In September and October this year, the relics of St Bernadette journeyed on pilgrimage to England, Scotland, and Wales for the very first time. 

In our diocese, the relics of St Bernadette came to the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Helen (Brentwood Cathedral) on the 16th and 18th of October, they went to Our Lady of Lourdes parish church, Wanstead until 19th October.

A relic is a part of the physical remains of a saint after their death, or an object which has been in contact with their body. Relics help us feel close to a holy person while God shows his approval of relics by granting healing, and other graces. 

Lourdes is probably most famous for being a place of miraculous physical healings. To date, 70 confirmed miracles have taken place, but thousands more are under investigation by the Lourdes Medical Bureau using the most up-to-date of scientific research, with those with and without faith investigating whether there is a medical explanation for a healing that has taken place.

The relics tour was a very special event that provided an opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the special gifts and charisms of Lourdes, in a church or cathedral near them. The pandemic has meant that many have not had the opportunity to enrich their faith by going on pilgrimage in recent years.

Mrs Foley, one of our RE teachers and myself, led a 30 strong group of pupils to mark this event and went to visit the relics at the Cathedral. While we were there, there were small groups of young people from Grays Convent, Sacred Heart Upminster and the Brentwood Ursuline. Deacon Simon Conrad from the Cathedral introduced the proceedings, giving us a resume and introduction of the story of Lourdes and why it is important and then our young people had the opportunity to view and the relics. We also had the chance to pray for our community at De La Salle in front of our Lady of Lourdes statue.

It was a beautiful experience and the young people enjoyed the experience too.