Samantha Flores and Amanda Marino, seniors at Fairfield University’s Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, joined volunteers from 46 countries during the Order of Malta’s 66th International Lourdes Pilgrimage in May. The two nursing majors embarked upon their journey eager to give of themselves to others. They returned with a profound appreciation for the importance of faith in healing.

Flores and Marino were sponsored for the annual pilgrimage by Egan School Advisory Board member Gail Berardino and her husband, former University Trustee Joseph Berardino ’72. The Berardinos are members of the American Association of the Order of Malta and have long sponsored and co-sponsored pilgrims from Fairfield University.

Flores first learned about the pilgrimage from last year’s attendees, fellow nursing majors who presented their experiences to her class. Eager to grow in her faith, Flores knew that she had to make the journey herself. “All I knew was that this was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and that I would return as a different person,” she said.

As for Marino, she hoped to gain a deeper understanding of “spirituality within nursing and its potential impact on patient outcomes and experiences.”

This year, nearly 7,000 participants journeyed to the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains in southwestern France for the traditional event. Volunteers and members of the Order of Malta accompanied the sick and frail to the Grotto of Massabielle in the town of Lourdes, where the Virgin Mary appeared before a young Saint Bernadette and directed her to expose a spring from beneath the stone floor of a cave. The spring, still flowing 166 years later, is said to possess healing properties.

During the week-long pilgrimage, Flores and Marino were each assigned to a small team that assisted a malade (a person suffering illness or a health issue) from morning to night. The malades relied upon their teams to participate in a variety of social and spiritual activities, including receptions, reflections, and prayers.

Marino recalled an especially meaningful moment when she accompanied a malade and caregiver to the shrine to pray. As she knelt alongside the young girl stricken with brain cancer, Marino realized she was there not only to participate in the Rosary but to comfort and support the girl and her mother as they searched for peace. “While the girl’s cancer may not be eradicated, she found solace and freedom from the burden of fear and uncertainty about her future,” Marino said. “One might argue that this emotional transformation was a more profound miracle than any physical healing.”

The most anticipated moment during the pilgrimage was when malades received water from the spring. At the sanctuary baths, water is poured three times into their cupped hands — first, to wash their hands; second, to wash their faces; and third, to drink. This water gesture reflects the Lady of Lourdes’s invitation to Bernadette: “Go and drink at the spring and wash yourself there.”

Flores and Marino directly observed the healing properties of the spring in a young malade who gained strength and increased mobility in the hours and days following her visit to the baths. “Prior to this moment, she had no sensation in her limbs and possessed limited motor function, just enough to walk with a significantly altered gait that raised safety concerns,” said Marino. “However, in the following days, her strength continued to grow, enabling her to walk for longer distances unaided.”

Moments like this taught Marino an invaluable lesson about the interconnectedness of spirituality, compassion, and healing. “The beauty of spirituality has revealed itself to me as a source of hope and acceptance amidst challenging circumstances,” she reflected. “In witnessing the transformative power of prayer in fostering healing and providing solace, I have gained a newfound appreciation for its significance in patient care.”

Flores returned home with her own powerful lesson in healing, derived largely from her observations of the amazing caregivers, volunteers, and hosts at Lourdes. “They showed me what compassion and love can do for someone,” she said. It is a lesson she intends to carry into her career as a nurse. “Lourdes gave me a chance to experience nursing outside of the traditional setting,” Flores said. “It allowed me to learn what kind of nurse I want to be and how I will advocate for my patients in the future.”

Flores and Marino were joined on their journey by selected faculty and staff at Fairfield. Among the pilgrims was Katherine Saracino, DNP, RN, assistant dean of Egan undergraduate studies and assistant professor of the practice. Co-sponsored by the Berardinos and Egan School, she is the first faculty member to represent the University on the pilgrimage.

Dr. Saracino was with the students during an unforgettable moment at Lourdes, a candlelit service where participants sang “Ave Maria.” Thousands of pilgrims from nations far and wide sang the verses in their native languages but came together for the chorus. She said it was a beautiful and moving experience to have so many people from so many places, all gathered by faith, singing in unison under the glow of candlelight. Dr. Saracino said the occasion reminded her that “everywhere in the world, people are using God to find peace.”