Officials call for more clergy to work at Marian shrine in Lourdes

Published: 2007-07-12

LOURDES, France (CNS) -- Church officials have called for more clergy to work at France's Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, after a sharp rise in visitors wanting to make confessions. "Several priests have already asked to come, but we need more for the coming jubilee year," said Father Yvon Peschet, who is in charge of the shrine's Reconciliation Chapel. "It's especially with French-speaking clergy that we really need reinforcements now. But there's a shortage in the dioceses now, and it isn't easy for them to take time off for pastoral work down here." Father Peschet told Catholic News Service July 12 that the 30 priests permanently on hand at 40 confessionals in Lourdes were having to cope with 400,000 requested confessions each year. He said he expected the demand to increase in 2008, the 150th anniversary of Marian apparitions at Lourdes, which already attracts 6 million visitors annually. "The Francophone confessionals are literally under siege," said the priest. "We need ... men of prayer, at ease with their vocation, happy in their priesthood and faithful to the Catholic Church's magisterium. Our team will then consider them as auxiliary confessors for a period of 15-30 days."

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