Pilgrimage to Lagrasse
A young adult pilgrimage, led by Fr Eamon Roche as spiritual director, to a monastery in France for a week in August (Sat 9th – Sat 16th) this year, 2025. The pilgrimage is for young adults, over 18. There may be the possibility for families to join also.
The pilgrimage is to Lagrasse Abbey, a stunning 13th century monastery, where the group will stay, pray, hike, enjoy ice-cream and engage in bible-study and catechesis.
Lagrasse is a small town in the Aude region in southern France and is numbered among the “most beautiful villages of France”. The climate is Mediterranean.
This is the fourth trip to Lagrasse that Fr Roche has led having completed this pilgrimage in 2018, 2019 and 2024. Photos of these trips can be seen in the Photos page (found in menu).
Lagrasse Abbey is home to the community of Canons Regular of the Mother of God, the majority of whom are priests who live in common under the Rule of St. Augustine, and dedicate their lives to the liturgy. The quality of the liturgy, including the sublime singing, is known far and wide and will be a joy to behold for the travelling group from Ireland.
The outward flight will be with Ryan Air from Cork to Carcasonne on Sat 9th Aug (10:20am) arriving in Carcassone where transport will be arranged to carry the group to Lagrasse Abbey.
The return flight will be from Carcasonne on Sat 16th Aug arriving in Cork at 3.05pm.
The costs of the pilgrimage are as follows:
A. Flights with Ryanair. After speaking to Fr Roche about your place on the pilgrimage, please proceed to book and pay for the following flights yourself (COST OF FLIGHT WILL FLUCTUATE FROM MONTH TO MONTH):
B. Bed and Board and transportation for week: 500 euro. Payable to Fr Roche at any time before or on the first day of the pilgrimage. Discounts for students may be requested. This fee covers all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) except for a few evenings where the group will dine out for a meal in a restaurant.
There are a limited number of places for the pilgrimage – 16 places – this is limited by the amount of accommodation that is available to us.
To enquire or book a place telephone Fr Eamon Roche on 086 9972539.
Each day will have a program of activities in which the members of the group will be expected to partake as best they can. There will, of course, be plenty free time also for rambling around the beautiful and quaint French town and enjoying the sights and scenery and deepening friendships with the other members of the pilgrimage.
To enquire or book a place telephone Fr Eamon Roche on 086 9972539. Fr Eamon will be the spiritual director for the pilgrimage.
Typical Day:
We will start with this daily plan and adjust as the week goes on, if necessary.
8:00-8.20am Morning Prayer with Monks
8.20am Breakfast can precede or follow morning prayer, keeping the fast before Mass
9.30pm Mass with Monks
10:45am – 12.15 Group Spiritual Reading
12.15noon – 12.45pm Free Time
12.45pm Midday Prayer with Monks
1pm Lunch
2pm – 3pm Group activity
3pm – 6.30pm Free Time for Hike or swimming or other
6.30pm Evening Prayer with Monks
7pm Dinner
8pm: Fun group activities, Rosary, Night-Prayer
Each pilgrim will take a turn with preparing for meals (e.g. chopping vegetables) and wash-up after meals.
What to bring:
– Your passport
– Some people like to take out travel & health insurance when travelling. That is entirely up to you.
– Check-in online with Ryanair before you come to the airport so that you bring your Boarding Pass with you to the airport (to save you a fee….you can still come without your boarding pass but they probably would charge you something). You can obtain the boarding pass from 48 hours to 2 hours pre-departure. Follow the links on the email that Ryanair sent you when you purchased your ticket. Your boarding pass can be printed or saved on your smartphone if you have one.
– Bring your own towels and all your own bathroom lotions.
– Bring swimwear if you want to swim in the river that flows through the town – its very popular with the locals. See photos page.
– Sun glasses, sun cap, sun tan lotion, light clothes for hot weather.
– Runners for hiking in the hills. The paths are relatively smooth so strong boots wont be necessary.
– If you are going to use a smartphone for your alarm clock then don’t forget that the electrical sockets will require a “foreign adapter” which you could pick up at the airport.