likes getting
up at 5.0am. Monks are human too and following
the discipline of St.Benedict gives us some wonderful
compensations! The peace of early Morning Prayer,
juxtaposed with a busy day of correcting exam papers,
is just what one needs. It may be hard to stop working,
hard to obey the bell and go to prayer, but it is that all
important break from one’s stressful life, that is of such
huge benefit. And Father Hugh dispelled any delusion
we may have that just because one had a vocation it
was easy to live in Community! Not true!
“Pax inter Cena!” “Peace among Thorns!” There are
thorns in any walk of life! And we must learn to live
with our own personal thorns.
Thank you to ‘Our Monks’ for letting us share some of
their Peace. It was a wonderful retreat weekend.
Norma Campbell
www.lourdesampleforth.org.uk
QUIET DAY OF REFLECTION.
The Suffolk “Quiet Day” was held at the beginning of June at Cath and Johnny Gaynor’s lovely home. Fr. Edward gave an
inspiring talk on God’s unconditional love for us and we then had some time to reflect on his words, meditate and walk
around the beautiful garden before Mass.
This year, we had a christening during the Mass. My son Tom, his wife Stephanie and baby son, Martin, had flown over from
Dallas for two weeks and Fr. Edward had kindly offered to baptise Martin. It was a special day for Martin and his family, and it
was lovely to have the Lourdes friends attending, to welcome him into the family of the church. Fr. Edward provided the oil,
Richard Reid provided the holy water from Lourdes and the white garment worn by Martin, had been beautifully crocheted
for the christening by Renate Siewert. Martin was bemused by the proceedings and was not upset by what he clearly thought
was an extra hair wash.
After Mass we all celebrated with a glass of Prosecco and the usual delicious buffet lunch, produced by all the attendees.
Annie Bowen-Wright
JUNE REUNION IN CHELSEA
On Wednesday 18th June a group, organised by Matthew
Plummer, gathered at St Mary’s, Cadogan Street, for Mass
and a get-together before heading out on pilgrimage this
year. Canon Stuart gave us some excellent thoughts to
prepare us for the pilgrimage ahead and we then all gathered
together in the sunshine at the Builders Arms in Chelsea for
a good catch up.
It was lovely to see some of those who are rejoining us
after a break from Lourdes, including Polly Marsden who is
coming back as a group leader for the first time this year. It
was also brilliant to meet two of the St Mary’s Ascot girls,
Kitty Orr and Honor Horswell, who will be joining us on the
pilgrimage for the first time. Many thanks to Matthew for
organising this, we’re already looking forward to the postpilgrimage reunion on 27th August!
Emma Craig
www.lourdesampleforth.org.uk
NOTICE BOARD
EASTER REUNION will be held on Saturday 14th March 2015 at Christ the King Church, South Chingford, London E4 8SP.
RETREAT in 2015 will be held from 24th to 26th April at The Grange Ampleforth. Please Apply to Lucy Rowan-Robinson
if you would like to attend. Email: lucy.rowanrobinson@gmail.com MOB: 07976228554
HOSPITAL PILGRIMS FOR 2015. If you know someone who would like to come to Lourdes with us in 2015 as a
resident in the St Frai Hospital please contact: Annie Bowen-Wright, Corner Farm House, Stowupland, Stowmarket, Suffolk
IP14 4AN. email: bowenwright@talktalk.net tel: 01499 676967.
DATABASE AMENDMENTS Please send any changes to your personal details to: Ros Wood
email: rosjwood@gmail.com.
NEWS Please send notification of deaths, serious illness or any other news to: Lucy Rowan-Robinson, Grey Walls, Park Lane,
Aldeburgh, Suffolk IP15 5HP email: lucy.rowanrobinson@gmail.com tel:01728452766
FACEBOOK Join the Facebook group Ampleforth Lourdes to keep in touch with fellow pilgrims, share photos and hear
about social events.
WEBSITE Please be advised that our new website is now live and can be accessed by going to lourdes.ampleforth.org.uk.
The winners of THE 2000 CLUB for the last twelve months are as follows:
2013
July
August
September
October
November
December
Mrs Gaynor Townley Mrs Helen Naylor
Lady Carole Bamford
Mrs Anne Poulter
Mr Ken Bromage
Mrs Susan Tams
2014
January February
March
April
May
June
Mr Paul Williams
Mrs Anne Poulter
Mrs Susie Beaverbrook Mrs Annie Poulter
Mrs Annie Bowen-Wright
Mrs G. Gilmore
£117.00
£142.80
£145.69
£147.40
£145.80
£144.66
£147.80
£142.80
£149.40
£151.80
£151.40
£146.60
Kindly put together by Michael Doherty
Final note from the Editor – Hope you all enjoy reading the June 2014 Newsletter. A HUGE thank you to all those who
have contributed articles and photos; without you we would not have a Newsletter!
We wish all those coming on the Pilgrimage this summer a happy, holy and fulfilling week and to those of you staying at home,
you are all with us in spirit. We will light a candle and say a prayer for you at the Grotto.
Lucy Rowan-Robinson
www.lourdesampleforth.org.uk