The Rise and Shine Trust, formerly The Irish Pilgrimage Trust, is an independent, self-funding, national, inclusive, and volunteer-led charity that provides supported pilgrimage holidays to guests with additional needs and respite to their families. In particular, their Easter pilgrimage to Lourdes is a week-long life-changing holiday packed with festivities, friendship, and fun. Starting in the early 1970s, the Trust now brings over 400 young people with additional needs on a special holiday to Lourdes every Easter. Rise and Shine is made up of many groups based across Ireland, including the Kilkenny / Carlow section of the Trust known as Group 174. In my case, I recently travelled to Lourdes with Group 94 from Enniscorthy, where I made my first visit to the town as a guest with the group.
Structure and Events:
Groups within Rise and Shine consist of guests, carers, a nurse, group leader, and Priest. The guests are the stars of the show; they’re amusing, friendly, talented, and each are unique in their own way. The carers help their guests with their individual needs and, along with the rest of the group staff, offer guests encouragement, comfort, and companionship, while facilitating the pilgrimage to ensure their guests have the best experience possible.
During the pilgrimage to Lourdes, the groups share an amazing fun filled week together. This includes playing games in the park, bowling, fancy-dress parties, pizza nights, singing and dancing, large celebrations of Mass full of music and colour, the candlelight procession, lighting our own candles, guided tours and visits to Hosanna House, the Grotto and its surroundings. My Group 94 took part in all of these activities, which were great fun and wonderful experiences for all.
Reflection:
Guests and volunteers within Rise and Shine often describe this pilgrimage to Lourdes as a wonderful, fun, and life-changing experience, and having had the pleasure of experiencing this pilgrimage for myself, I also agree. This pilgrimage to Lourdes has been an unforgettable and uplifting experience, one I’ll treasure dearly, and I’d strongly recommend this pilgrimage to anyone who gets the opportunity to do it. I am grateful to have visited Lourdes, for the Rise and Shine Trust, and I’d like to say a special thanks to Enniscorthy’s Group 94 for being a lovely and inspiring group, for the kindness and support from staff, and for making my dream to visit Lourdes come true.
