The trip that took months to arrive and will take years to fade
The trip that moments made, moments endlessly replayed
Where I was forgotten but where we were found
The trip where our days and actions were framed by a sound

Lourdes alters your thinking and moulds your perception, from your first time in the grotto to strolling the streets. You were constantly surrounded by music, every corner you turned, every group you joined. And regardless of your ability or talent you sang as well. Everyone could join in and it was a unifying force. Everyone's experiences of Lourdes were unique to them but we all sang the same songs.

During our time at Lourdes we were lucky enough to be allocated a family group. These are groups of children who have travelled without their parents or with carers to visit and spend time in Lourdes. Our group was group 117. We spent a lot of the week with them, and we did whatever necessary to entertain the children and make them laugh. From face painting to piggy backs, we did it all.

I made friends with a little boy called Sekhomi. I panted his face like a pirate. This is what he had asked for, no matter how hard I had tried to persuade him that it did not really go with his policeman costume! From that moment on we were buddies. He was 6 and couldn't write. One of the most amazing things about being part of a family group was realising how strong the childeren's faith was. On one day we had to write out our prayers to be put in a box. These boxes were then stacked to build the alter in the trust mass. I wrote down Sekhomi's for him. It was the most amazing thing, being privileged enough to hear someone else's prayers. No matter how severe their disability, their prayers and thoughts were always selfless; always wanting others wishes to come true.

Later on in the week, our group put together a re-enactment of the gospel, to be acted out at the regional mass. It was the story of Jesus appearing to the fishermen and telling them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. Most of the-chlldren in our group were in the play. Mr Maher, Lucy. Some of the Salesian boys and myself worked with the children to practise the scenes and lines that the children had to be in.

All the children gave it 110% and were really getting into their characters. We made a boat out of balloons (which you had to use quite a lot of imagination to realise it was a boat), and others helped by making fish on a line and other props.

When we finally performed it, I felt so proud of my group. They were all absolutely excellent spoke their lines perfectly. It was then that I realised what Lourdes is all about- giving it your best shot. I mean this production was hardly going to open on the west end, but it was a tremendous achievement for all the children. You see the thing about Lourdes is, the degree to which you enjoy it is directly linked to how much you want to throw yourself into every activity, how much you want to look stupid to make children smile and how much you forget everything that is important to you when outside Lowdes.

Towards the end of the week, during one of the Lourdes songs (rise and shine; a real favourite), a boy called Rahman, who's disability I couldn't pinpoint, turned to me and said 'thank you so much for doing this for us'. Lourdes is a week to think about others and serve others and hearing these words from one of the children made me aware of just how much a week in Lourdes means to the children.

The Social Side

When in Lourdes, you get to know people differently. I mean, I'm guessing most of you guys will be making this pilgrimage in the future, so I'm gonna be honest here. Lourdes is hard work, some days there isn't enough time to apply that extra layer of lipgloss or even to have a shower every day. Sleep is in small supply, unless you'd prefer to have early nights, but there is far too much going on in Lourdes for that! So basically, what I'm trying to say is, you're not gonna be looking your best every day. But the thing is, and this was probably a first time for all of us, you start to forget about how you look, and just... have a good time! The Salesian boys drop the cool façade and us girls quit flicking our hair and we just... get to know each other. It's the most moving thing seeing your friends helping these kids, you see another side to them, and you love them even more for it. I left Lourdes having gained some of the most important friends of my life, some of them I had known for years, yet not really understood what they were capable of.

So. night-life. Well, you definitely won't be bored in the evenings I can tell you that. There's a little cafe-bar place our group found called the Jeanne D'arc, which was perfect for some harmless fun. We would paint our faces and dress up, go to the children's parties at about 7, then meet up with everyone at the Jeanne D'arc later, still endowed with face paint and ridiculous costumes. I actually recall a certain two boys painting their entire bodies blue and announcing themselves as smurfs. The best thing about going out in the evenings was the way everywhere was just full of young helpers like ourselves. Wherever we went, groups of children and helpers would just burst into song and we'd find ourselves joining in, it seemed that everyone was quite literally happy all of the time. It's an indescribable feeling. And of course, there are other times when you can just have fun with your friends. On the last day, we all went up the mountains to a place called Gavani. The snow was in large supply and I was one of five people from our group who took part in a three-hour long snowball fight. Started by Poppy and I, it was the most amazing snowball fight that ever took place. We could not feel our feet or our hands, we were absolutely soaked to the skin and I have never been-colder ... but it was so much fun! It was boys vs girls, and though they still deny it, Poppy and I still insist that we won. To dry off, as it was a beautiful day, we sunbathed on the cliff, looking on at the snow-capped Pyrenees, before going to get a hot chocolate.

You don't set out to Lourdes aiming to expand your social life, your priority should be to ensure that regardless of how you are feeling or what it is you would like to do, the children are enjoying themselves. But the thing is, if you set out with this priority, you will leave Lourdes with some of the best friends you have ever known. Lourdes makes you see people in different ways, you find qualities in people that you never thought existed, and it real!y moves you, it really connects you to those people. The thing is about Lourdes, it is utterly indescribable. Us lot could tell you everything that happened there, every minor detail, and still you will never understand what it's really like until you have experienced it for yourself. That's why we try to keep in touch with Salesian after Lourdes, because they are a group of people that have experienced it all with us, and with whom we can share countless memories. I will admit, before heading off to Lourdes, I had my doubts. I thought, it sounds tiring and uncomfortable ... but I went with an open mind, you just have to. And I can tell you, neither me, nor any other individual who was in our group, wanted to leave Lourdes at the end of the week. I could never have imagined not going. Lourdes ignites a different type of pleasure, you find fun in simple things, things that help other people - a more positive type of fun. And because everyone around you is smiling and happy all of the time, you cannot help but smile too.

