Lourdes Lives: Father Richard McKay

29 March 2008

2008 is the 150th anniversary of the apparition of the Virgin Mary to 14 year-old Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes. Many people from the Clifton Diocese have experienced Lourdes since then and to celebrate cliftondiocese.com brings you a series of podcasts about the world famous shrine. Available every Saturday, our podcasts tells the stories of people in and around the Clifton Diocese who have been to Lourdes. This week we hear from Father Richard McKay, who tells an amazing tale.

Father Richard is the Parish Priest of St Nicholas of Tolentino in Easton, Bristol. Enjoy his fascinating podcast by downloading it in the multimedia panel on the right.

Last week we heard from Deacon Peter Hinchey from St Augustine of Canterbury parish in Downend, Bristol. Deacon Peter must be of the most knowledgeable people about Lourdes in the diocese - he’s been 53 times!

Previously we featured Monsignor Bill Saunders from the Archdiocese of Southwark. He’s the Director of the Catholic Association of which the Clifton Diocese is part.

We also spoke with Canon Alan Finley, the Dean of Cheltenham who has a unique point of view on his visits to Lourdes. Having served as an army chaplain, he talks about the uniformed and the servicemen he’s met at the French shrine.

Our first Lourdes Lives episode featured a conversation with Taunton parishioner Doug Lowe who is a volunteer with HCPT - The Pilgrimage Trust. He tells us about what Lourdes means to the children he takes to the place in France that attracts six million visitors each year.

You can also listen to podcasts from the Catholic Communications Network (CCN) in the multimedia panel on the right. You can listen to Father Martin Moran, Chaplain at the sanctuary of Lourdes, Right Reverend Robert Ladds, Anglican Bishop of Whitby, Father Graeme Rowlands, Society of Mary and Richard King of the HCPT - The Pilgrimage Trust.

The Clifton Diocese Lourdes Pilgrimage is led by Bishop Declan and takes place in August.

A handy new book entitled ‘Every Pilgrim’s Guide to Lourdes’ is out now. It combines a mix of practical information for travellers, the history and background of the places featured, plus devotional commentary, prayers and readings appropriate for pilgrims today. Lourdes is universally known throughout the Catholic world and many hundreds of pilgrimage groups visit each year from Britain and Ireland. This new volume gives a detailed A-Z guide to all the places and events in Lourdes that pilgrims will want to experience, tells the engaging story of Bernadette, includes a section of prayers and readings and features other places of interest nearby for extra days out.

‘Every Pilgrim’s Guide to Lourdes’ is written by Sally Martin who together with her husband, John, has played a key part in the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes from Ampleforth for many years. Sally frequently gives talks on Lourdes to local churches and women’s groups.

‘Every Pilgrim’s Guide to Lourdes’ (ISBN 1-85311-627-0) is published by Canterbury Press and priced at £9.99.

cliftondiocese.com has several copies to give away. To be in with the chance of winning a copy, please let us know you Lourdes memories by completing the form below. We’ll publish some in our Lourdes Lives series. Pamela Perry, a Salisbury parishioner has sent us her Lourdes story - why not share yours?