Prayer, service and communion at the 153rd National Pilgrimage of the Assumption
Together Again in Lourdes
From August 12-17, thousands of pilgrims gathered in Lourdes, France, for the 153rd National Pilgrimage of the Assumption. For the Assumption family, this annual pilgrimage is a special time to come together in prayer, to serve one another and to renew our trust in God.
This year’s pilgrimage was presided over by Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, Archbishop of Algiers, and centered on the words “Hail Mary, full of grace.” Mary stood at the heart of these days – not only as the Mother who accompanies us, but as a woman of faith who listened to God and responded with her whole life.
Learning from Mary’s “Yes”
The pilgrimage invited each person to reflect on Mary’s “yes” and on the ways God continues to call us today. Mary did not know everything that would come after her response, yet she trusted. Her example reminds us that faith often begins with a simple willingness to listen, to trust and to take the next step with God.
In Lourdes, that reflection became part of a shared journey. Pilgrims celebrated the Eucharist, prayed together, joined processions and experienced moments of fellowship. In each of these encounters, the pilgrimage offered a chance to step away from everyday life and return to what is essential: Christ, prayer and one another.
Faith Lived Through Service
Service has always been an important part of the spirit of pilgrimage at Lourdes. Throughout these days, special attention was given to those who are sick, elderly or living with disabilities. Volunteers, religious and fellow pilgrims accompanied them with care and friendship. These simple acts of presence reveal something beautiful about our faith: we meet Christ not only at the altar, but also in the person beside us.
For the Assumptionists, this spirit of prayer and service reflects our mission. We are called to walk with people, to build communion and to help make the hope of the Gospel present in the world. Lourdes gives this mission a very human face – people praying together, helping one another and carrying one another’s intentions before God.
United as One Assumption Family
Here in the United States, we rejoice with our Assumptionist brothers and sisters and with the entire Assumption family who gathered in Lourdes. Though we may serve in different countries and communities, we share the same faith and the same desire to make Christ known. The pilgrimage is a beautiful reminder that our mission is larger than any one place: we belong to one family, united in prayer and service.
May the grace of this pilgrimage continue in the lives of all who took part. And may Mary’s faithful “yes” encourage each of us to listen more closely to God and to respond with generosity wherever He sends us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Mary, Mother of the Assumption, pray for us.
Photo credit: P. Iulian Andrei, A.A.
