Hundreds of pilgrims from across the diocese gathered at The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Hednesford

From Archdiocese of Birmingham website. Click here for full article, gallery and homily by Bishop Menezes.

Despite intermittent rain throughout the morning and threatening skies in the afternoon, hundreds of pilgrims from across the diocese gathered together for the annual pilgrimage to The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Hednesford on Sunday July 6.

Large numbers of pilgrims came to the sacrament of reconciliation and prayed the rosary, led by local school children, before the celebration of mass with the sacrament of the sick.

Mass was celebrated by Bishop Timothy Menezes, who gave the homily.

Fr Jeremy Howard said: "It was a great pleasure to welcome Bishop Timothy Menezes, an old friend of the shrine, as our chief celebrant and preacher as he made his first visit to the pilgrimage as our Area Bishop. The pilgrimage was well supported by clergy from the local area and further afield as well as the deacons who assisted during the Mass.

"Bishop Timothy spoke in his homily of our role as pilgrims of hope in the Jubilee Year and, following recent events in parliament, of our respect for life. We celebrated the diversity of our archdiocese, as members of the Polish community prayed part of the rosary in Polish and members of the Congolese and Zimbabwean communities joined the pilgrimage choir in singing during the Mass.

"I retire as Parish Priest and Shrine Rector in August, leaving the Parish and Shrine in the capable hands of Fr Peter Weatherby. I will continue to be involved as the Director of the Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage. Lastly, despite the threatening skies during the afternoon, the rain held off!"