During my spare time, I volunteer and work in Lourdes as a member of the Liverpool Hospitalité. Our mission is to welcome pilgrims to the Grotto where Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette. This year, I was fortunate to be there for the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes on February 11th. It was particularly special because, on December 8th, the Archbishop of Liverpool, Malcolm McMahon, officially declared the healing of Jack Traynor a miracle
Jack travelled to Lourdes on Liverpool’s very first pilgrimage in 1923. He was healed of several disabling conditions, including epilepsy, paralysis of the right arm, and paraplegia. However, some medical evidence was missing, and the Church was unable to officially declare it a miracle until recently. During the centenary pilgrimage in 2023, the medical bureau in Lourdes decided to reopen the case, and the missing evidence was uncovered.
The Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral recently hosted a special Mass to celebrate this amazing event. The Mass, held on February 18, 2025, was attended by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Bishop of Tarbes-et-Lourdes, and many others from the archdiocese and beyond. It was a very special occasion for me because I was asked to do the second reading at the Mass, which was very nerve-wracking because the Cathedral was packed!
This celebration marked the first official recognition of a miracle involving an English person at Lourdes. The event was filled with joy and hope, reflecting the theme of the Jubilee year, "Pilgrims of Hope."
I love Lourdes and volunteering there has been a source of immense joy and personal fulfilment, it is my great wish that our pupils take the opportunity to get involved and there are still spaces to go this summer. You can apply here Liverpool Lourdes, the pilgrimage is open to young people aged 15-22 years old. If you're in Year 10 but under 15, you should contact the office directly to apply.
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