07Apr2012

Published by the Irish Pilgrimage Trust and HCPT - The Pilgrimage Trust

TATLERSATURDAY 7th APRIL 2012

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Easter Saturday 7th April 2012, Page 1

WELCOME TO LOURDES! From Phil Sparke, new HCPT Chief Executive

First of all a (hopefully!) very warm welcome to you all as you stream into Lourdes for this year’s Easter Pilgrimage. Perhaps I could take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Chief Executive of the Trust, a role I assumed on 15 February, and one I am thrilled and honoured to have been entrusted. I come to HCPT from just over 25 years in the Royal Navy, and was actually on the books of the Navy until exactly a week ago. So I am delighted to be back in uniform, still dark blue, but now with an HCPT logo rather than anchors and crowns! I have been a helper with HCPT since the mid-90s and was Regional Chair of the Armed Forces for the last six years so hope to bring that experience to bear in my new role.

The theme for our pilgrimage this year is that “We are God’s Work of Art” – each of us fashioned individually, all of unique character and

quality and all of inestimable worth. Fiona Bruce and her Antiques Roadshow team are able to put a price on most man made artefacts but our value as God’s creation will exceed anything that will ever be wheeled onto your TV screens on a Sunday night!

This beauty of creation is also evident from the new windows that have been designed and installed in the Chapel in Hosanna House in memory of Fr. Michael Byrne, one of the Trust’s founding chaplains. Fr. Michael established a Trust Fund to this end two weeks before his death in 2006 and that vision has now been realised to inspire us all. The windows depict the risen Christ in an Easter Garden, and will be complemented in due…

HCPT THE PILGRIMAGE TRUST

TATLER – EASTER SATURDAY 7TH APRIL 2012

WHAT’S ON

Sunday 8th April

• 1500 - Easter Sunday

Mass, St Bernadette (any

group musicians wishing

to play at the Mass

please be in St

Bernadette by 1300 to

practice)

Monday 9th April

• 1800 – meeting of all

Central Service Groups &

Regional Service Groups,

Salle Sanctuaires (Hotel

Solitude, 1st floor)

• 1930 – 2100 - Concert

• 2300 – 0000 Lourdes

Youth Gathering, St Pius X

Underground Basilica

Tuesday 10th April

• 2045 – Torchlight

Procession

Wednesday 11th April

• 2030 - Meeting for all

international Group

Leaders, Salle

Sanctuaires (Hotel

Solitude, 1st floor )

• 2100 – Doctors’ meeting –

venue tbc on arrival in

Lourdes (probably Hotel

Continental)


H C P T T H E P I L G R I M A G E T R U S T

… course by further windows portraying Palm Sunday and Pentecost. I would encourage all who can to pass by and admire the windows, and in so doing remember all those who have led the way on our pilgrimage in years past, as well as those who will follow us in the years to come.

One question that I know will be on your minds is whether the weather will be kind to us. Actual weather since our arrival on Wednesday has largely defied the forecasts, with more sunshine than showers, so we keep our fingers crossed for at least similar if not better. Our 120 two wheeled friends from IHCPT dodged the downpours all the way from Brittany to the outskirts of Lourdes before undergoing a drenching just before their ceremonial arrival last night. They did suffer five dislocated chains within the first 20 minutes on one day however, as well as one dislocated shoulder that was quickly snapped back into place! Congratulations to all concerned though – they have set the bar higher than ever as they pass the ceremonial bicycle pump back across the Irish Sea for the HCPT 2013 cycle!

So welcome once again to you all and I hope that you all settle quickly into a fulfilling and enjoyable HCPT Easter Pilgrimage here in Lourdes.

BROTHER MICHAEL

Groups are asked to remember in their prayers Brother Michael Strode, the founder of HCPT. Brother Michael is currently unwell and is therefore not able to join us in Lourdes this year. He is as ever following events here as closely as usual and has asked us to pass on his love and best wishes to all taking part in this year’s Easter pilgrimage.

ARE YOU RECORDING VIDEO THIS EASTER?

