Pope Leo’s Visit to Lourdes and the Pilgrims’ Prayer Intentions

By Friends of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes

The weeks building up to Pope Leo’s visit to Lourdes were incredibly busy and stressful for us all working here in Our Lady’s Sanctuary. The visit was planned a lot sooner than had initially been expected, and so it was ‘all hands on deck’ to get everything ready in such a short space of time. However, what really touched me in this hectic period was the way that we all pulled together. Everyone working here gave all they had to make this moment the best it could possibly be for our pilgrims, for our very special guest Pope Leo, and of course for Our beloved Lady.

When I was asked to carry the pilgrims’ prayer intentions at the end of the Torchlight Procession on the Sunday evening, I was incredibly moved and honoured to be entrusted with such a service. The whole Procession was truly a time of grace for all of us working here. We were finally able to relax a little as we came to the close of this beautiful weekend. We were given the most amazing privilege to pray with Pope Leo at the Grotto, whose simple presence brought peace and joy to us all. Then we walked behind him, whilst hearing members of our Lourdes ‘Family’ recite the Rosary on the microphone, as we too prayed. We were ‘at home’ among this enormous crowd, doing what Our Lady had asked Bernadette to do so many years ago.

Finally came the moment to carry the intentions. I stood with the pilgrims prayers in my hands, beside Delphine who was carrying them with me, feeling the weight of the responsibility entrusted to us. We were facing the Rosary Basilica, where Our Lady’s statue had been placed after our Procession with Pope Leo. Time seemed to stand still, and as we sang the Ave Maria, I felt as though the hearts and souls of all the thousands of pilgrims present joined together with mine to offer up those intentions to Our Lady’s tender motherly love. We walked with Delphine to the foot of the stairs, carried the prayers up to Pope Leo who graciously acknowledged them, and then we placed them at Our Lady’s feet.

I know that she was waiting to receive them with her arms wide open, and to carry them in her turn to her son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. I know that those prayers were heard.

Emma Mc Intosh

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