Each year the Australian Association of the Order of Malta participates is a pilgrimage to the sacred town of Lourdes in France where the Virgin Mary appeared on 18 occasions to St Bernadette in 1858. Lourdes is a very special place and many miracles are said to have taken place there.

Joining the Australian pilgrims in Lourdes will be another 7,000 Order of Malta pilgrims from around the world as well as 1,500 sick people brought to Lourdes for prayer and healing. An opportunity to care for the sick (putting our faith into action) is a distinguishing feature of this pilgrimage.

In 2024, it is proposed that all Australian pilgrims meet in Paris on 29 April. This is when our pilgrimage will start. We will have some activities in Paris and the travel as a group to Lourdes on 1 May. We stay in Lourdes until 7 May.

Proposed activities whilst in Lourdes:

• Daily Mass and daily Rosary.
• Candlelight Marian procession
• Anointing/Healing Mass
• Eucharistic procession
• Pontifical Mass
• Visit to a local French village
• Caring for the sick
• Stations of the Cross
• Visits to the sacred baths
• Working closely with our friends from Hong Kong, the US, Korea, Thailand and Ireland.
• Socialising with fellow pilgrims from around the world.

The cost of the programme from the evening of 29 April to the morning of 7 May (excluding airfares and insurance) will vary depending on some choices you will be able to make (for example, choice of hotel). But the usual range is $3,000 – $3,500 including all meals.

If you are interested in learning more, please register an Expression of Interest to attend. This is not a commitment to attend. It is so we can keep you in the loop on the pilgrimage. You will be asked to commit in February 2024.