The Order of Malta Western Association U.S.A. is looking for Hawaii Catholics with “a life changing illness or physical challenge” to go on a pilgrimage next year, April 27-May 5, to bathe in the healing waters of Lourdes, France.
The trip is free for the person with the illness, whom the Order of Malta refers to a “malade,” but he or she must travel with a paying companion.
The 2020 pilgrimage was cancelled due to COVID-19. The 2021 pilgrimage will require that attendees and pilgrims have taken the flu vaccine and the COVID 19 vaccine (assuming there is one by then) prior to the departure date. The pilgrimage director is depending on a vaccine being administered at least 30 days prior to departure.
A one-sheet nomination form for those who want to be considered as a malade is available through Thomas Cabrinha at thomascabrinha@att.net or (808) 533-4244, or Darryl Wong at dwong@99imperial.net or (808) 943-3106. They will arrange to interview nominees and their companions.
The Order of Malta is a lay Catholic religious order founded in 1113 and active in 120 countries caring for people in need through humanitarian works. This is the 46th Western Association Lourdes pilgrimage.
Any practicing Catholic who has had a life changing illness or physical challenge is eligible to be a malade. However, the malade must be well enough to make the long trip to France.
Those on dialysis or other treatments that would cause them to miss many of the pilgrimage events in Lourdes, including processions, visits to the baths, meals and Masses, will not likely be selected.
Likewise, the malade’s companion must be physically able to participate in all the events.
Nomination sheets must be turned in to Cabrinha or Wong before Nov. 1, 2020 as applications must be completed and submitted no later than Dec. 1, 2020.
The pilgrimage will leave from Los Angeles on April 27. The air and land travel cost for the malade’s companion is $3,600.
