By Pat Murphy

 

I do believe in the old saying that as you get older, time speeds up. It certainly has done this year. Here we are halfway through Lent and looking forward to the Easter season. Lourdes certainly wakes up at Easter, with the HCPT pilgrimages descending on the little town, and many other pilgrimages and visitors round around the world.

 

Longer, warmer days - the world is coming alive. Liverpool certainly came alive on Tuesday 18 February when we celebrated in style the recognition of the miracle of a local man Jack Traynor, 102 years ago, on the first Liverpool Lourdes Pilgrimage. It was great to see the coaches rolling in not only from our own archdiocese, but also other dioceses as well. Lots of familiar faces and friends. We had a busy little shop in the reception area of the Cathedral where commemorative badges and rosaries were selling by the dozen, running out of stock, with a promise of a new supply in Lourdes.

 

In my own simple mind, it’s wonderful that Our Blessed Lady chose an ordinary man, a very sick man from Liverpool with multiple ailments, to cure in the waters of Lourdes. Jack Traynor was near to death. He argued with his parish priest, his doctors and probably his family to join the pilgrimage. Nobody thought he would make the journey alive, let alone just a week later push his own wheelchair down the platform of Lime Street station as the pilgrim train returned. It might have taken 102 years to officially recognise the miracle, but this man had multiple cures and it is beyond doubt the work of our Blessed Lady.

 

It is the only recognised Lourdes miracle from the UK, so Liverpool really is on the Lourdes map. Although it has been for years, with so many visitors from our archdiocese each year visiting the little town. Each pilgrim comes away having experienced a gentle change in themselves. We mightn’t have multiple ailments asking for a cure, but we go with our petitions, our hopes and our prayers. If we come away renewed, refreshed and ready for the next chapter of our lives, surely that is our own little miracle.

 

There is still time to join our pilgrimage this year from Thursday 24 to Thursday 31 July. Get in touch to book your place.