THE HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL PILGRIMAGE SEASON

 ‘The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory’

Mary was called to bear Christ and give him birth.  Mary’s acceptance reveals a profound truth about human nature, namely that we are at our most dignified, most noble, most beautiful, most glorious when we are striving to obey God’s will in our lives. We follow Mary’s footsteps and owe her a debt of love which can only be expressed in veneration and profound reverence

Croagh Patrick 2008 -  Knock, The Irish National Shrine to Our Lady - Holy Week 20th – 24th March

During Holy Week a group of sixty staff and students from the Holy Family School travelled in four minibuses to the West of Ireland.  This was the 15th year that staff and students have taken part in this Pilgrimage and for many of the students it is an important step in their preparations to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.

In poor weather conditions the group climbed Croagh Patrick on Good Friday, visited The National Shrine in honour of Our Lady at Knock for the Sacrament of Reconciliation on and played an active part in the Mass of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday at Ballintubber.  The group were given a really warm welcome at the Holy Week Services in St Mary’s Chuch in Westport and on their return journey at the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Ballaghaderreen.

Lourdes Jubilee Pilgrimage 2008 Year 10 23rd May – 30th May

A group of 120 staff and students will take part in the Annual Pilgrimage to Lourdes.  2008 is the 150th Anniversay of the Apparitions to Bernadette and so we hope will be a very special time of blessing on our students and staff, their families, our school and on our parish Communities. Our Pilgrims will be carrying on a long and proud tradition of service to the sick and handicapped established over many years .  The generosity and commitment of previous groups will ensure a really warm welcome form English speaking groups who are in Lourdes at this time.

John Villers a Council Member of The Society of Our Lady of Lourdes wrote recently:  ‘The Holy Family Catholic  School from Yorkshire join the Society’s pilgrimage to Lourdes to help us look after our sick pilgrims, and they win everybody’s hearts by their cheerfulness and the loving care which they give to the pilgrims.’

Whilst in Lourdes the group will be joined by a group of about 60 adults who will fly to be with us in Lourdes

Lourdes Jubilee Pilrimage 2008 Senior Students July 6th – 11th

Because of changes in Examination timings in 2000 it was not longer possible for Senior Students (6th Formers) to travel with Year 10 students in May and so since then we have established a Joint Senior Pilgrimage with St Bedes in Bradford.  This year the group will total about 50 staff and students and during their stay the groups will be providing service in the hospital with the Clogher Diocese from Ireland and working alongside brancardiers and handmaidens in the Baths and the Station helping to transfer sick pilgrims

Leeds Diocesan Walsingham Pilgrimage 2008 – Walsingham The English National Shrine in honour of Our Lady – Saturday 20th Sept

This year will be the third year that staff and students have taken part in the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham.  Father Ben our School Chaplain is also Director of The Leeds Diocesan Pilgrimage and has invited all Secondary Schools of the Diocese to send a group to take part in what we will call ‘The Student Cross’  During the week prior to the Pilgrimage students will attend a special ceremony in St Annes Cathedral to receive the Cross.  The Cross will be displayed in a prominent place and will hopefully be the focus for devotion prior to the Pilgrimage.  During the Pilgrimage the Cross will be carried by senior student on the Holy Mile from the Catholic Shrine to the Village and will be then used as part of a tableau to be prepared by each school on the Fourteen Stations of the Cross