Open-air mass at the Lourdes grotto in Cadier en Keer

On Sunday, May 15th, there will be another open-air mass at the Lourdes Grotto in the park of the Mission House in Cadier en Keer. In recent years, the May celebration was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but this year everyone is warmly welcome again.

The open-air service is organized by the Fathers of the Society for African Missions in collaboration with the Huis voor de Pilgrim (House for the Pilgrim) in Maastricht. The Mass is part of the Lourdes Prayer Week, which the Fathers hold annually in the month of May. The Fathers pray daily for the intentions that can be offered specifically for this occasion. They also raise funds for their projects in Africa and for Africans in the Netherlands. The open-air Mass at the Lourdes Grotto begins on Sunday, May 15, at 11:00 AM. Afterwards, coffee and pie will be served for all attendees. The service will be accompanied by African songs performed by the Kwimba Zabula choir, led by Boaventura Gouveia. Mass intentions can be submitted via fondswerving@sma-nederland.nl .

The Mission House in Cadier en Keer has a special bond with Lourdes. The founder of the house, Father Gaston Desribes, came from the diocese of Tarbes-Lourdes and personally met Bernadette Soubirous, the girl who saw eighteen apparitions of Mary in 1858. When he was sent to the Netherlands as a priest, he began building the Lourdes Grotto on the Bakkersbosch plot in Cadier en Keer. Only later did the Mission House, which he named after Our Lady of Lourdes, follow. For many years, the Fathers have held a Lourdes Prayer Week in May. Learn more about the Lourdes Prayer Week .

The House for the Pilgrim is the national pilgrimage organization that has been organizing pilgrimages to Lourdes from Maastricht for over 100 years. For more information, visit www.huisvoordepelgrim.nl .