Bristol Man Appreciates Lourdes Bishop’s Words
05 June 2008
Steve Young, a parishioner at Holy Family in Patchway, Bristol contacted cliftondiocese.com with his thoughts on some generous words spoken about Lourdes.
The comments were made by the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, Right Reverend Jacques Perrier. Bishop Perrier was paying tribute to HCPT - The Pilgrimage Trust - an organisation in which Steve plays a key part.
Bishop Perrier sees many pilgrimages and people from around the world when they come to the French shrine. This is what he had to say about the HCPT - The Pilgrimage Trust and its faith-filled visits to Lourdes.
“The HCPT pilgrimage takes place each year at Easter time. It is one of the highlights of the season, not only because, with all the participants to a greater or lesser extent dressed up, they do not exactly pass unnoticed, but because of the joy that shines in all their faces: the joy of being together under the maternal gaze of Mary; the joy of living together as brothers (and sisters) in the simplicity of the Gospel; the joy of being able to express themselves freely in the middle of a crowd of people who are not part of the pilgrimage and who are not directly concerned with disability; the joy of the little ones and the poor to whom the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed.
“Of all the annual pilgrimages it is perhaps this one that is closest to the message of Lourdes: the clothes and songs would no doubt surprise Bernadette, but she would recognise herself in the hearts of those involved. She would certainly find a way of communicating with them.
“At the start of the season, HCPT gives Lourdes a dose of youth and of joy which chimes well with the feast of Easter, a real opening of the Lourdes year up to now.”
Steve Young told cliftondiocese.com that these words - from the man who would have seen thousands of pilgrims and many, many groups comes to Lourdes - means a great deal to all who are involved in living their faith with HCPT - The Pilgrimage Trust.
Steve said, “I think everyone will agree Bishop Perrier’s words are a great advert for HCPT.”
Steve himself is not shy of saying the odd word or two - especially when it comes to Lourdes! He demonstrated that on Sunday (31 May) when he took to the airways to talk with Trevor Fry on BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Somerset’s ‘Sunday Starts’. The interview was part of the programme’s occasional series on local Lourdes pilgrims - to mark the 150th anniversary of the apparitions. If you missed it - you can listen again online. You can also hear it as cliftondiocese.com will be including the conversation as part of our ‘Lourdes Lives’ series. It’ll be available this Saturday (7 June). ‘Lourdes Lives’ is the innovative audio series we’re bringing you every Saturday to celebrate the special Lourdes anniversary. People in and around the Clifton Diocese share their stories of Lourdes in a new podcast each week.
Steve said, “I enjoyed talking with Trevor on last week’s ‘Sunday Starts’ and have received some nice comments about it - though I thought I sounded a right farmer on it!
“The Clifton Diocese ‘Lourdes Lives’ podcast series is great way to find out more about the wonderful place Lourdes is. If you want to find out more, or are thinking of going to Lourdes for the first time - have a listen to the series and then enjoy your pilgrimage!”
Steve was also touched by an address read to all the children on the HCPT pilgrimage earlier this year. A former New York police officer who was shot in the line of duty and is now a paraplegic spoke at a special Mass celebrated for the trust.
Steven McDonald said this, to the children, “In all the world there is nobody like you. Since the beginning of time, there has never been another person like you. Nobody has your smile, your eyes, your hands, your hair. Nobody owns your voice, your handwriting, your unique way of communicating with others. You’re special.
”Nobody can paint like you. Nobody has your taste for food, music, dance or art. Nobody in the world sees things as you do. In all time, there has never been anyone who laughs in exactly your way, and what makes you laugh or cry or think may have a totally different response in another. So you’re special.
”You are different from any other person who has ever lived in the history of the world. You are the only one in the whole world who has your particular set of abilities. There is always someone who is better at one thing or another. Every person is your superior in at least one way. But nobody in the world can reach the quality of the combination of your talents, your feelings. Through all eternity, no-one will ever love, walk, talk, think or act exactly like you. Remember you are special.
“You are rare and in all rarity there is enormous value. You are special, and it is no accident that you are. Please realise that God made you for a special purpose. God has a job for you to do that nobody else can do as well as you can. Out of billions of applicants, one is qualified. Only one has the unique ad right combination of what it takes- and that one is you. You are very special.”
Steve added, “I can tell you that you could have heard a pin drop among the 5000 gathered when he read it out, it was a real hairs on the back of the neck moment.”