The Trust Mass

By the Thursday of our pilgrimage to Lourdes group 711 (that's us girls combined with the salesian boys) had developed a love of all things song, anything that entailed aimlessly dancing and singing was absolutely fine by us, we had all perfected our moves to rise and shine not to be out done by anyone. So when we found out that we had places in the choir at trust mass, a group of converts to the 'every word in the song must have an actions cause' were all so excited by the honour of this opportunity at the lS0th anniversary of the apparitions trust mass. There was no time to be shy or 'too cool' here.

The trust mass is held every year in the underground Basilica by a nominated country or county involved with HCPT and its the only mass in the week when all the HCPT groups, helpers and children are all together. This year was to be put on by the Americans so immediately we all knew to expect some very loud upbeat music and a lively atmosphere to match. We weren't disappointed if anything we had underestimated the experience in store. It's another of those Lourdes occasions that becomes so hard to be able to portray and do justice.

The 7,000 strong population of Lourdes poured into the underground basilica, an awe inspiring building due to nothing else than the shear size of it. The wet and dull morning created an incredible contrast for the atmosphere inside. On the stand in choir we had an amazing view over the crowd, an enormous blur of every colour imaginable from the brightest pinks to the darkest blues and every figure had a smile to match.

As we greeted the crowds many group badges were swapped (a tradition in Lourdes), cheering good mornings and hellos from all the children, a glorious reflection upon the atmosphere that surrounded us all week. The mass itself flew by in a bundle of colour, songs and laughter, it was perhaps the single experience in Lourdes when our whole group stood together and enjoyed being surrounded by the reasons we had ultimately made our pilgrimage to Lourdes for, the children. Yet although we stood together the scene we were presented with was one that also created a time for individual reflection upon our own personal pilgrimages. Every single one of us threw ourselves head first into the trust mass, it was an experience that would not come by again, it was not a time to half heartedly mumble the words to a song but a time to put aside all your inhibitions and sing at the top of your lungs.

I keep referring to the atmosphere in the Basilica at trust mass because of how it struck everybody there, a few of the girls and a few less boys might have been visibly moved but everybody was in a spiritual sense without doubt. And with 7,000 people singing and acting to the song 'rise and shine' it was impossible not to.

Poppy, LVI

The Play

On the Euro Star travelling down to Lourdes some lucky few (we were caught unawares) were told they were going to be in a play for the children. I was up for it, fair enough a little play for a family group about ten maybe 12 kids right? The play revolved around how many different people can do different things but when we all work together we can do "amazing" things. There were super heroes with different powers like a carrot man, captain peace, map woman and drill woman, all well known superheroes. A bit of laugh really. Then we went to the rehearsal and discovered it it was to be performed in front of about 4000 people. We were using microphones; I couldn't even see the back row of the auditorium. To top it all we were introduced by Michelle McManus (x factor winner) she gave her microphone to Isabelle who was exceedingly pleased. It was being filmed! Needless to say we were nervous, but we hid our fear behind the extravagant face paint. I was drill woman and Isabelle was map woman. I was attacked with face paint looking in my opinion more like a zebra then a drill. Isabelle looked vaguely human because she'd managed to escape whoever it was that had a fetish for face paint. We'd sorted the costumes, and then had to try and actually perform it; at every given opportunity the boys were throwing in jokes leaving us all in hysterics. Carrot man was the most popular character, his orange face being recognised all over Lourdes- he was practically mobbed. He just went on stage and literally threw carrots at everything. It was a vegetarian friendly production, Henry joked that no carrots were hurt in the making of it. The nerves I think we'd all anticipated about performing in this massive concert evaporated as the crowds entered to take their seats. Everyone was genuinely pleased to be there, so regardless of how the performance went I felt everyone would have appreciated the intention behind our performance rather then making it professional. By being so relaxed performing it was so much more person'al and fun. We even managed to get on some of the American groups turf when stepping to the front of the stage during the hymns to do the actions for the children.

Torchlight Procession

Being a part of the torchlight procession was a very special experience. Providing a very fitting end to another brilliant day, the procession brings together all HCPT groups as they follow a circular route through the domain before finally weaving their way back down to the Rosary Basilica.

Even before the procession had begun and I was simply walking through the domain I knew this was going to be an amazing event. Having just been told there was the possibility I would be able to read during the service, in front of thousands of people, I was, understandably, a little apprehensive. But as I stood singing the hymns any nerves dissolved, into awe, enjoyment, contentment.

To be standing with the chpir in front of the basilica and to see all the groups twisting their way towards us with candles flickering in the dark, was brilliant. The seemingly neverending flow of light made me realise just how many people had journeyed to Lourdes, helping me to fully appreciate the true extent.

As family groups began to leave at the end of the procession, our group stood on the steps at the front, singing and doing actions to the hymns being sung. That night it was quite cold and the rain kept falling but, to be honest, I barely even noticed. The whole experience, of being there with my friends and having an incredible time, was what mattered that night.

Katie, LVI