After Easter this year HCPT will produce short videos to attract greater numbers of helpers to the Easter pilgrimage, and more disabled children. We would appreciate your help in your volunteers capturing appropriate footage and bringing it to The Base, which we will then view for potential use in these videos. Expenses will be reimbursed. If your group has passed to us similar footage in recent years, we will examine this after Easter too to see if we can use it. Video we are particularly looking for is of: • Children and volunteers • Smiling • Laughing • Singing • Playing games • In cafes • At Trust Mass & other

concerts / events • At Torchlight Procession • In chapels • In Gavarnie / Biarritz etc • Taking part in Hosanna

House activities • At the Grotto and Basilicas Thanks for your support.

Today’s birthdays

Many happy returns! Philippa, group 5

Charlotte, group 40 Tamara, group 46 Anne, group 50 Chloe, group 51

Richard, group 71 Timothy, group 111

John, group 121 Lauren, group 124 Robert, group 153

Margaret, group 215 Debra, HQ



GROTTO JOTTINGS A river of love, Father Perry Gildea CM

As the spring sun gently melts the winter snows on the high mountains, little streams of ice-melt flow together and in Gavarnie the Gave is born. At first it is a small lively stream flowing away from the mountain face. Like a stream described in the bible the further it flows the greater it becomes, and like the bible stream, along its banks grow the living signs of the life it brings.

Later a powerful river, it flows swift and deep past the Grotto. It contrasts with the little spring gently flowing in the corner of the Grotto. This spring too is a source of wonder, comfort, strength and even life. Pilgrims pause to reverence it as they pass through the Grotto, under the statue that marks the place where Mary once stood and softly asked Bernadette “would she be so kind as to come again”.

For the past few days other little streams and tributaries have been collecting and joining at stations and airports. Eventually they will collect here in Lourdes as a great colourful stream bringing its own gift of

life. Another HCPT Easter Pilgrimage is under way.

Every Easter for more than 50 years this human river of joy gathers and flows into and through the town of Lourdes. Like the Gave it too flows down past the Grotto. Unlike the Gave at the Grotto it rests. Mary’s place of the spring is a resting place. Like Bernadette, each and every one of us has responded to the gentle invitation of Mary to come here for a while.

Following Mary’s invitation the subsequent meetings were, for Bernadette, special times of peace and reassuring love. These were times when Mary showed her the wonderful love God has for all his children, times when Bernadette learned how the constant love of Mary’s son for all of us is enough to overcome all the difficulties and contradictions of life.

As we share our lives in loving friendship during this time in Lourdes may we too be personally convinced of the great love of Mary and her son for each and every one. As we share that love with each other, may it also be a source of great joy and strengthen us when, like the Gave, we eventually flow away from Mary’s resting place.

YOUR MESSAGES Do you want your message in print?

Email [email protected] before

midday for publication that day.

Group 3, hope you have an

amazing week. Wish I was with you

for the week, love you all and hope

I can be there next year. Freddie xx

A massive welcome to Anna (216),

Katie (216), Charlie (5) and Sam (5)!

Finally here in Lourdes and hope

you thoroughly enjoy your first year

as helpers. Well done on all of your

hard work fundraising with school,

you've all been fantastic and we

are very proud of you. Enjoy the

rest of this special week. Love from

St. Joseph's xx

Group 5: I hope you all have an

amazing 2012 pilgrimage. I will be

thinking about you every day! Tell

Our Lady that I will be back very

soon. I expect to hear your

wonderful singing and laughter

echoing through the valleys. All my

love as ever, Clare xxx

To Clodagh in group 70 IHCPT; a big

hello from group 139, Scotland. See

you at the Trust Mass but wearing

different colours that day, we’ve

gone purple. Should be at the same

place at the same time. Have a

great week. Bernie & Willie.

Hi everyone with Group 74... so

looking forward to sharing an

amazing Easter and 2012

pilgrimage with you all. Love Lesley

x x



CALLING ALL DOCTORS & HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

Medical HQ asks all healthcare professionals on pilgrimage to please report to HCPT Medical HQ on arrival in Lourdes (Salle Beout, 1st floor, Hotel Solitude), in order to be briefed on the new arrangements for care of the Groups this year. Even if you have other responsibilities, it is vitally important to make yourself known to Medical HQ.

