Society grows spiritually poorer when it abandons sick people or treats the vulnerable as a burden, Archbishop José Ángel Saiz Meneses told Lourdes hospitality volunteers at the congress’s closing Mass in Seville. He also warned volunteers against approaching another person’s suffering from a position of superiority.
The Capilla Real de la Catedral was filled for the Eucharist, presided over by Saiz Meneses. The National Congress of Hospitalities of Our Lady of Lourdes, Spain’s 54th national gathering of the hospitalities, took place in Seville from 12 to 15 November 2026. Presidents, chaplains and members of diocesan groups from across Spain attended. The archbishop said the pilgrimage to Lourdes shows that illness does not diminish a person’s dignity, and nobody should feel abandoned.
He described the pilgrimage as a school of faith and charity. The hospitalities’ work, he said, goes beyond arranging travel and meeting practical needs. The Federation of Spanish Lourdes Hospitalities coordinates annual diocesan pilgrimages to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. Its network includes lay volunteers and medical staff, alongside stretcher-bearers and priests. Volunteers contribute to transport and medical support, as well as personal accompaniment. They should help each pilgrim feel loved and accompanied while supporting a personal encounter with Jesus Christ.
Saiz Meneses noted the time volunteers devote to preparing pilgrimages and caring for people who have difficulty walking. Patient listening and words of encouragement also serve others. He has called for hospitality to begin before pilgrims arrive, with volunteers listening, providing information and respecting individual needs. Goodwill must be matched by organization and training, he said, alongside accessibility, safety and health coordination. Christian charity begins with recognizing each person’s dignity and respecting their freedom.
The demands of Lourdes travel are illustrated by a Dublin diocesan pilgrimage on 3 September, when 1,500 pilgrims travelled on three chartered aircraft. According to the Archdiocese of Dublin, the group included 122 sick pilgrims and 14 doctors, as well as 45 nurses, 552 helpers, 31 priests and two deacons.
Addressing younger participants, he said their presence gave reason for hope. He urged them not to fear approaching human suffering and said the Church needs young people willing to commit themselves. True joy, he said, comes from giving one’s life through love rather than pursuing personal satisfaction.
After Mass, a break in the rain allowed the traditional torch procession to take place around the Cathedral. Saiz Meneses described it as a public expression of faith, much like the processions participants had experienced at the sanctuary. The congress programme also included a Eucharistic celebration and an interior procession of Our Lady of Lourdes in the cathedral on 14 November.
