Trial by Lourdes

Lourdes: a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, a religious retreat for Catholics around the world and home to the most equivocal concept known to mankind: Religion.

To the recent Lourdes Pilgrims of Year 12,

I remember a year ago as I begin my 3AM night journey to Birmingham International airport, the sort of uneasy, fatigued, excitable and understandably naive feeling to what you can expect over the next week.

To start off, religion plays a gargantuan part in modern society. I feel as a young person, it is important to seek further knowledge on what this ancient ideology really holds. I had to find out more for myself. In person.

Thankfully, we're lucky to be given the opportunity by our school to visit Lourdes, one of the finest Catholic pilgrimages which is located in France.

I wanted to find out what drives Catholicism and Lourdes is something that textbooks, preachers and traditional rituals can maybe show us but not convince us in the ways of religion.

Lourdes is something more of an enigma to people, and even for me at the time. Before I had even packed my little hand luggage suitcase filled with my navy uniform and jaffa cakes. I still had no idea on earth what I was really putting myself into. With none of my close friends going and with AS exams on the horizon, It seemed to be a foolish decision more than anything else to be boarding that plane. Yet, it is fair to say that I speak so highly of my time there, What possibly happened in Lourdes so that simple biblical passages or hymns cannot be enough to answer themselves.

I firmly believe that religions has it place, just like anything and everything in this world. That the concepts of religion are truly too astounding to be ignored and too in-depth and too delicately intricate to be explained in one blog. I'm not here to preach either, I'm not claiming that I have all the knowledge of religion to tell you otherwise.

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For me Lourdes was not just a 'hold hands kumb ay ya' praise the lord fanatic ritual that I forced myself to take. I didn't really expect or aim for my time at Lourdes to be necessarily spiritually enlightening or to have ascend myself to become some sort of embodiment of compassion because post-lourdes, I admit most of the time now, I'm still a bit of a d*ck head...

Yet, it was something that was warming to just be there, and I think you would agree with me with that. Parts of you do change, a change that I can't really explain... I know helpful right?

Before we started, you are informed that you'll be helping disadvantaged individuals during your time. However, you never really grasp your vitality in their lives until you're there gratefully wheeling them around an hour long processions in the pouring rain as your legs ache and head falls tired. You don't understand the depth of your kindness as you simply care, feed or simply communicate with the people that you're with. You don't appreciate the night sleeps until the early morning starts and the late night beings. You don't acknowledge the simple perfections until you land back in good ole Birmingham where exams were waiting.... Plus, a fresh new episode of Game of Thron- Lourdes was more than just a pilgrimage for Catholics. For non- religious people or religious people alike, it was no question the ornaments and churches were majestic in their manner as they tower over the pristine see-through lake.

It was no doubt that the scenery was breathtaking as every shot was instagrammable, with each picture having an aether-like perfection to its quality. Perhaps my depiction of Lourdes from my memories has slightly been exaggerated due to the sheer emotion that I had experienced through the week, but with your image fresh in your mind, I don't think there is much to disagree on. There were still hard, tiring nights, but as each day goes by, the more you wished it prolonged.

Masses were not really an adrenaline thrilling, jaw dropping, early morning event that is very appeasing to get up for, but my small group of friends made sure to keep each other awake, either by nudging each other or horrifically harmonising and made masses oddly enjoyable.

Moments that I can vividly remember of the night procession was not only my joyous attempts of badly singing, but as you held a small flicker of flame in a form of a candle with it brightening the dim lit night and with it, entwined with the slow marching of hundreds of people, a symphony of songs and the closeness of the people you cared around you. It was as if for moment you lost yourselves in the beauty and serenity of just being part of something more than a simple 'cult'... Plus, it gets real lit when you accidentally set fire to the FLAMMABLE PAPER that was there 'to protect you' from melting wax.

With all in to account. my fondest memory was a candle lit evening down at the grotto. The night was dark and full of tranquility. We bought candles and placed them in to pay respects or simply dedicate them to those we were thinking about... or solemnly stare into the flames... This I recommend you bring extra tissues or numb yourself by listening to depressing music beforehand to prepare you for this snot fest to occur.

Religion can be stigmatised as being 'oppressive, boring or controversial' which are countlessly displayed in media alone. I can't argue that religion is very inconsistent in how each individual person perceives and shows it, but I guess that's where the imperfection is, the perfection is that we aren't all perfect in our way but unique in way to show what religion is for us. I hope that you're time in Lourdes has opened up religion for you as it has done for me.

No blog or writing would ever suffice in describing my massive appreciation that I have for Lourdes and for the fantastic teaching cohort behind it. From the utterly beautiful scenery or unforgettable experiences; all the way to the 3 course servings of bread and potatoes. I don't think I've ever witnessed so much compassion where it seems so impossible in this seemingly cynical world of ours. So, I guess that's what it really was, an escapism consisting of an emotional rollercoaster, copious amount of bread, a trial of your endurance but the amazing payoff is something you would agree, to be worthwhile.

Thank you for reading

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