THESE PILGRIMS WILL BE ON TV
1C.H.' Reporter, Lourdes THERE were television cameras at Victoria Station, London on Monday to record the departure of some 900 pilgrims on the English National Pilgrimage to Lourdes.
And the television cameras are in Lourdes itself this week-end to film the pilgrims at High Mass, at the afternoon procession of the Blessed Sacrament, on an evening visit to the Grotto, and taking part in the torchlight procession. There will also be interviews with individual pilgrims.
In charge of the filming is Associated Television's producer Michael' Redington. The finished film will be shown on the ATV programme "About Religion" on Sunday, June 1, at 7 p.m.
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Working with the ITV news camera unit is ATV's Catholic adviser, Fr. Michael Hollings, a chaplain at Westminster Cathedral. Fr. Hollings. a former Coldstream Guards Major, ordained in 1950, recently succeeded Fr. Joseph O'Hare in the post with ATV.
The weather at Lourdes this week has not been kind to our English National Pilgrimage. Clouds have enveloped the mountains and on Tuesday and Wednesday at least, the drizzle came down relentlessly.
But there was ample compensation in the kindly smile of Archbishop Godfrey and in the friendliness of Bishop Petit as they waited on Lourdes station on Tuesday to welcome the pilgrim trains.
The Archbishop of Westminster. and Bishop Petit of Menevia had arrived by air early on Tuesday afternoon. They were welcomed by the co-adjutor Bishop of Lourdes, Mgr. Maury, the Mayor and members of the Town Council. Cars carrying the Archbishop and his party to Lourdes from the airport were escorted by police motor cyclists and police stood to attention along the route.
Two hours later it was a different scene as His Grace, like any other pilgrim, accompanied by Mgr. Worlock, went to the grotto to say his prayers. But in his private devotions he was not to be spared the click of the camera and the gaze of pilgrims.
It was in the early evening that the Archbishop, Bishop, and Mgr. Worlock went up to the station to welcome the pilgrim trains. Only a few minutes later the first train drew in with yet another member of the Hierarchy, Bishop Wall of Brentwood. Many familiar faces, both clerical and lay, appeared at the carriage windows.
The second train arrived 15 minutes later. Archbishop Godfrey and Bishop Petit went among Elm pilgrims chatting to them. Wheeling one of the sick along the platform to the waiting coach 1 had the wonderful experience of seeing the joy the Archbishop imparted when he gave his blessing to almost every sick pilgrim.
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