World Youth Sunday

Following our July 2026 pilgrimage to Lourdes, one of the young people who travelled with us reflects on her experience and the impact the week had on her faith.

This Summer, I returned from a week away in Lourdes, France, and whilst the memories are still vibrant, I would love to share them with you.

This was my first time attending the Lourdes pilgrimage, and to be honest, I was very nervous to go, but going was genuinely one of the best decisions I have ever made. I travelled to Lourdes through the night on a coach, which took 22 hours, so I was very tired on the first day, but the satisfaction and vibes that were present in every inch that I walked in Lourdes set me up for an amazing week immediately. We pushed pilgrims to Mass and celebrated God together, all whilst growing in unity and compassion, my character was developing every single day, and it was such a joy to use my strengths to help with others weaknesses.

The days were so fun and adventurous that they started to merge together, one smudged adventure, and the days were flying by! The days were hot, so pushing the wheel chairs was very hard and required dedication, but the reward was proving to God that we will follow his wish of looking after one another, and that helped us connect with God on a deeper level. We went to various different mass venues, which were all incredibly beautiful, and saw where St Bernadette saw Mary, which was very precious.

Being at Lourdes help me grow in faith as I discovered what true commitment and perseverance feels like, and that it is much easier with God by your side. I am so happy that I attended Lourdes as it helped me to deepen my knowledge about my faith way more than before, and I have formed friendships through God that are so pure and genuine.

Everything that I have learnt at Lourdes, I pray to retain it as I return to normal life back in England. I have enjoyed the trip so much that I wish to go again next year, and I strongly advise the trip to anyone who is considering about going, it is truly amazing.

If you are in current school year 10 or above and would like to join us in Lourdes in July 2027, you can find out more and apply at www.bcys.net/events