As I write this on the lovely feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Lady, we have been home from our Lourdes Pilgrimage a little over two weeks. The memories, however, are as vivid as the days we were there. Liverpool pulled all the stops out this year and our days and services flowed wonderfully well.

Lourdes never changes. It’s a special place – the processions, the music, the serenity of the Grotto, even the shops selling plastic versions of Our Lady of Lourdes, and of course, the friendships being renewed and new ones made. The week flew by as busy as ever.

I run what is now known as the Liverpool shop selling Lourdes Christmas cards and other small gifts, along with an annual raffle to help boost funds to support the work of the Lourdes Pilgrimage.

I get to meet most pilgrims, which is great. It’s also the place pilgrims come with queries, collect lost property, or ask about service times and the like.

My first evening was full of unexpected meetings. Firstly, Bernie and Bob, who spent many weeks last year driving the relics of St Bernadette around the UK. Lourdes is like that - you meet the expected and unexpected.

I was delighted to meet them a couple of days later and congratulate them on receiving their Beni Merente medals at the grotto – so well deserved.

An hour later in one of the cafes having a late meal, I got chatting to a lovely group of pilgrims from Lancaster and told them the story of the Jack Traynor miracle. They had not heard the story and as a throwaway comment, they mentioned one of their party had the surname Traynor – it turned out to be Jack Traynor’s great-great niece – how lucky was I?!

Lourdes is like that, you never know what is going to happen next. We ask Our Lady for favours to be granted. Sometimes they may not be granted the way we expect, but we have a clearer understanding of why. Sometimes just sitting at the grotto gives us a clear understanding of decisions we are unsure of.

So, a busy week of working, praying, and enjoying made us realise how lucky we are in life to experience this little piece of heaven tucked away in the Pyrenees. Yes, we had wonderfully hot sunny weather, and we also had seriously heavy rain and even a shower of hail stones after the torchlight procession one evening!

My most memorable moment though had to be the Mass on 24 July, which was exactly 100 years since the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes. An unknownd ying man from Liverpool was cured of his many ailments and afflictions. The story and miracle of Jack Traynor lives on into a new century.

So, before we start to plan for the 2024 pilgrimage, we are rounding off our centenary year with what will be a wonderful concert in the Metropolitan Cathedral. The musical trio The Priests will be performing in concert, along with Liverpool's own Danielle Thomas.

Please do come along and support the concert on Thursday 12 October. Funds raised at the concert will help support the work of the Lourdes pilgrimage, along with supporting the Metropolitan Cathedral.

Tickets are available by phoning 07860 129589 or by booking online at:ThePriestsLiverpool.eventbrite.co.uk

By Pat Murphy