As many people are aware, the relics of St Bernadette have journeyed from Lourdes in France to Ireland in recent weeks, currently travelling on a pilgrimage around our country’s cathedrals and dioceses. Indeed, they will visit every diocese in Ireland during these months of September and October.
And, so it was, that St Bernadette’s relics arrived to our own diocese of Kilmore on Monday morning, last - 28th October - visiting the Cathedral of Saints Patrick and Phelim, Cavan. We know how deeply many of our families and parishioners, both locally and across our diocese, cherish their connections to Lourdes and St Bernadette, having travelled for prayer, healing or service. Thus, the pilgrimage of Bernadette’s relics across Ireland may well be a source of great hope and inspiration for many, both young and older.
It was surely imbued with this sense of inspiration and hope that our students in Primaries Six and Seven, along with accompanying school staff, travelled to the Cathedral on Monday morning and shared in welcoming Bernadette’s relics, on what was a special and historic day for our diocese. As our young people listened to the story of Bernadette and prayed alongside her relics at the conclusion of the Mass, our prayer is that they will draw hope and inspiration from their experience and share in the many gifts and graces which will be granted, during this pilgrimage.
We convey a special word of appreciation to Fr Kevin Fay - Administrator, Cavan Cathedral - and to the members of the Cavan/Kilmore branch of the Knights of Columbanus who guided St Bernadette’s relics into the Cathedral and ensured that our students had the opportunity to pause in prayer beside the relics, and be blessed with the Lourdes holy water.
We trust you will take a little time to share in our Primary Seven girls’ video compilation, below.
