Lourdes. The word gives an immediate reaction, creating images of peace, prayers of hope, and acts of healing. Yet, one of the most striking aspects of Lourdes is its diversity. Thousands of pilgrims flock each day to the Grotto where Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette. As the faithful gather to light candles, leave petitions, or say the rosary, a cacophony of languages is heard. Throughout the Shrine, the native French language blends with Italian, English, Spanish, German, Dutch, and Croatian. People from all over the world travel to this sacred place. Yet, with such a diverse congregation, how can everyone participate?

This challenge falls to Fr. Liam Griffin, O.M.I. Fr. Liam is the Coordinator for English-speaking pilgrims. He and eight other Oblates from five different continents serve the diverse groups who come to pray at Lourdes.

Fr. Liam sees his work with the pilgrims as a distinct opportunity to serve. “The founder believed the Word of the Lord should be shared with everyone,” he explained. “When he first began his ministry, he spoke Provençal, the language of the poor, not French, the language spoken by the upper class. That is what my brothers and I do here. We preach the Gospel in the native languages of the pilgrims. Between the nine of us, we speak six different languages: French, Spanish, English, Italian, German, and Dutch. Each coordinator’s first language is that of his country. We help those who come here deepen their faith.”

Fr. Liam believes that the gathering of pilgrims from around the globe forms an international faith community. “Our Lady said to Bernadette, ‘Have a church built here.’ What did she mean? Did she mean a physical building, or did she mean a congregation? I think she meant both. Without the people, there is no church. Without the church, the people have no place to gather.

“Here at Lourdes, we create an international faith community. There are so many nationalities. It is the Oblates’ job to bring them together. In many ways we are divided. Here, we come together as the Universal Church. It is most obvious during our international Mass and our candlelight procession, where we pray together. Every language is somehow incorporated.”

Through their work, Fr. Liam and his brother Oblates help the pilgrims
to Lourdes deepen their faith. “As the founder said, Oblates should adopt Mary as our own mother. People come to Lourdes because they believe in Our Lady. It is through her that we discover the salvation of her Son, Jesus.”

Fr. Liam is a man dedicated to serving the faithful as they pray through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes. His guidance brings together people from many countries, forming the Universal Church Our Lady spoke of almost 150 years ago.