Oblate News

My experiences of working in the baths at Lourdes as a volunteer

Angela McCulloch, Lourdes Volunteer

Photo Credit: Sanctuaire de Lourdes/Pierre Vincent pour La Croix.

My experiences of working in the baths at Lourdes

I have had the privilege of coming to Lourdes for the last six years as a volunteer. The first time I came I really had no idea what to expect but I volunteered to work in the Baths. At this time in my life I wasn’t a Catholic and I did not know the story of Our Lady and St. Bernadette but I had been told that the waters were of healing qualities.

“Go and drink at the spring and wash yourself there!”

These words of the Virgin Mary to Bernadette during one of the apparitions inspired the creation of the baths near the Grotto in which the pilgrims are immersed. Whether a believer or not, you are all invited to this very profound experience.
– Lourdes website 

Angela in Lourdes

Lourdes Volunteer

I remember the first day over there and I was fortunate to be quickly shown what I would have to do by two Irish women and their clear simple instructions were so helpful for what was about to follow. As the Service at the Baths begins, the pilgrims take a seat in the women’s waiting area and then they are ushered to the cubicles by the helpers.

From there, the pilgrims are lead to the baths area. During the waiting time, we all sit in silence and the rosary prayer begins with a reflection on each decade of the rosary being read in different languages and then leading to an Our Father, 10 Hail Marys and a Glory Be prayer. As I am not a speaker of any other language, I only realised this when it was my turn to read in English.

Then, when the service at the baths begins, we form a queue with the newest girls to the end. The Supervisor will then come down the queue and assign a cubicle to one of us Volunteer Helpers – starting with the volunteer who has many years of experience and so we are all given a specific number which indicates the cubicle we have been assigned to. Then, introductions are briefly made with each other as helpers, and the group become aware of the different languages and any experience that people have had previously of helping at the baths. The main languages are French, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch and English. Once again, I was fortunate to be in the cubicle with an English woman who helped me to learn what to do.

A powerful experience

As the pilgrims begin to enter the cubicle, I began to understand just how powerful the prayers and intentions being brought to Our Lady were. The atmosphere is charged with emotions and pilgrims are assisted and prepared for their baths with efficiency, respect and dignity. As they enter the other side of the curtain, their robe is changed for a bathing sheet and then they stand before Our Lady and silently pray their intentions. When they finish their silent prayer, they make the sign of the cross before being led down the bath area and the pilgrim is submerged into the water backwards with their heads, necks and backs being supported by the volunteer helpers like myself. Words cannot begin to express how powerful this experience is but there is an undeniable connection with Our Lady that touches my very spirit and with every bath encounter I found that each individual pilgrim brings a unique and special experience.

At the Torchlight Rosary Procession in Lourdes during the Oblate Pilgrimage

After my first morning’s work, I walked down to lunch and as I crossed the bridge just after the hospital I broke down in tears. I knew I had experienced something so powerful that had reached deep within me. I understood that I had not fallen into this role by mistake as I felt that Our Lady had called me personally for this special work. After that first pilgrimage I began my own Catholic journey to make my Confirmation and become a Catholic.

When I look back, I have considered and thought about the healing that takes place in the waters of Lourdes. I thought about how many people travelled so far with so much sickness and I asked myself as to why would they do this. I had felt the powerful prayers being offered up but I had also seen one of the biggest cemeteries from up at the ‘Chateau’ (Castle) in Lourdes. It is then that I realised that for some people they would have been so sick that they would never make the journey home from Lourdes by themselves. I then came to understand that sometimes the biggest healing we can have is giving our soul’s acceptance of the sickness we have within us and so discover the internal peace that comes with it. I believe that this healing can be so much more than just removing the disease from within. For myself I believe I have also experienced a healing from the waters in the Baths.

During my first year at visiting and volunteering at Lourdes, I never set any intentions to Our Lady’s feet, but I felt she healed me anyway. She gave me healing in my soul that was an unconditional love for me and she taught me how to show myself the love that she shows me and that is such a beautiful gift.

Every year I come back I find working in the baths teaches me so much more about compassion and generosity to others and fills me with a great humility and gentleness. I really hope Our Lady continues to call me back to Lourdes and that I can continue to be able to give of myself in service to others.

-Angela McCulloch

Angela is a volunteer with KAIROS for the Oblate Lourdes Pilgrimage

Angie (otherwise known as Angela) has been associated with KAIROS – an organisation which helps people who are in recovery from alcohol, drug addiction and homelessness.

She has also been coming to our Oblate Pilgrimage to Lourdes for 6 years.

Angie has also been an active part of the Friends of St. Eugene group at Peckham for 5 years and has shown a depth of living the Oblate charism in and through her life.

She is now working as a cook with KAIROS at a residential rehabilitation, Camberwell, South East London. She also helps and enables others on their life’s journey to good health and full recovery and she is also currently training as a counsellor.

For More information on the Oblate Lourdes Pilgrimage please see:

www.oblatelourdespilgrimage.com or call Barbara in the Oblates on 01 454 2888 or email lourdes@oblates.ie

Tags: Lourdes, oblate pilgrimage, saint Bernadette, volunteer