Lanarkshire youngsters set to offer help at Lourdes pilgrimage

Apr 8 2008 By Carla Callaghan

A group of 100 young people from Lanarkshire will be travelling to Lourdes this year to help with the sick and infirmed who will be going on pilgrimage from the Motherwell Diocese.

The young people are part of the ALMA programme, the Association of Lourdes Motherwell Aid.

This is an especially notable year for Lourdes as it celebrates the 150th anniversary of the apparitions in the Grotto.

The youths, who are volunteers will be spending two weeks of their summer holidays escorting people in wheelchairs, befriending pilgrims and offering care and support.

The group will pay a portion of the cost of the trip and fundraise the rest of the £560.

A team of 36 of the youngsters recently took part in a sponsored climb of Ben Nevis to raise funds for their trip to Lourdes in July. They hope to raise a total of £3,600 for their efforts.

Many of the volunteers involved are part of the domestic ALMA programme, which offers friendship and support to people with specific needs through eight weekly ALMA clubs meeting in different parts of Lanarkshire.

Father Stephen Miller, Chaplain to ALMA, said: “I am completely overwhelmed with joy and enthusiasm of these young people.  This is the biggest ALMA group to ever leave the Diocese of Motherwell for this kind of work.” 

He added: “It can be a life changing experience for those involved.”