Lourdes is the perfect place for the mission

The second annual pilgrimage of the Pontifical Missionary Works (OPM) will be held in Lourdes from May 11-14, 2020, under the patronage of the Virgin Mary, "the first missionary." The theme will be "I am the immaculate Conception."

For Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome, Lourdes is the perfect place to launch the mission, as the shrine’s influence is felt everywhere in the world.

Not only does Lourdes give meaning and strength to the faith, but it is a model of missionary work. Cardinal Filoni explains: "It’s a shrine we go to, but also from where we depart. Because of this, it is a place dear to the heart of all countries. I myself, during my travels, I always find a chapel with a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes or Saint Bernadette. We can say that Lourdes gives meaning and strength to the faith, and at the same it is a missionary shrine because its influence reaches far beyond its walls. I may be able to attend the next pilgrimage of the OPM. In any case, many cardinals will be present, which testifies to the importance of the event."

Adapted from: Aleteia