Virtual Pilgrimage Testimonials

People go to Lourdes seeking healing. Thanks be to God and to the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Bernadette, pilgrims experience genuine healing at Lourdes. The amazing fact about the Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage is that it somehow brings many healing graces right into our own parishes. Learning about Saint Bernadette and touching rocks from Lourdes and making the Sign of the Cross with Holy Water from the Grotto bought us tangible graces that were gratefully received by all in attendance. As a pastor, I highly recommend the Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage to parishes who seek the healing touch of Our Lord, as well as the maternal caress of the Blessed Mother.

Your friend in Christ, Father Martin
Holy Name of Jesus Parish, Wausau, WI, 2024

The Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage Experience at Saint Mark’s Catholic Church was truly incredible and powerful. It felt like embarking on a spiritual journey that brought me closer to my faith and empowered me as a Catholic individual. The immersive experience made me feel as though I was physically present at Lourdes, connecting with the sacred site in a deeply meaningful way. The impact of this virtual pilgrimage was so profound that I would highly recommend any church to incorporate it into their congregation. It has sparked within me a desire to become more involved, possibly even volunteering at Lourdes to be a part of this transformative experience and continue growing my faith. The sense of closeness to God and the spiritual renewal that I experienced during this virtual pilgrimage has left a lasting impression on me, inspiring me to deepen my commitment to my beliefs and community.

April G.
St. Mark Catholic Church, Oro Valley, AZ, 2024

The Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage on Saturday, May 4, was wonderful. I want to thank Joy Keehn for helping organize this special event. Over 300 people attended! Here is a personal sharing from St. Bonaventure parishioner, Vickie Farnham, who gave permission for me to share this.

I have a friend named Mary, who is in need of prayer. At the Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage when we were given the opportunity to write prayers intentions for people in need, I seized the opportunity to write a prayer intention for her. When I returned home, I texted her to tell her what I had experienced and that I had placed her name among the prayer intentions to be brought to the shrine in Lourdes, France. Within a few minutes, I received a phone call from her, and she was crying. She knows I always pray for her, but this was so touching to her. What I didn’t know was that Mary selected Bernadette, after much research, as her Confirmation name. This gesture was exactly what she needed right now. God does work in mysterious ways. I believe I attended this pilgrimage for this purpose.

Fr. Lawrence D’Anjou
St. Bonaventure, Concord, CA, 2024

It was truly a blessing to be in the Church and in person for the Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage Experience. The presentation brought Our Lady of Lourdes, Bernadette and Lourdes alive. The power of praying together was rich and comforting. The warmth of coming together never let on that it was January in Syracuse!

Kathleen

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Camillus, NY, 2022

Thank you so much for the prayerful, peaceful virtual pilgrimage of Lourdes on EWTN. I prayed along with my 100 year old mother. She loved this pilgrimage.

Sister Patricia

Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage Experience TV Broadcast on ETWN, 2021

“I was most impressed! The information about Lourdes was wonderful. The procession brought peace to my heart, and touching the grotto rock and spring waters bestowed tears of joy! Many thanks to you and all of the volunteers for bringing such a beautiful and spiritual experience to us! Thank you, and God bless your good works!”

Janet

“I feel that the real presence of Our Lady was evident to all. Because this pilgrimage was done under the auspices of the Legion of Mary with The cooperation of the Knights of Columbus and the Columbiettes I feel as though it was an extremely spiritual endeavor. Our Lady’s loving children invited her in and she was definitely accommodating…I was particularly moved when the entire crowd knelt in adoration. It was very powerful to see several hundred people kneeling and praying to the Blessed Sacrament. Several people brought their small children. I was very moved to see the parents take the hands of the little one and guide them in the holy water of Lourdes or to touch the holy rocks of the grotto. That brought me to tears! A beautiful event!! Thanks to all involved!!”

Keaton

“I did feel like I was actually at Lourdes walking in the procession. Experiencing with the many people. I would go again should there be another virtual pilgrimage in this area. There were many people who clutched to the grotto rock as a life preserver. While others barely touched it. I could tears in the people’s eye as they came up to me. People I know from mass who were quite moved by the whole experience. When they came to the grotto water many blessed themselves while others sprinkled the water on body parts that needed extra miracles. I wasn’t sure what to expect. It exceeded my expectations and more. As people were leaving I saw many people were visibly moved by their experience.”

Chris

“It was truly a blessing to be in Church and in person for the Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage Experience. The presentation brought Our Lady of Lourdes, Bernadette and Lourdes alive. The power of praying together was rich and comforting. The warmth of coming together never let on that it was January in Syracuse!”

Kathleen, 2022 St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Camillus, NY

“What a blessed pilgrimage! We all felt so uplifted – many of us were still floating that evening when we went to confession and then Mass.

After signing off , the beautiful weather (which we had not expected) enticed us to hold the candlelight procession. One of our participants was wheelchair bound and had to circle around to get back to the church. We all decided to just follow her (singing Immaculate Mary over and over) – we didn’t know where we were going but it made her day to lead the procession, and seemed in keeping with what might happen at Lourdes.

I can’t express how beautiful the pilgrimage turned out! We were all so moved by the experience and I know that it brought us closer to God, Mother Mary, St. Bernadette, and to each other. Because we celebrated Trinity Sunday at Mass that evening, the priest talked about how we should be reverently making the sign of the cross and I immediately thought of St. Bernadette. Throughout the week, I have been constantly reminded about what we saw, heard, and experienced!”

Margaret, 2021 Online Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage Experience

“Thank you for offering this!! I never experienced any thing as spiritual as this Virtual Pilgrimage event on EWTN! It was Fantastic and I feel so Blessed to have been a part of this!!”

Adele, 2021 Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage Experience TV Broadcast on EWTN

“Thank you so much for the prayerful, peaceful virtual pilgrimage of Lourdes on EWTN. I prayed along with my 100 year old mother. She loved this pilgrimage.”

Sister Patricia, 2021 Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage Experience TV Broadcast on EWTN

“Thank you so much for bringing us a truly beautiful experience. Your faith and serenity made working with you so easy and fun…Please thank all the members of your team for their help and assistance. You are all true professionals.”

Linda, 2021 Online Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage Experience

I just wanted to share with you what a wonderful and truly awesome experience this was for our family! We watched on 12/8 with the Syracuse Diocese link and it was so moving. Our guide, as my 12 year old daughter said, made you feel so much a part of an actual pilgrimage with her verbiage and manner. My 10 year old son commented after “pilgriming” through the entire event that it was much more interesting than he expected. I must agree. I loved how interactive you made it with our kits, pausing to use the holy water, praying throughout, etc.

Thank you for a one of a kind, prayer filled evening.

Blessings,

Karen, 2020 Online Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage Experience

“The whole virtual pilgrimage was very spiritually lifting but I was most impressed with what I did not know about St. Bernadette’s life on her road to sainthood. I only knew that she was a saint and that as a young girl was visited by Our Lady where the grotto now is. I also did not know that way of praying while making the sign of the cross – of course, I will be doing that from now on. Please tell the guide that she has the most beautiful voice and manner of speaking. It really added to the entire experience.”

Marion

“For me this virtual pilgrimage was a Godsend. I have always wanted to go Lourdes, and as always “The Lord hears the cry of the poor…” and so I was there, fully in heart and soul and by the grace of God. The day was a treasure. Thank you so much. “

Pepi