Over the summer four Iona Prep students, Jack Gillespie ’11, Rich Korzelius ’11, Spencer Pelak ’11 and Chris McCooey ’12, along with thirty other students from various high schools participated in a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. In 1858, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette, told her to dig for water but hardly any water emerged. The next day a spring of fresh water flowed. Over time, millions of people with varying degrees of illnesses drank and bathed in the waters, praying for a miracle. While they were there, the Iona students worked at the bathes assisting “malades” (a term used for the sick)into the water. The students also helped load and unload malades at the train station who traveled hours to visit the bathes. Spencer was quoted as saying, “My service trip to Lourdes was one that I will not forget. Through our work, my peers and I have grown in faith, leadership and responsibility.”
