HCPT Blog 5 'Thanks be to God' - The Trust Mass

Chiswick 144 group in Underground Basilica

This morning, all traffic in Lourdes led to the Underground Basilica. Groups in their distinctive colours and banners converged from all directions. Our Chiswick group rose particularly early and after breakfast gathered in a bedroom to have nails painted green and 144 marked on faces. It was a little hive of artistic activity until we set off at 9am for the 10am Mass, with excitement mounting. Despite drizzling rain, no group misses this annual Mass of the HCPT Trust.

With big screens throughout the Basilica, groups can be fully involved sitting anywhere and by 9.30am we were joining in singing, greeting other groups and exchanging badges. With it being the 60th anniversary pilgrimage, the screens carried images of HCPT through the years and it was a moving record, showing the humble beginnings the Trust to the international gathering it is today.

There is always episcopal involvement, and this year Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, was the main celebrant, alongside Archbishop Leo Cushley of St Andrews & Edinburgh and President of HCPT and seven other bishops. I often wonder if the bishops are just a little frightened about the huge and animated congregation settling down for Mass after the gusto of the opening hymns and procession but a hush does settle over the throng. Popular church music by modern composers such as Matt Redman and Mike Anderson is always sung with great enthusiasm, swaying and clapping. Cardinal Vincent was 'pegged' at least eight times before he set off down the aisle at the start. It is a loving 'gift' from one group to another of one of their decorated group pegs, and the main celebrant always attracts a clutch of pegs.

There were around 4,000 people present and this particular Mass was followed by 50,000 others live on the internet. About 150 priests and over 100 colourful banners led the opening procession. Well done to those priests who went to special effort to entertain their children - one Irish priest wore a blue wig to match his group's colour, and our own chaplain wore some small fluffy minions, which our children enjoy. There was youthful involvement throughout and collaboration between groups. The West Indies group played their steel pans and the Salesian College students provided dramatic actions to some of the hymns.

A trumpet introduction led to enthusiastic singing of a hymn picking up the Mass theme of 'Thanks be to God':

Give thanks with a grateful heart,

Give thanks to the Holy One.

Give thanks because he's given Jesus Christ, His son.

The gathering was welcomed by HCPT President Archbishop Leo Cushley, whose smile was beamed around on the screens. In his homily, Cardinal Nichols spoke of Jesus as the anchor in our lives and told of his grandfather who was a seafarer and used to let down and take up the anchor. As he said 'seafarer' the Royal Navy helpers cheered and when various ports were mentioned - such as Portsmouth, Liverpool and coastal parts of the Americas - Cardinal Vincent acknowledged the cheers of groups from those places. He suggested to the congregation that everytime we look in the mirror we should say, "I am a child of God".

The HCPT founder, Brother Michael Strode, who is now 92-years-old, sent a message from the Cistercian Abbey on Caldey Island where he now lives. He sent his best wishes on the 60th anniversary and prayed: "May we experience on this pilgrimage the power of God's love working through us. Lord, fill our hearts with your Holy Spirit; free us from selfishness. Thanks be to God." Andrew Flood, chair of the trustees, and Caroline Bennett, Pilgrimage Director, also underlined the 2016 theme of 'Thanks be to God'.

The concluding procession displayed the breadth of HCPT in its Diamond Jubilee Year. The country banners - including Switzerland, Belgium, Poland, Australia and Bosnia - combined with the group banners took a full 15 minutes to make their way down the aisle. A Bristol banner displayed balloons, Cumbria showed mountains, Lincoln a silhouette of the city. Brentwood, Manchester, Newry and Otley groups showed Our Lady, often with children, while HCPT Group 161 called itself 'Purple Pilgrims'. There was a number of 'Rise and Shine' banners and 'Rise and Shine Together'. Grotto scenes included one with the wording 'Dream Team 376 Scotland'. The leading HCPT banner said 'Changing lives through pilgrimage'.

See more pictures on ICN's Facebook page.