About the Irish Hospitalité of Our Lady of Lourdes
A Place for Those Who Love Lourdes and Serve the SickOur Mission
The core purpose of the Irish Hospitalité is; “… to encourage men and women to visit Lourdes annually, if possible, and to devote their time to the service of pilgrims, especially sick pilgrims.”
To this end, it has five objects in particular. These are stated in our Constitution as being:
- To encourage men and women to undertake voluntary service to sick pilgrims with the Hospitalité Notre Dame de Lourdes (“HNDL”).
- To promote the message of Our Lady of Lourdes and to support members to maintain their involvement away from Lourdes.
- To disseminate information received from the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, the Sanctuaries, and Hospitalité Notre Dame de Lourdes to members, particularly information relating to the care of pilgrims in the sanctuaries and welcoming centres at Lourdes.
- To provide a forum for the exchange of information, and to provide support to volunteer helpers who work, at their own expense, with the Hospitalité Notre Dame de Lourdes and who assist in the care of pilgrims at Lourdes.
- To provide financial support, from surplus funds where possible, to assist sick pilgrims in hardened circumstances who wish to visit Lourdes.
Membership
Anyone is open to anyone who gives service in Lourdes, either with HNDL or with a recognised pilgrimage (diocesan, religious congregation, or other organisation) that has an Assisted Pilgrim section and who is a member of that pilgrimage’s Hospitalité.
The application form for membership is on the site (see under Information on the menu above)
Safeguarding
The Irish Hospitalité is committed to best practice standards for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults as outlined in Clause 3 of our Constitution. Consequently, all membership applications will require evidence of satisfactory safeguarding clearance before an application for membership can be considered. It is important to clarify that the Irish Hospitalité does not engage in or oversee members’ service activities in Lourdes with HNDL or their pilgrimages, and members attend Lourdes independently of the Irish Hospitalité.
The Executive
The Irish Hospitalité has an Executive, elected by the members of the Hospitalité.
The National Executive membership has four officer roles, these being: the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The current holders of these offices are:
President |
Kilian Cleary |
Vice-President |
(Unfilled) |
Secretary |
Deirdre O’Sullivan |
Treasurer |
T. Gerard Bennett |
Other Executive Members
The Executive can also include up to six more members who are nominated, and voted for, by the membership. At this time, there are two additional members serving on the Executive, viz. Máire Ní Bháin, President Emeritus, and Helena Foy, Vice-President and Head of Service Notre Dame, HNDL
Council Members of Hospitalité Notre Dame de Lourdes
At this time, the Irish Representatives on HNDL Councils are:
- Helena Foy (Head of Service, Service Notre Dame, Vice-President, HNDL)
- Bríd Clancy (Service Notre Dame)
- Deirdre O’Sullivan (Service St Jean Baptiste)
- Austin Sammon (Service St Joseph)
Currently, there are no Irish representatives on the Councils of Services St Frai, Ste Bernadette, or St Michel.
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“Let us turn our thoughts to the Shrine of Lourdes, a prophetic lesson entrusted to the Church for our modern times.”
– Pope Francis, February 11, 2023
F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Irish Hospitalité part of HNDL?
No. The Irish Hospitalité is a separate organisation, based in Ireland. Most of our members are also Hospitaliers with HDNL and serve there annually (or have done so in the past), however, they are separate.
Must I be a member of the Irish Hospitalité to serve in Lourdes
No. However, the Irish Hospitalité offers the opportunity to meet others who, like you, give their time to serve the sick in Lourdes. We all serve at different times. For this reason, our annual renunion (usually late October) is a chance to meet others who have served in Lourdes this year.
Must I pay to be a member?
The Hospitlalité levies a very small charge annually, currently €15.00 (€10.00 for the unwaged). This goes towards the cost of our two annual meetings (AGM in the Spring and Reunion in the Autumn). We also donate funds each year to assist some less well off to make a pilgrimage to Lourdes possible.
How do I pay my subscription?
The easiest way is to do it through this website. If you click HERE, you will be brought to a simple and secure payment page where you can provide your card details.
Is there an upper age limit for joining?
According to HNDL rules, it isn’t possible to serve in Lourdes beyond the age of 75. So while we have no upper age limit, we nonetheless understand that when a member is no longer serving, they may wish to change their membership to being an Honorary Member. Just contact our Secretary for details.
How do I contact one of the Irish Lourdes Councillors?
The easiest way would be for you to contact our Secretary by completing our online form. Your message will then be forwarded to the appropriate individual with your contact details and they will be in touch. Remember, of course, that everyone is a volunteer so a reply might take a number of days!