Virtual Lourdes pilgrimage transports people to France, grants papal plenary indulgence

Friday, Apr. 29, 2016

DRAPER  — Dozens of people gathered at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church on April 23 to experience a virtual pilgrimage to Lourdes, France.

This was the first time that a pilgrimage like this was offered in Utah.

The virtual pilgrimage was a 90-minute prayerful experience of drawing nearer to God in the company of Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Bernadette Soubirous.

In 1858, the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in a grotto in Lourdes that now is a shrine. 

The virtual pilgrimage “is made possible by the technology of today to bring Lourdes to the parish ‘pilgrims’ in every way possible – with projected images of what pilgrims see, with music that they hear, with a piece of the grotto rock, and water from the grotto spring in Lourdes,” said Deacon Paul Graham, who was in charge of presenting the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers at St. John the Baptist Parish.

The virtual pilgrimage was conducted by Dan Revetto, a North American  Volunteer guide, and supported by volunteers from St. John the Baptist Parish.

“Like an actual pilgrimage to Lourdes, this virtual pilgrimage is a holy encounter with God under the watchful care of Our Lady of Lourdes,” said Revetto. 

During the virtual pilgrimage, Revetto narrated St. Bernadette’s life as a screen presented images of the grotto.

“Bernadette was born on 7 January 1844 and baptized at the local parish church. Hard times had fallen on France and the family lived in extreme poverty. Bernadette was a sickly child. She contracted cholera as a toddler and suffered severe asthma for the rest of her life,” said Revetto. 

By the time of the events at the grotto, the saint’s family’s financial and social status had declined to the point where they lived in a one-room basement, formerly used as a jail, that was called “the dungeon.”

“On 11 February 1858, Bernadette, then aged 14, was out gathering firewood near the Grotto of Massabielle (Tuta de Massavielha) when she experienced her first vision,” said Revetto as he continued narrating the apparitions.

Those attending the virtual pilgrimage had the opportunity to touch rocks from the grotto  and be blessed with water from the grotto. They also received a plenary indulgence from Pope Francis. 

Besides offering an indulgence for themselves, participants of the virtual pilgrimage were able to offer up an indulgence for someone who had died as a way of interceding for them in Purgatory.

“An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven.” (CCC 1471)

There are two types of indulgence, plenary and partial.

According to the Catholic Church teachings a plenary indulgence removes all the temporal punishment due to sin; a partial indulgence removes some but not all the temporal punishment.

“This is the first time in the history of the Catholic Church that a plenary indulgence has been offered for a virtual pilgrimage,” Revetto said. “It can only be administered through an NALV through 2020.”

Rosy Wilson, a St. Andrew parishioner, was among the participants of the virtual pilgrimage. She said she decided to participate in the virtual pilgrimage because “otherwise it will be impossible for me to afford the trip,” said Wilson, a widow who lost one of her children many years ago.

“He took his life, so I also wanted to come here today so I can offer the indulgence for his soul,” said Wilson.

Since 2004 100,000 pilgrims have experienced Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage in 36 states, 11 Native American Nations and 13 countries on four continents.