11-13 February 2011 : 3rd International Meeting of Hospitaliers at Lourdes
From Friday 11 to Sunday 13 February 2011 : "Hospitalier and pilgrim with Mary and Bernadette"... The first two meetings allowed us to look at the diversity of Hospitalités and their common charism (1st meeting, November 2004), and then to situate our involvement of hospitalier within a more general perspective of Voluntary Worker in the Church (2nd meeting, December 2007). For this third meeting, we will begin by being pilgrims along with the other pilgrims who have come to celebrate the 11 February, Our lady of Lourdes and to take part in the world day for the sick instituted by the Holy Father John-Paul II.
Participants will be welcomed early afternoon Thursday10 with folders distributed. The opening session of the 3rd Meeting will take place at the beginning of the afternoon of 11 February, the 12th and 13th being devoted to the full meeting itself.
The third meeting must help us to situate ourselves better both as pilgrims and servants of our sick and disabled sisters and brothers, who are themselves pilgrims. This spiritual orientation of work will lead us to develop the ideas of welcome, of service, of communion and of sharing.
1.Welcome: Lourdes, The story of two people who welcome one another, Mary and Bernadette. The meeting of the hospitalier and of the sick person, of hospitaliers among themselves and of the sick among themselves are part of the same relationship as happened at the time of the apparations. This pilgrimage, which is one of welcome, opens us to another dimension which transcends our life.
2.Service : Service is linked to the meaning of justice as it is given in the Bible “we must allow God be God”, “we must let the other be the other”. Our aim as hospitalier consists in putting ourselves at the service of others so that each one can find his or her due place.
3.Communion and sharing: Sharing leads the hospitalier to communion and, through this experience made together with the sick person the paschal mystery comes alive.
Download the application, to be printed and returned by post to the address indicated in the document (or the contact given in the box below).
Download the accommodation reservation form linked with l'Hospitalité Notre-Dame de Lourdes.
Download the list of hotels open at the time of the International Meeting
CONTACT
S.R.I.H. (Secretariat of the 3rd International Meeting of Hospitaliers)
1, avenue Mgr Théas 65108 Lourdes CEDEX (France)
e-mail hospitalier@lourdes-france.com
The preliminary programme is given below
From Thursday 10th February : 14. 00, Welcome
Friday 11th February
9.00 : Mass of OL of Lourdes
Possible participation in the Rosary at the Grotto
Opening by Mgr Perrier then
Eucharistic Procession
Marian Procession
Saturday 12 February
9.00 to12.00 : First theme of reference + Addresses + round table
14.30 to17.30 : Second theme of reference + Addresses + witness
18. 00 : Mass and gathering after evening meal
Sunday 13 February
9. 00 to 12.00 : Third theme of reference + Addresses + round table
14.30 : Conclusion and closing
15.30 : Sunday mass (masses in the different languages will also be celebrated in the morning for those who have to leave Lourdes before the middle of the afternoon of Sunday 13
The spiritual dimension of this pilgrimage in which we will be taking part will be given a place. Free time will be given for personal prayer and exchanges. The structure of three main half days: Saturday morning and afternoon, Sunday morning allows us to distinguish three phases:
The contemplation of a chosen text from the Gospel presented and commented upon by Fr Brito who will lead the spiritual reflexion for the entirety of the Meeting...
A phase of 'proof': a speech by a lay witness following up on each presentation by Fr Brito : “What does it mean to be an hospitalier in the light of this chosen text? in considering the aspect(s) Welcome, Service, Communion, Sharing.”
A witness phase: a round table on Saturday and Sunday morning organised by a professional to which representative participants are invited to take part (the sick, carers, youth, male and female religious, parents, a president of the hospitality etc.) On Saturday afternoon we expect to have a major witness.
The talks will be given in French with simultaneous translation into the other languages commonly used in the sanctuary. The round tables, if so requested by the participants, may be organised in linguistic groups.
At the end of the Meeting we hope to be able to reply more fully to the question posed by Mgr. Perrier:
“In what and under what conditions does our service as pilgrims in the service of other pilgrims enable us to have access to the Christian mystery?”
There will not be a hospitality village but we are studying the organisation of an exhibition which will throw light on this theme. We will come back to this later.
As for the meeting held at the end of 2007, we also envisage the publication of an account of our deliberations “Acts of the 3rd Meeting”.
COME IN GREAT NUMBERS !
Between now and then your proposals and observations will be very welcome.
