Strong representation from parishes at Welcome Ceremony for Relics

Pilgrims of all ages and from every parish in the Derry Diocese flocked to St Eugene's Cathedral, Derry, yesterday (Sunday, 13th October 2024) to honour the relics of St Bernadette on their journey across the island.

Many of those venerating the earthly remains of the saint, were doing so in thanksgiving for blessings received through the intercession of Our Lady and St Bernadette having made pilgrimage to Lourdes in the past.

Among them were Ann Caulfield and her daughters Marie Bradley and Joanne Flanagan from the parish of Ballinascreen in South Derry.

Mum Marie shared her connection to the saint: "My baby son had been diagnosed with a congenital heart condition and sixteen years ago, when he was two, we took him to Lourdes on a pilgrimage for the sick. I'm thankful to say, he's 18 now and doing very very well. I kept praying to St Bernadette and Our Lady all those years and I still do. We travelled up for 12.30 Mass today to St Eugene's and stayed on to welcome the relics and venerate them."

Our mother had an intense devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes – all her life. And she passed that onto us.

Sisters Anne Bernadette McCann and Alice Rohdich

Sisters Anne Bernadette McCann from Portrush and Alice Rohdich from Tyrone revealed their parents had "great devotion" to St Bernadette.

"Our mother had an intense devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes – all her life. And she passed that onto us. The first movie my parents saw was 'The Song of Bernadette'. Our parents were married on February 11^th – the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes.I was born on March 25^th, the Feast Day of the Annunciation, Anne added and my middle name is Bernadette."

Parents Órlaith and Michael McNulty with sons Oisin and baby Darragh (4 months) made the journey from Baldoney Parish, Gortin in County Tyrone to honour the relics.

"It feels like such a privilege to be able to experience this in our lifetime," Órlaith said.

"To be so close to something so sacred and to have St Bernadette here in our diocese – it's very special.

Pauric Flynn, Maghera; Edward Scullion, Bellaghy; Mary McKenna, Maghera and Kate Gallagher also Maghera were among a group of 35 youth from the Derry Diocese who visited Medjugorje on pilgrimage earlier this year. But they were carrying a banner aloft representing St Patricks, Maghera, at Sunday's welcome ceremony.

"It felt important to come to Derry today to be part of a wider connection across the diocese," Mary shared.

"It takes courage to speak about faith and St Bernadette is an inspiration to us in that sense," Pauric added.

"God is always talking to us," Edward added "but we have to be open to hearing his message," finishes Kate. "And Bernadette was open to Our Lady's messages," they agree.