Steve Young, a parishioner at Holy Family in Patchway, Bristol contacted cliftondiocese.com with his thoughts on some generous words spoken about Lourdes.
The comments were made by the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, Right Reverend Jacques Perrier. Bishop Perrier was paying tribute to HCPT - The Pilgrimage Trust - an organisation in which Steve plays a key part.
Bishop Perrier sees many pilgrimages and people from around the world when they come to the French shrine. This is what he had to say about the HCPT - The Pilgrimage Trust and its faith-filled visits to Lourdes.
“The HCPT pilgrimage takes place each year at Easter time. It is one of the highlights of the season, not only because, with all the participants to a greater or lesser extent dressed up, they do not exactly pass unnoticed, but because of the joy that shines in all their faces: the joy of being together under the maternal gaze of Mary; the joy of living together as brothers (and sisters) in the simplicity of the Gospel; the joy of being able to express themselves freely in the middle of a crowd of people who are not part of the pilgrimage and who are not directly concerned with disability; the joy of the little ones and the poor to whom the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed.
“Of all the annual pilgrimages it is perhaps this one that is closest to the message of Lourdes: the clothes and songs would no doubt surprise Bernadette, but she would recognise herself in the hearts of those involved. She would certainly find a way of communicating with them.
“At the start of the season, HCPT gives Lourdes a dose of youth and of joy which chimes well with the feast of Easter, a real opening of the Lourdes year up to now.”
Steve Young told cliftondiocese.com that these words - from the man who would have seen thousands of pilgrims and many, many groups comes to Lourdes - means a great deal to all who are involved in living their faith with HCPT - The Pilgrimage Trust.
Steve said, “I think everyone will agree Bishop Perrier’s words are a great advert for HCPT.”
Steve himself is not shy of saying the odd word or two - especially when it comes to Lourdes! He demonstrated that on Sunday (31 May) when he took to the airways to talk with Trevor Fry on BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Somerset’s ‘Sunday Starts’. The interview was part of the programme’s occasional series on local Lourdes pilgrims - to mark the 150th anniversary of the apparitions. If you missed it - you can listen again online. You can also hear it as cliftondiocese.com will be including the conversation as part of our ‘Lourdes Lives’ series. It’ll be available this Saturday (7 June). ‘Lourdes Lives’ is the innovative audio series we’re bringing you every Saturday to celebrate the special Lourdes anniversary. People in and around the Clifton Diocese share their stories of Lourdes in a new podcast each week.
Steve said, “I enjoyed talking with Trevor on last week’s ‘Sunday Starts’ and have received some nice comments about it - though I thought I sounded a right farmer on it!
“The Clifton Diocese ‘Lourdes Lives’ podcast series is great way to find out more about the wonderful place Lourdes is. If you want to find out more, or are thinking of going to Lourdes for the first time - have a listen to the series and then enjoy your pilgrimage!”
Steve was also touched by an address read to all the children on the HCPT pilgrimage earlier this year. A former New York police officer who was shot in the line of duty and is now a paraplegic spoke at a special Mass celebrated for the trust.
Steven McDonald said this, to the children, “In all the world there is nobody like you. Since the beginning of time, there has never been another person like you. Nobody has your smile, your eyes, your hands, your hair. Nobody owns your voice, your handwriting, your unique way of communicating with others. You’re special.
”Nobody can paint like you. Nobody has your taste for food, music, dance or art. Nobody in the world sees things as you do. In all time, there has never been anyone who laughs in exactly your way, and what makes you laugh or cry or think may have a totally different response in another. So you’re special.
”You are different from any other person who has ever lived in the history of the world. You are the only one in the whole world who has your particular set of abilities. There is always someone who is better at one thing or another. Every person is your superior in at least one way. But nobody in the world can reach the quality of the combination of your talents, your feelings. Through all eternity, no-one will ever love, walk, talk, think or act exactly like you. Remember you are special.
“You are rare and in all rarity there is enormous value. You are special, and it is no accident that you are. Please realise that God made you for a special purpose. God has a job for you to do that nobody else can do as well as you can. Out of billions of applicants, one is qualified. Only one has the unique ad right combination of what it takes- and that one is you. You are very special.”
Steve added, “I can tell you that you could have heard a pin drop among the 5000 gathered when he read it out, it was a real hairs on the back of the neck moment.”
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