Few will have missed that Lourdes has been hit by major flooding recently. While the sanctuary will open again to receive pilgrims, there is much damage. And while we can’t all head down to southern France to help physically, there are other means to help the premier Marian sanctuary of Europe recover.
The sanctuary’s website provides the following information, which I copy and share here:
Number to contact or phone : 0033 5 62 42 82 22
Thank you for your generosity and messages of support.
To help the Sanctuary of Lourdes to deal with the damage caused by the floods, please send your gifts to:
– By cheque made out to the Association Diocésaine de Tarbes et Lourdes at the following address:
Sanctuaires Notre-Dame de Lourdes
Solidarité Inondations 2013
1, avenue Monseigneur Théas
65108 LOURDES Cedex
– by making a gift online here
– by bank transfer on the account below :
IBAN: FR7630003020510003726308089
Adresse SWIFT (code BIC): SOGEFRPP
^ Bishop Nicolas Brouwet walks across the mud in front of the grotto.
Photo credit: Sanctuaires Notre-Dame de Lourdes
In Caelo et in Terra 
Dear Mr de Vries,
Would you be kind enough to contact me? My own monastery is closely tied to the monastery of Benedictine Nuns of Perpetual Adoration in Tegelen, in the Diocese of Roermond. I would have something of interest to propose to you.
Thank you very much.
Dom Mark