Expressions of Interest are being taken for our 2020 Order of Malta Pilgrimages
Planning has commenced for our 2020 pilgrimages!
2020 will be a special year when in addition to the 62nd annual pilgrimage of the Order to Lourdes, our Grand Hospitaller has also announced a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The Order’s previous Holy Land pilgrimage occurred in 2007.
The dates for the pilgrimages are:
Lourdes
Arrival in Lourdes on Thursday 30th April; departure Tuesday 5th May
Holy Land
Departure from Australia and New Zealand 6th November; departure from Jerusalem 17th November.
The 2020 Lourdes pilgrimage will once again be a collaboration with the Hong Kong Association, our members in Thailand and Korea in support of malades with the Irish Association
As a change from past Lourdes pilgrimages, we are looking to take malades with us in 2020. Level of dependency is a key consideration given flight times, connections and the fact that pilgrims will start from different cities.
If you know of malades and their caregivers whom you see as possible pilgrims, please contact Confrère Daniel Kwok ( dkwok@orderofmalta.org.au ) who will coordinate both pilgrimages with support from Confrère Dunstan de Souza.
The Holy Land pilgrimage will be designed in collaboration with Harvest Journeys, a well-respected organiser of Catholic pilgrimages, to include five common events organised by the office of the Grand Hospitaller. They are:
10th November – Bethlehem
Morning: Holy Mass at Saint Catherine’s Church
Afternoon: visit to the Holy Family Hospital (optional and highly recommended)
11th November – Jerusalem
Evening: International Reception at Notre Dame Centre
12th November – Jerusalem
Morning: Holy Mass at the Gethsemane – Olive Garden
13th November – Nazareth
Afternoon: Holy Mass at the Basilica of the Annunciation
An extension to Malta after the pilgrimage to the Holy Land is also in the works, organised by Confrère Stephen Gatt.
Malta extension
Arrival 17th November; departure 23rd November
As an initial step, if you and your family members and friends are interested to attend one or both pilgrimages, please complete our Expressions of Interest form.
Details will be advised when they are in place and confirmations will be requested in the coming months.