If you have a healthcare professional in your Group, please pass this message on. Thank you.

SCOTTISH REGION

Congratulations to the Scottish Region who celebrate their 40th anniversary of Pilgrimage with HCPT, having set their Region up in 1971. Their first Pilgrimage was in 1972. A fantastic achievement

and a great witness to the work of the Trust and the response to Our Lady.

REHEARSAL TIMES FOR MONDAY CONCERT • 0830 – 1100 - set up

equipment • Ciaran, Scottish

musicians and Michelle to arrive by 1100 (we will run through your parts in the gaps which will inevitably happen during the day…)

• 1100 – 1125 – Jacob, Group 215

• 1125 – 1145 – Sam, Group 16

• 1145 – 1215 - West Country

• 1215 – 1245 – Yorkshire • 1245 – 1330 - lunch • 1330 – 1400 - IHCPT • 1400 – 1500 – “mop up”

anyone else • 1500 – 1600 - tidy up for

Blessed Sacrament Procession

• 1830 - all musicians and acts in the chorale for final check and warm up for concert

• 1930 – concert starts

MORE MESSAGES Dear Group 111! I am very sorry not to

be with you this year as last year was

so amazing! Just a quick message to

say I hope you all have an awesome

week and I will be thinking of you all

and all the fun you're having! I'll

include you all in my prayers over the

week and can't wait to hear about it

when you all get back! Jenna Xxxx PS

oh 111 is wonderful

To our 171 friends, wish we were having

“nothing but fun with 171”. We will miss

you this year, but will look forward to

hearing the stories and looking at the

pictures when you get back. Love from

Jen, Alonzo, Sheila and Katie x

To all in Group 216 and the Manchester

Region: wishing you a wonderful

pilgrimage in 2012. I'll be with you all in

spirit and in prayers. Gerard

To the Manchester and North East

Regions : my love and best wishes to

you all for a truly memorable

pilgrimage. How I wish I was with you!

Much love and many hugs. Clare Gale

xx

Wishing you all a great Pilgrimage this

Easter. Sorry I cannot join you. Thank

you for all your support and prayers for

Maggie. Now back at home. Keep

lighting the candles! Michael Holford.

Lourdes weather tomorrow

Morning Showers 7° Afternoon Showers 12° Evening Showers 11°

Gavarnie weather tomorrow

Morning Showers 0° Afternoon Showers 5° Evening Sunny spells 3°

Biarritz weather tomorrow

Morning Showers 11° Afternoon Showers 12° Evening Showers 10°



A RESPONSIVE LITANY (DISABILITY BEATITUDES) Ken Tittle, Mariposa Ministry Blessed are you who take time to listen when communication is difficult, for God will grant you an understanding heart. Blessed are you who walk unembarrassed with those who are "different," for God will grant you self-acceptance. Blessed are you who are patient with us who struggle to do things you can do readily, and blessed are you who do not snatch our tasks from our hands to do them for us, for God will grant you patience with yourselves. Blessed are you who encourage and support persons with disabilities in new and uncertain ventures, for God will renew your courage to dream and to dare. Blessed are you who can recognize the gifts and seek the help of those who are weak and dependent, for God will heal your fear of future losses. Blessed are you who freely offer yourselves as eyes for the blind and as hands and legs for the paralysed, for you shall be helped by the blind and the paralysed. Blessed are you when you see past physical or mental limitations, defects, or deformities, and affirm each one’s beautiful God-given personhood, for you will know that God receives even your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for you will see Christ incarnate in the fellowship of all believers.

ABOUT TATLER

• Tatler is the daily newsletter of HCPT and IHCPT during the Easter pilgrimage • Compiled by Father Stephen Myers, George Mullis and George Overton • Your Group’s copies of Tatler are available to collect from the Base from 1730 every afternoon • To contribute a message or article, you should please go to Reception at the Base, or email

[email protected] • Deadline is midday for your message or article to be included the same day

mailto:[email protected]

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07Apr2012