Devenir Hospitalier de Notre Dame de Lourdes

How to Become a Hospitalier of Our Lady of Lourdes

Being a Hospitalier is a vocation, in other words the answer to a call.

The Hospitalité Notre Dame de Lourdes will be pleased to welcome you as a volunteer :

• For ladies : generally within Notre Dame Service, Saint John the Baptist Service, Marie Saint Frai Service or Saint Michael Service.

• For gentlemen : generally within Saint Joseph Service or Saint Michael Service .

  Compulsory requirements for your first period of service (known by the French word stage):

• Be at least 18 years old and no older than 75 (at the discretion of the person in charge of the service)

• Complete and return the application form for a Stage (a period of voluntary service with us) obtainable from the secretaries in the administrative office or can be filled in via the internet)

• Attach  a passport photo

• Attach a photocopy of your identity card or passport

• Provide a letter of recommendation from the President of a Pilgrimage Hospitality or a priest of your diocese (obligatory for St John the Baptist Service) or an existing member of HNDL.

  
  Every year you must pay a membership fee or subscription (known in French as cotisation), currently 11 euros for those in their first four years of service and 18 euros thereafter, including all Hospitaliers. This will entitle you to the benefits of HNDL membership, to receive the Hospitalité Newsletter and to be covered by insurance during your stay while carrying out your duties within the Hospitalité.
  
  Each Stage (or period of service with us) should last a minimum of 7 days and a maximum of 15 days.

  These volunteers use their holiday times and pay their own fare, accommodation & food in order to be with those who suffer

  For a first year Stage it is advisable to arrive, if possible, on Saturday or Sunday since Formation (the induction course) begins on Monday. On completion of a fourth year of service you can ask to make your commitment to future service (Engagement) and become a Hospitalier (male) or Hospitalière (female).
  
  Since presence and service in Lourdes are totally voluntary, it is your responsibility to pay for your travel, acommodation and meals. However, in order to make this burden as light as possible, HNDL places at the disposal of its volunteers (who have paid their cotisation) accommodation centres, a self-service restaurant and a club (the Foyer) where charges are kept to a minimum.
  
  
  

  Stage application form :
  
  
  To book in for a stage, please download the form and return it to us by one of the following means:
  
  
  - By e-mail : hospitalite-lourdes@wanadoo.fr
  
  - By posting to : Hospitalité Notre-Dame de Lourdes,

  BP 197

  65106 LOURDES Cedex
  
  

  - By fax:    0033 5 62 42 80 81 (from outside France)

                                 05 62 42 80 81 (within France)