Getting on the coach

The Arundel & Brighton Lourdes Pilgrimage 2010 began this morning as 62 members of the Youth Service Group (the Redshirts, of course!) 8 leaders, one co-ordinator and one Chaplain met at St. Bernadette’s in Crawley to begin their 24-hour journey to Lourdes.

The group met together at around 9am and started sorting out luggage and equipment. At 10.30 we celebrated Mass with Bishop Kieran and were officially commissioned for our work in Lourdes. When Mass was finished we packed up the coach – a huge job, even with the extra trailer – made some final checks, counted heads and set off on the long journey to the South of France.

It’s probably worth explaining at this point that 8 of the Redshirts and 2 of their leaders aren’t travelling with the main group. Alas, there were too many Redshirts this year for one coach to handle and so that group of 10 will be travelling with the main pilgrimage via coaches and the famous train. The entire Redshirt group, therefore, wont be all together until Friday morning. Since the person looking after yaab and the twitter updates is on the train rather than the coach (i.e. currently in Brighton, not northern France) you should expect news updates and photos to be focus more on that group until Friday.

Latest txt messages from the coach, however, are extremely informative, such as…

• We are at Service stn. X

(honestly, you ask for txt updates and what do you get… )

For now – and until I can get anything more descriptive from the coach – here are some photos of this morning at St. Bernadette’s in Crawley…

Some former Redshirts at Briefing Day

One of the real strengths of the Lourdes Youth Service Group (the Redshirts) over the years, has been its ability to encourage and bring forward helpers for the main pilgrimage.

On Sunday, Ray and a few of this years Redshirts together with a few leaders, went to St. Wilfrid’s School in Crawley for Briefing Day, the traditional introduction and information-fest held on the Sunday before we leave for France. This is a main pilgrimage event and so Redshirts don’t normally turn up. A few turned up this year though to help out where we could.

What was interesting about the day though, wasn’t the presence of 2010 Redshirts, but rather the presence of so many past Redshirts.

In reality, we shouldn’t really refer to them as past Redshirts. Ray always says once a Redshirt, always a Redshirt, and it’s an important thing to remember. But having said that though, they can only actually travel to Lorudes as part of the Youth Service Group when they are in year 10 or year 11. After that, they have to branch out, and that’s where the main pilgrimage comes in.

Ever since the Redshirts began as a project, there has always been a high amount of participants going on to be adult helpers in the main pilgrimage. This has been really evident this year especially. Quite a few of them were at Briefing Day yesterday and even more of them are expected in the hotels, family group and in the Accueil in Lourdes.

..and a few more

Getting ready to go...

Several members of the Redshirts gathered at DABCEC – the diocesan Education centre, where the Youth Service is based – today to prepare resources and make other preparations ahead of the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes next week.

There are only 6 days left now until the diocese leaves, and only 5 days left until the Redshirts head off.

Traditionally, the Redshirts go out ahead of the rest of the diocese, and this year is no exception.

Music Practice ahead of Lourdes

Only 10 days now until the Redshirts set off…

Enjoy…

Music Practice

Meal time...

Ruth sorting out the Redshirts... (it's a big job)

Icebreakers...

Icebreakers...

Icebreakers...

Out in the sun

More of the group

The final bit of the group

Music practice...

Trust games!

More icebreakers

Out in the sun

After a lengthy debate, we decided that this year's shirts would be red.

With only a few weeks to go before we all head over to Lourdes the 2010 Youth Service Group met together at Christ the Prince of Peace Parish Hall in Weybridge. Here are some edited highlights…

Ray answers some questions from parents

Enjoying the sun

Night prayer

Some of the leaders

Some of the leaders, together with Nick Harvey from the main pilgrimage

It is now less than two months until the Redshirts get on the coach and head for Lourdes.

N.B. Spell check seems to think that “hecticness” isn’t a word. We disagree!!

Members of the Youth Service Group (you know… the Redshirts!) turned up to both to help out, and had a fantastic time.

If you haven’t got an application for yet, talk to Ray in the Youth Office and he will sort you out (contact details down the page on the right. You have to scroll a bit!)