Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-24
SEEK TO Be CURED
At LOURDES WELL
Thousands of Irish Pilgrims
Make Long Journey to
Catholic Shrine.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON, September IS, 1918
Thursday the first portion of 1900 Irish
pilgrims left for Lourdes, and for the fol-
lowing few days various other sections
will go to the Pyrenean town of the mi
| raculous well to be cured or helped, ac-
cording to their faith. until Lourdes will
be small Ireland. This is the first ma
tional pilgrimage Irish Catholics have
| made to the wonderful grotto. and
| whether one can believe in the miracu-
| lous power Of the waters or whether one
considers the pilgrims the poor victims
of a superstition. yet the movement as
an act of faith is very striking evidence
Of the strength of Roman Catholicism In
| Ireland.
| 1t was a pitiful sight to witness the
sick and diseased starting off on their
thousand-mile pilgrimage, accompanied
by priests. doctors and friends. Many
had to be carried on to the trains and
boat. and some will probably never come
back Lourdes is not wholesome place
The writer was there three years ago, and
| even the street car conductors seemed to
have consumption. Great notices were
posted up everywhere against splitting.
and especially were they prominent In
the cars. but no one spat more than the
collectors of fares. The town has run
down appearance and that sort of back
wardnesS we associate with religious SUI
perstition, and every second shop is a
place for the sale of relics or Lourdes
water and articles.
Household Word in Ireland.
In Ireland Lourdes is household word.
Year after year the Irish read of the
mighty throngs that visit 1t. Time after
oF c1
healed Of their bodily infirmities. A mil
lion people year is the latest estimate
of the people that visit Lourdes, and they
know that these millions embrace rep
resentatives of nearly every country in
Europe and of every continent on the
face of the globe. This year, for the first
time In its history. Lourdes is to witness
a pilgrimage that will be exclusively Ire
lands own and representative of her
people.
The idea was first suggested twelve
months ago by DR.. McHugh. bishop of
Derry. He preached the matter at the
Maynooth meeting of the Irish hierarchy.
1T was a reproach,'' he said. that while
almost every other Catholic nation had
shown at Lourdes it's devotion to the inn
maculate Mother of God, Ireland, as
nation, had not yet done So.
Two months later the bishop presided
at a meeting held in Dublin. which was
attended by delegates from every diocese
in Ireland. 1t was then and there de-
cided to organize an Irish national pill
grimage Every bishop in Ireland gave
his approval and blessing to the project
That was last Decen-be Today the Irish
national pilgrimage is ar assured fact.
Took a Lot of Work.
Unless one had occasion to come into
close touch with the working up of
the enterprise one could not conceive
how stupendous have been the labors
and what extraordinary organizing
skill has been displayed in getting up
the pilgrimage. Firstly. a committee
was formed OF representatives from
every diocese in the country, and TINS
committee met regularly. OH1ceS were
ope1fed in Dublin and other centers and
the work of enrolment was proceeded
with. Meanwhile the various subcom-
mittees were hard at work. Their
duties consisted in making all arrange
ments concerning the route trains,
steamers, hotels, tickets, the arrange
ments for professions. masses, sefV-
ices at the grottO and BaSiilca, ar
raneements concerning music. chants
in professions, etc. And there Is also
the invalids' committee. to whose dls-
erection is left the number and selec-
ton Of invalids to be accepted as Pill
prims. and to whom is due also the
Important arrangements for doctors,
nurses, helpers. lay and clerical, ana
the accommodation for invallds IN trains
and hotels.
The carrying through of the mammoth
enterprise to It's present stage or accom-
plishment involved a scheme OF sreae
magnitude and eXactness. 1t teemed with
little details and it was the little detallS
that presented the greatest difficulties. 10
find accommodation for a few hundred
people in any given place was a simple
matter of arrangement compared u the
deter mining to nicely "heil anu VIII a
during the Journey food, and what class
OF food should be distributed among the
travellers so asNto make certain that I'M
wanted meals should not be served at I'M
wanted hours.
Great Rush for Tickets.
There was a great rush from ali over
Ireland to secure tickets. Certain neces-
sary fornalities had to be complied with
| Those who wished to join the pilgrimage
| had first to apply to the local clergy or TO
| their diocesan secretary for form OF
| application of enrolment. This form had
| to be filled in by the applicant and signed
| by one of the clergy and forwarded TO
| the local diocesan secretary. The latter
then sent the applicant an enrolment
! ticket, without which Messrs. Cook, the
/ travelling agents appointed by the general
| committee, could not issue a voucher.
| Three weeks ago all booking ceased, and
when all accounts were settled and the
4 books reviewed 1t was found that 5000
| had completed the purchase of their
/ tickets. They came from all parts, and
many of them from remote parts of Ire
| land.
Of tickets, a card of instructions and a
| number.