A note from Fr George

Father Michael and Steve Carter plan to cycle from Eastleigh to Lourdes on Pentecost Sunday, 11 May to 16 May, 2008.
The purpose of this pilgrimage is to pray and celebrate Mass in the Grotto at Lourdes and to raise funds to send eleven young people from
our Pastoral Area to Sydney, Australia, for the Youth Gathering with Pope Benedict. Father Michael will also bring your petitions to the Grotto in Lourdes. Petition forms will be handed out at each of the Masses in the coming weeks and Petition boxes will be available in each church for your returned forms, by 4 May, please. Father Michael will also celebrate Mass for the intentions of all in 3 Rivers Pastoral Area at each stage of the journey.
We would be most grateful if you could support this pilgrimage sponsoring Father Michael and Steve. Sponsorship forms will be given to you today and in the coming weeks. You can return your sponsorship forms and money to your church, one of the 11 young people will be there to collect them. We hope this pilgrimage will help bring the Pastoral Area together and do something practical to support our young people as they prepare to meet the Pope. We also would hope to subsidise any young people, 16 plus, to visit Lourdes, either in July or with the Diocesan Pilgrimage in August. It is sometimes that we do not do enough for our young people and this will be an excellent opportunity to do so.
Father George.