In June 2020, our Congregation completed its ministry at the house of the Polish Catholic Mission in Lourdes. The reason for this difficult decision is the situation caused by the pandemic of the coronavirus. Pilgrimage and tourism movement is still practically halted, which makes it impossible for the pilgrim’s house to function. In this situation, the management of the Polish Catholic Mission decided to close the house for an indefinite period, but lasting at least a year. In the face of this decision, despite the very good experience of the sisters serving there, we have now ended our ministry in Lourdes. It was two years of important and valuable work in a place special to our faith and for the people who were looking for us there. The consequences of the pandemic will probably bring many other changes and difficulties, but we believe that despite all external adversity, we are in the caring hands of God and under the care of Mary Immaculate.

 

Below we publish a letter from the Rector of the Polish Catholic Mission in France

 

The complete paralysis of the pilgrimage and tourism movement caused by the pandemic forced me to decide to temporarily close our houses in Lourdes. Consequently, after two years of cooperation, the community of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate leaves our house in France in these days. For the Polish Catholic Mission, this is a huge loss. The presence of the Sisters gave this place a special character, and for many pilgrims it was a decisive argument in deciding whether to choose a place to stay during the pilgrimage to this holy place.

At the hands of The Mother General, I would first like to express my gratitude for the good and sacrificial work of Sisters, Sr. Nathanaela, Sr. Margret, Sr. Ursula and Sr. Pia, and other sisters who temporarily helped to run the house during the larger influx of pilgrims. During these two years, the Sisters not only sought the best reception of visitors and pilgrims, but also faced the challenge of achieving the economic balance of the house and, more broadly, the Concorde Association, which manages it. I am convinced that the effort put in will contribute to an even greater interest in our house and will result in a revival of its functioning in the future.

We do not know what the future will bring, but I believe that Providence will still give us a chance to accomplish a work that has been so abruptly and unexpectedly interrupted. Please treat the house of the Polish Mission in Lourdes as your home, the house of your Congregation. I also ask for prayers for Polish Emigration and our pastoral care in France.

I cordially greet with prayer

Fr. Boguslaw Brzyś

Rector of PMK in France