HCPT Blog 3 - The Group Experience

Group 144 in St Joseph's Chapel

After just two days together our little group of 24 from around West London feels very much like a family. At night prayers last night we prayed, sang and laughed together. At breakfast this morning the young people were served first before we all tucked into our coffee and croissants. We greeted the other three groups in our hotel. As our group - 144 Chiswick - gathers in the hotel lobby before going out, everyone knows if somebody is missing and we have become an extended family for the week.

The group model has been used from the start of HCPT, and it means that however large the Trust grows there are still loving relationships and opportunities for children to feel involved with something manageable, where the adults around them know their names and needs.

The closeness of each group was very clear at this morning's Mass in the Salle Bernadette of the groups from the Irish HCPT Region - around 1000 people in all, and inclusive of the Croatian group. We joined in at the back after our daily visit to the Grotto and a call in to the HCPT HQ where we could buy HCPT bags, sweatshirts, pens, balls, wristbands.... you name it. How the children love shopping! That Mass was so uplifting and a blaze of colour. Each group was distinctive - from leprechaun hats to shamrock logos. One banner read 'Family Group 145'. There was a beautiful sermon telling the congregation that we are all angels of mercy, and prayers for peace in the world, never forgetting the suffering going on in other places while we are on pilgrimage. There was a marking of special occasions - birthdays and the 30th anniversary trip of Group 32 from Donegal - and a concluding prayer: "Thanks be to God for God's mercy and love, bringing us to this wonderful place". The congregation raised their arms to the chorus of 'You raise me up' and there were chuckles all round to animal sounds for 'Rise and Shine', as well as the actions. There lots of chimpanzeeses! For the final songs - all HCPT favourites - groups moved into the aisles and in front of the altar to stand facing eachother in circles, praising God as family groups, as well as in the larger gathering,

This sunny and warm afternoon our Chiswick group walked to St Joseph's Chapel - there are so many chapels in Lourdes - for an area Mass involving groups from around North London and environs. Before entering the chapel the groups processed through the new Lourdes Door of Mercy. It was a joyful occasion, marked by hilarious spontaneity. Everyone joined in the opening hymn 'Sing to the mountains' with music led by musicians from various groups and young people from St. Benedict's School in Ealing. We had played together only once before - at a HCPT training day - but it came together well. There was an assortment of shakers and tambourines joining in around the packed chapel - fantastic. Fourteen clergy would suggest there were 14 groups present, and we had a memorable homily illustrated with drama. The communion hymns were both Marian and sung reverently, in contrast to the final hymns of 'If I were a butterfly' and 'Rise and Shine' which were accompanied by actions and shrieks of laughter. Again, the groups turned in on themselves to ensure that all the children were involved.

Each group had produced artwork for the Mass and while our children did individual postcards after lunch today on the theme, 'Thanks be to God', they put on a tape of Lourdes music and sang along with it as they worked. We could hear "he is the King of Kings and new life he brings" and "Ave Maria" wafting down the corridor. They were well rehearsed for the Mass. Every group cheered when the artwork was presented at the start of Mass by children, and then cheered retiring group leaders at the end of the Mass. Our own group leader, John O'Connor, has now retired and is deputy this year, after three decades of involvement with the Chiswick group and at least 12 years as group leader. Note that preparing for the pilgrimage and fundraising is an all-year-round commitment ......and all voluntary. He is one of those inspirational people in Lourdes with HCPT this week.

And tonight all the groups - more than 200 with all the support groups - walked in the torchlight procession, led by the HCPT. While adults hold candles, children cannot for health and safety reasons, so there were plenty of luminous wristbands, flashing headgear and torch beacons. Much of the music was led by Kevin Williams of the West Indies group. His rendition of 'Gentle Woman' is such a favourite that his CDs are popular with HCPT regulars. I bought two last year and one again today when we ran into him at his rehearsal this afternoon. The evening rounded off with 60th anniversary fireworks, provided by the businesses of Lourdes, to celebrate the contribution HCPT makes to the town. They lit up tired, but very happy, faces.

For more information see: www.hcpt.org.uk

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