Virtual pilgrimage to Lourdes available
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
St. Mary of the Pines Church, Manahawkin, is offering diocesan pilgrims the chance to experience the blessings of Lourdes without ever leaving New Jersey. The Ocean county parish is offering a 90-minute virtual pilgrimage of Lourdes May 2 at 7 p.m. in the church located at Bishop Lane and McKinley Avenue.
The organization hosting the virtual pilgrimage, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers, Ltd., was conceived in 2002 in the Diocese of Syracuse. St. Mary of the Pines parishioner Rose Ann Oleyar learned about the virtual pilgrimage experience years ago as she viewed a program on EWTN about their president and founding administrator Marlene Watkins.“This is for those people who, because of health or monetary reasons, cannot take a real pilgrimage to Lourdes,” Oleyar noted. “It’s for the pilgrims in the pews.”
Oleyar explained the 90-minute program offers a slide show of Lourdes sites, the 18 Apparitions of Our Lady to Bernadette and some hands-on tokens of the famed French holy site. “[The Volunteers] have the people come up and experience the water from Lourdes, touch it and then touch their own injuries or pain. They also have four pieces of grotto rocks which they invite the people to touch,” she noted.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and a procession around the church echo the rituals which occur daily in Lourdes. “We say the Rosary, light candles, sing and get a little of the water to take home,” Oleyar said. “It’s very touching, very moving. You feel like you are in Lourdes.”
The parish successfully hosted the Volunteers about three years ago, and Oleyar is eager to spread the word to surrounding parishes and their potential pilgrims. “We had a good turnout then, but we’d love more people this time. You can feel like you are in Lourdes.”
St. Mary of the Pines Church is located at 100 Bishop Lane and McKinley Avenue, Manahawkin. There is no charge for the pilgrimage program, but a freewill donation is encouraged to continue this ministry.
For further information, contact Rose Ann Oleyar at 609-294-2284.
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St. Mary of the Pines Church, Manahawkin, is offering diocesan pilgrims the chance to experience the blessings of Lourdes without ever leaving New Jersey. The Ocean county parish is offering a 90-minute virtual pilgrimage of Lourdes May 2 at 7 p.m. in the church located at Bishop Lane and McKinley Avenue.
The organization hosting the virtual pilgrimage, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers, Ltd., was conceived in 2002 in the Diocese of Syracuse. St. Mary of the Pines parishioner Rose Ann Oleyar learned about the virtual pilgrimage experience years ago as she viewed a program on EWTN about their president and founding administrator Marlene Watkins.“This is for those people who, because of health or monetary reasons, cannot take a real pilgrimage to Lourdes,” Oleyar noted. “It’s for the pilgrims in the pews.”
Oleyar explained the 90-minute program offers a slide show of Lourdes sites, the 18 Apparitions of Our Lady to Bernadette and some hands-on tokens of the famed French holy site. “[The Volunteers] have the people come up and experience the water from Lourdes, touch it and then touch their own injuries or pain. They also have four pieces of grotto rocks which they invite the people to touch,” she noted.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and a procession around the church echo the rituals which occur daily in Lourdes. “We say the Rosary, light candles, sing and get a little of the water to take home,” Oleyar said. “It’s very touching, very moving. You feel like you are in Lourdes.”
The parish successfully hosted the Volunteers about three years ago, and Oleyar is eager to spread the word to surrounding parishes and their potential pilgrims. “We had a good turnout then, but we’d love more people this time. You can feel like you are in Lourdes.”
St. Mary of the Pines Church is located at 100 Bishop Lane and McKinley Avenue, Manahawkin. There is no charge for the pilgrimage program, but a freewill donation is encouraged to continue this ministry.
For further information, contact Rose Ann Oleyar at 609-294-2284.
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