Middlesbrough, The Knights of St Columba and Lourdes

Prior to 1939, and again after, it was the Knights who took responsibility for collecting monies to enable sick pilgrims to be sent to Lourdes. His Lordship Bishop Brunner gave them authority to take a second collection in the Diocese in the Middlesbrough area one Sunday each year. All the money collected was sent to London to the Society of Our Lady of Lourdes, who after receiving nominations for sick pilgrims from the Diocese, decided which pilgrims they could accept.

The Knights then took the responsibility of accompanying those chosen to London to join the ‘National Pilgrimage’ who traveled with The Catholic Touring Association. On the return of the pilgrimage to London the Knights were again there to accompany the pilgrims home.

During 1952 a Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage was started with Fr Walter O’Connor and in 1953 it was decided that it would be their responsibility and to their advantage to change support to the Diocese. By this time the authority of a second collection had been withdrawn and so a Knights of St Columba Lourdes Committee was formed with the objectives of raising funds to send sick pilgrims and to assist the pilgrimage in all ways possible, very much including serving the sick with male helpers as Brancardiers.

by John Adams

The first ten Middlesbrough Brancardiers in 1952 were:

  • Harry Clare
  • John Coleman
  • Tim Gardiner
  • Pat Kilgallon
  • Bernard Lockey
  • Frank Mulholland
  • Harry Kelly
  • Leo McLoughlin
  • Jim Sherrington
  • John Welford

The Pilgrimage has continued uninterrupted since except for 1975, the Holy Year when the Diocese went on pilgrimage to Rome, and also in 1977 when due to a rail strike the Pilgrimage had to be cancelled. That time though, seven intrepid Middlesbrough Brancardiers joined with the Leeds Diocese after the strike was over and no doubt showed Leeds ‘how it should be done’.

Since that first Pilgrimage in 1952 our records show that a total of 381 men have served as Brancardiers for the Middlesbrough Diocese, led by eight previous Head Brancardiers:

  • Harry Kelly
  • Leo McLoughlin
  • Jimmy Coughlan
  • John Cassidy
  • John Adams
  • Brian McGowran
  • Steve Holder
  • Peter Dunne

Many Brancardiers have also traveled to Lourdes with other Dioceses as helpers, and directly using many modes of transport to the Lourdes Hospitalité and to act as Stagaires, and all in addition to serving our own Diocese.

Up to and including 2007 we have a recorded total of;

  • 381 Brancardiers
  • 1774 years of service
  • 60 gold medal awards
  • 149 silver medal awards

On the 55th Pilgrimage to Lourdes in May 2008, we will have 75 Brancardiers on rota duties, thirteen for the first time and one for the 48th time. The total experience this year amounts to an incredible 531 years of service in Lourdes, and this is not counting 2008.

Always remembered in our prayers are those who have gone before us to prepare the way of:-

‘The Ancient Order of The Middlesbrough Brancardier’

Paul Griffiths
Head Brancardier