Lourdes Pilgrimage, May 2014
Written by: Sarah Webber, ’14
Traveling to Lourdes with the Order of Malta was an overwhelming experience.
From the very beginning people were telling me, “It’s something that cannot be explained,
but you are going to love it.” After this trip, I would have to agree with them.
As soon as the group of 350 convened at the airport, we became a family. Each
member of the team was open to the other, and we were in this place to be together,
nothing more, nothing less. When we arrived in Lourdes we first went to visit the Basilica
and celebrated mass together. We walked through the town on our way, and each sight was
more and more beautiful. From the snow capped mountains surrounding us, to the huge
mosaics of Jesus and his mother Mary.
The next day everyone was eager to experience the baths. We accompanied the sick
to the baths and they seemed to experience a rebirth. I did not bathe in the water until a
few days later, and when I did, I felt the deepest sense of peace I have ever experienced.
This trip was a beautiful reminder to me of the community we can build between
one another, if we are open to it. If we are able to change our hearts and orient ourselves
towards others instead of away from them, we can accomplish incredible feats together. I
saw this in the team and the way in which the nurses and doctors were able to care
throughout the week. I am so thankful that I was able to participate in this trip. I am
thankful for all of the amazing people I met, and for the timing of this trip. It came just
before my graduation, and the beginning of my career as a nurse. It is a wonderful gift, and
it will stay with me for the rest of my life.
“All nurses could use a little more swagger.”
This quote came from Gino Chisari, the former President of the American Nurses
Association, Massachusetts. He went on to explain that nurses do not receive credit or
recognition for all the great work they do, because of their humility. If nurses could share
more about their work, and speak up for themselves as much as they advocate for their
patients, then nurses can be great leaders in health care. I would like to share with you
some of the great care nurses provided while on a trip to Lourdes, France. We accompanied
the sick to the healing waters in Lourdes, and it was a life changing experience not only for
the sick, but also for the nurses, and the entire medical team.
From the very beginning, the nurses had their affairs for the trip organized. We
were the first group to meet in the airport to discuss expectations and opportunities, and to
create a clear communication channel. As the trip unfolded, this organization became
central to maintaining our calming presence among the chaos of the group. When
unexpected events occurred, we were able to respond, unshaken, and able to perform our
duties. As we processed around Lourdes, the nurses were the ones carrying first aid bags
with each team, prepared for any unexpected health condition. When one of members of
the group became severely ill, the nurses were the ones sitting by his side through the night
and during the day to ensure he was safe and comfortable. The nurses were then the ones
who advocated for this patient during the medical meetings and drew our attention to the
details that can be so meaningful during end of life care. We were all surprised that during
this vulnerable time the man wanted to stay in Lourdes for the remainder of the trip. We
kept him with us while he passed away from this life. Even after this took place, the nurses
continued to care for the man’s wife, accompanying her through the rest of her time in
Lourdes, and ensuring her comfort all the way from France to the United States where she
reconvened with her family.
This story demonstrates the dedication that nurses have to the patient. I was able to
see this care provided twenty-four hours a day for the entire week that we were in
Lourdes. I also provided care during this time, and found that the group we were caring for
were the most thankful people I have ever been surrounded by. They were appreciative of
every thing we did. Nurses are not in their profession because they want to be thanked;
they do what they do because they love it. If we all could appreciate nurses more, and
recognize their integral role in the health care model, then we would be able to learn the
great benefits of their ways.
All of this happened in a place filled with a mysterious and magical intensity. After
experiencing the baths at Lourdes, I felt showers of peace coming down on me. This may
sound crazy to some, but others will understand the depth within our soul that can be
reached in this physical life. That is the place from which this peace came from.
The environment of Lourdes is one of openness and love. Those who have the gift to
visit Lourdes gain an experience which is unmatched by anything else in this world. If you
have the chance to, go. If you have the chance to thank a nurse, do so. Even the tiniest token
of gratitude is meaningful.