ABOUT US

                                                     EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY

Each year on pilgrimage our distinctive Banner is proudly carried by our Brancardiers in procession. So often we are asked the meaning of the ancient emblems displayed on each side of our name. In English, no problem! In schoolboy French, Spanish, even Italian, one wonders what their interpretation must be!

The other large group who serve our Pilgrims is The St. Margaret's Youth Group.Each year their Leaders work hard to conscript young people from the Diocese many of whom stay until adulthood serving the Sick ,year in year out.They are a very large group, rising early in the morning 'till late at night, taking the Sick to the Services, Baths, shops or just to get some Lourdes Water to take home. Reporting each morning at the Accueil, cleaning toilets, serving meals and what ever jobs they may be asked to do over and above their normal duties. In their midst we have these fantastic musicians and singers who lead the Community of Pilgrims and Hospitalite alike every day. The strains of the "Braveheart" theme gives a poingancy to the services, especially felt at the Grotto where everything comes to a halt when it is Glasgow's turn to lead the Service.

  Each year for one week the Hospitalite becomes a Parish in it's own right, abroad; with it's Parish Priest(the Archbishop or Vicar-General) and his Curates, mostly Parish Priests in their own right at home; all sharing the load of the many Services taking place during the Week's Pilgrimage.

                              During our week in LOURDES, Pilgrims participate in a range of events. Every day there is a Mass in one of the many Churches around the Domain;

The Eucharistic Procession and the Blessing of the Sick and each evening there is the Beautiful Marian Torchlight Procession.

                     Also during the Week there is an opportunity to take part in other Spiritual Events such as The Holy Hour, a Service of Reconciliation. No visit to Lourdes would be complete without the Spiritual uplift of a visit to the Baths to bathe in the water of Lourdes.

                            Until the war years National Pilgrimages, organised by a National Committee regularly travelled from Scotland to Lourdes. During the war years it was impossible for Scottish Pilgrims to travel to Europe and instead they gathered in Carfin. It was at the 7th Lourdes Pilgrimage to Carfin on the 20th July1947 that the possibility of restarting Pilgrimages was considered,

but with difficulties of transport and food it was dismissed.

                              On the 25th February 1948 meeting of the Pilgrimage Committee, Mr. McGregor reported on the establishment of a branch of the Lourdes Hospitalite in Glasgow.The headquarters and meeting place of the new Organisation would be in Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Cardonald. The Branch would be responsiblefor the care of the Sick to, at and from Lourdes.The Branch would be subject to the Diocesan Pilgrimage Commmittee which would appoint Doctors and Nurses.

                                      The Pilgrimage Committee agreed that the 1948 Pigrimage, led by Archbishop Campbell would take place from Sunday 11th July to Sunday the 18th July. The newly formed Glasgow Lourdes Hospitalite were allotted 100 places.

                                        Since 1948 the Glasgow Lourdes Hospitalite has assisted pilgrims on the Glasgow Archdiocesan Pilgrimage. As an Archdiocesan Hospitalite we make the Pilgrimage possible for those Pilgrims, who because of sickness, disability or old age are unable to go alone.

                                         The important aspects of membership are

SERVICE    FRIENDSHIP     CELEBRATION    COMMITMENT

whether you are a Doctor, Nurse, Brancardier, or Lady Helper.

Membership is open to anyone over the age of 18 who is willing to undertake the objectives of the Hospitalite which are;

• In Lourdes the resposibility of all members is to care for their brothers and sisters Pilgrims who are registered with the Pilgimage as Pilgrims in need of assistance. Members may also be asked to carry out tasks required by the Hospitalite de Notre Dame de Lourdes.
• The aim of the organisation is to strengthen the sense of Community amongst it's members, support them in their Christian life, their responsibility within the Church and their Devotion to Mary the Mother ofGod.
• Commitment to promote the Message Our Lady entrusted to Bernadette.