1. What is a pilgrimage?

2. Who was Thomas Beckett?

3. Why do many Catholics go on group pilgrimages?

4. Why do many Catholics go to Rome?

5. Who was Bernadette Soubirous?

6. Why do many Catholics go to Lourdes?

1. Design a multiple choice quiz on the topic of pilgrimage.

2. Design a detailed mind map outlining pilgrimage.

3. Design a detailed visual poster outlining pilgrimage

Answer in full sentences or copy out the question.

Explain why Catholic Christians go on pilgrimage.

A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place. Before modern roads and transport, this could take a very

long time. For example, many Catholics in England would walk for many weeks to Canterbury, the ancient shrine

of Thomas Beckett (Archbishop of Canterbury, 1161-1170. A saint in the Catholic Church). In Europe they would

walk for weeks or months to Santiago di Compostella the supposed resting place of the apostle St James.

Many Catholics still go on pilgrimage, although they don’t usually take weeks or months to do it. However,

many of the ancient practices of pilgrimage are still common: travelling with groups of pilgrims, praying

and fasting on the way to the site, carrying with them the sick and those who are in need of prayers. In this

last respect, pilgrimage remains an important way for Catholics to respond to the mystery of suffering. The

Catholic Church recognises sites of pilgrimage as important places for prayer and spiritual renewal.

ü To help strengthen their

faith

ü As a way of thanking God

ü To do a penitential act as a

reflection of sorrow for sin

ü To share the experience and their faith with other believers

ü To think about their

relationship with God

ü To come closer to God by giving him time and attention

ü To seek physical, spiritual or emotional healing

A group pilgrimage may help an individual to feel part of the

Church community. Pilgrims pray together and feel supported by

each other. Going on a pilgrimage can help believers to reflect on

their life’s journey. It is an opportunity to take time out from

every-day life and focus on their journey to God. It is often a

journey of self-discovery, especially for those who are sick. Very

few sick people come back cured. However, they may come back

feeling at peace and able to accept and cope with the problems

they face.

trengthen

hanking

eflection of sins

xperience with others

hinking about their relationship with God

ealing: physical, spiritual, emotional

loser to God

Fatima is the site of the important Marian apparitions, approved by the Catholic Church. The recent popes have all shown great devotion to Our Lady of Fatima.

Rome is the Eternal City, centre of the Christian world, home to the popes, and the place where many early Christians were martyred.

The Holy Land and JerusalemTo walk in the steps of Jesus.

Santiago de CompostelaOne of the few medieval pilgrim ways to have continued to modern times, pilgrims can still walk the way (Camino) from France to Santiago to venerate the relics of St James the Apostle.

Lourdes A place of healing for over a century, Catholics visit this place to seek healing for themselves, family and friends. It is where Mary appeared to a young girl named Bernadette.

WalsinghamA place of pilgrimage since medieval times, Our Lady of Walsingham is one of the patrons of England.

Many Christians go on

pilgrimage to WALK IN THE

FOOTSTEPS of important people,

such as: Jesus, Mary, St Peter…etc. Here are some

examples:

You need to know about Lourdes for your exam!

Italy

Israel

Portugal

EnglandFrance Spain

Pilgrimage and Suffering

Pilgrimages help many people learn how to value the role

of God in their lives in a new way and find a way to bear the

sufferings of life without being defeated by them. One

place where this is very evident is in a Catholic pilgrimage

shrine called Lourdes, in southern France.

Bernadette Soubirous

Lourdes became a pilgrimage site after a

young girl called Bernadette

Soubirous, in the middle of the

nineteenth century, had a

series of visions of a beautiful

lady she later realised was

Mary, the mother of Jesus.

These visions happened in a grotto (small

cave).

In these visions, amongst other things, the

lady told Bernadette to dig in the ground

and that from it a spring of healing water

would flow. This spring of water is still a

central part of the pilgrimage to Lourdes

and many visitors, especially the sick and

disabled, bathe in the water to seek

physical and spiritual healing.

Visiting the grotto

Pilgrims will visit the grotto, which is the site of the

visions, to pray and to offer petitions (a prayer asking

God to do something). They take part in torchlight and

Blessed Sacrament Processions*, will usually

celebrate Mass daily and take the opportunity to

celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation*.

The Annual (Yearly) Pilgrimage to Lourdes

Most Catholic dioceses in England and

Wales have an annual pilgrimage to

Lourdes and will take numbers of young

people who volunteer as helpers for the

sick and disabled pilgrims.

These pilgrimages are often life-changing

for the young people involved and are a real

and practical way that ordinary people can

respond to the mystery of suffering.

Many young people report that it is their

work with the sick and disabled that is

especially meaningful to them on their

pilgrimage, because often these people

have borne suffering and sickness (lived

with it) their whole life with patience and

grace. `

Blessed Sacrament Processions:The name given to the bread and

wine after they have been blessed (consecrated) by the priest during Mass. Catholics

believe that after the

consecration the bread and wine become the body and blood of

Christ: the real presence of Jesus in the form of bread and wine.

Sacrament of Reconciliation:The ritual in which Catholics

confess their sins to a priest and ask for God’s forgiveness.

Through the prayer of absolution, the priest then declares the

person’s sins forgiven.