1. MY LOURDES DIARY By Agnes Aardvark

2. All about me My name is Agnes Aardvark. My job is to make sure that the children at Christ the King Catholic Primary School come to school every day, unless they are poorly, and that they arrive at school on time. It’s a very important job! I think I deserve a holiday.

3. Mrs Holt, one of our School Governors, said she would take me to a very special place called Lourdes with her son Sebastian, on the Diocesan Pilgrimage. This is me with Sebastian at Leeds Bradford Airport. We had to go on an aeroplane because Lourdes is in France. Sebastian held me up so I could look out of the aeroplane window. When we got near to Lourdes we flew over some mountains called the Pyrenees. They were very high! I got very excited and climbed on the aeroplane seats! Mrs Holt was cross and told me to sit down and put my seatbelt on. Sebastian uses a wheelchair, because he can’t walk very well. Lots of people we met at the airport had wheelchairs too.

4. At Lourdes Airport there were lots of kind people to help us. A special coach, which had a lift for the people in wheelchairs, took us to our hotel. After lunch we went out for a walk. Sebastian let me ride in the pocket on the back of his wheelchair. Our hotel was called La Solitude. When we got there I had a nice rest in the seating area, where it was nice and cool. It was very, very hot, so when we came back we all had a nice cold drink on the terrace. We watched the ducks swimming on the River Gave. Sebastian was really happy to be back in Lourdes. He said we would be doing lots of special things.

5. When I was safely tucked up in bed, Mrs Holt told me the story of St Bernadette and Lourdes. Marie-Bernarde Soubirous was born in 1844 and was the oldest of nine children. Her family were very poor and lived in one tiny room. The only way they could keep warm was for the children to collect sticks by the river to use as firewood. It was on 11th February 1858, whilst collecting firewood, that Bernadette, as she was called, saw a beautiful lady dressed in a white veil with a blue sash and a golden rose on each foot. She also held a rosary of pearls. The lady hovered in the air at the entrance of a cave, called a grotto, that was used as a rubbish dump. She told Bernadette to return each day for the next fortnight. Bernadette did as she was told, even though her family tried to stop her, and each day the same lady spoke to her. In total, Bernadette saw the lady eighteen times. That lady is called Our Lady of Lourdes and is Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Many people did not believe that Bernadette had seen the lady and she was questioned many times. She always told the truth. Then this is what happened on 25th February: "The Lady told me that I should go and drink at the spring and wash myself. Seeing no spring I went to drink at the River Gave. She said it was not there; she pointed with her finger that I should go underneath the rock. I went, and I found a puddle of water which was more like mud, and the quantity was so small that I could hardly gather any in the hollow of my hand. Nevertheless I obeyed, and started scratching the ground. After doing that I was able to gather some water but it was so dirty that three times I threw it away. The fourth time I was able to drink it. Then the Vision disappeared and I went home.” People began to drink from the spring and to wash in the water, and many of them who were poorly got better. News of these miracles spread and soon thousands of people came to Lourdes to pray at the Grotto and bathe in or drink the water. The lady also told Bernadette that she must build a chapel over the spring of water and that she must do penance and pray for sinners. Bernadette became a nun and went to live in a convent at Nevers, where she died in 1879. She never returned to Lourdes. I had a nice cup of hot chocolate.

6. This is a picture of Saint Bernadette This is the room where Bernadette’s family were living when she saw the lady. I have been here √ This is the Grotto now I have been here √ This statue of Our Lady of Lourdes is in the Grotto in the place where Bernadette saw her. I have seen this √ Oops! Look at me at the statue of St Bernadette with some sheep!

7. We went to Mass every day, in different churches There are 3 churches built on top of one another over the Grotto. This is the middle one. It is called the Rosary Basilica and has beautiful mosaic pictures on the walls. This is St Bernadette’s Church. It is very modern and is really 2 churches in one. They are called Grotto Side and Carmel Side. This is the underground Basilica of St Pius X. It is HUGE! This is the Chapel St Frai. It is tiny ! I have seen all these churches and I have been to Mass in them √

8. 650 people from the Diocese of Leeds went to Lourdes in 2015 The opening Mass International Mass in the Underground Basilica. There were thousands of people from all over the world here. We said prayers and sang hymns in lots of different languages. Look at our banners It was raining hard when we had Mass in the Grotto. Everyone got very wet…….. …… except for me and Sebastian. I hid under his rain cape!

9. Every day there are two special processions. Hundreds and hundreds of people from all around the world join in. This is the Torchlight Procession. It starts at 9 o’clock in the evening. As everyone is walking round, they pray one of the Mysteries of the Rosary in different languages. And they sing “Immaculate Mary”. It’s Sebastian’s favourite hymn. This is me with my candle, ready to go to the procession. ♫ Ave, Ave, Ave Maria Ave, Ave, Ave Maria ♫

10. This is the Blessed Sacrament Procession. It starts at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. At the end the poorly people are blessed. Here are the banners again! Did you see them at the Torchlight Procession as well?

11. We had lots of fun together! There was a lovely garden party, where some of the young people sang and played instruments. Sebastian sang a Michael Jackson song. There was a concert Some evenings in the hotel we all sang together or played bingo.

12. Over 300 young people in Year 10 and Year 12 came to Lourdes as helpers with their schools. I asked Mrs Holt why the students all wore yellow tops. She said it was so we could spot them easily! Sebastian with some of his helpers. Mrs Holt asked if we could take photos of these banners. I expect some of you have got brothers or sisters at Mount St Mary’s and Notre Dame.

13. These are just a few of the people who work very hard to make sure everyone enjoys the pilgrimage. Canon Irving is the Pilgrimage Director This is Bishop Marcus. I had my photo taken with him. Some of the nurses Some of the CarersMargaret and her friend run a café for us. One of the Year 12 students, with Phil who organises the entertainment, a carer and a teacher.

14. I really wished I could have a yellow top! Seb had one. One day I went up to our bedroom after dinner, and this is what I found. Mrs Holt had secretly knitted me a yellow jumper! I looked really smart in it!

15. Mrs Holt said that the Lourdes Pilgrimage is very special because you always make lots of friends. These are my new friends. Matthew is Sebastian’s very special Lourdes friend. Now he’s my friend too. He’s an altar server. Sister Anne and Sister Julie are nuns. It was a special holiday for them, because Sister Ann has been a nun for 50 years! This is Keith. He used to be a teacher. Here is Sebastian with Matthew and Anthony. Anthony always made us laugh! Aileen was always cheerful. She sang with Sebastian and Matthew at the concert.

16. The end of the Pilgrimage is always a bit sad, but everyone hopes that they will be able to come again. After the last Mass, we had a procession. The young people blew bubbles….. ….and waved yellow flags. They held up signs….. … and school banners. We all said prayers at the statue of the Crowned Virgin. Then it was time to go to the airport to catch our plane home.