British Lourdes Medical Association | Lourdes Doctors | Lourdes Nurses | Pilgrimage Medicine

INVITATION TO 10TH ANNIVERSARY BRITISH LOURDES MEDICAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE 2025

Mount Pleasant Hotel, Doncaster
Friday 31st October to Sunday 2nd November 2025

All Pilgrimage Doctors, Nurses, Allied Health Professionals and friends welcome.

Conference
The conference will be face to face and in person. If due to extenuating circumstances you would like attend some of the sessions online, please email the BLMA chair chair@LourdesDoctors.org.

We will start our weekend with evening prayers at 7.00pm on Friday evening in the hotel followed by a meal and fellowship at 8.15pm at Roccos Italian Restaurant (DN11 9LX). If you would like to join us for dinner on Friday evening, please let us know when you apply, we will email you the menu options and pre-order link.

The conference commences at 10.00am on Saturday preceded by the AGM for members at 09.00am.

Saturday lunch - Two course conference lunch provided and included in Conference cost.
Coffee/Tea will be provided during both days of the conference.

Saturday Vigil Mass at 6.00pm will be celebrated by Bishop Ralph Heskett – Bishop of the Diocese of Hallam – at St Paul’s Catholic Church Cantley.

A buffet and Morris dancing, at Mount Pleasant Hotel, 7.30pm at a cost of £25 per person. Drinks can be bought at the bar. Helpers and Assisted Pilgrims from local Pilgrimages are invited to join us for an evening of celebration and fun -please contact enquiries@LourdesDoctors.org if you would like additional tickets.

Sunday morning workshops will be held in the hotel from 9.30am, preceded by Morning Prayers at 09.15am. The conference will close at 12.30pm

Costs per person:
Full Conference £100
Saturday only £70
Conference buffet & Morris dancing £25 in addition to the above please

*Payment for the Conference includes 12 months membership of the BLMA.

Accommodation:
Delegates must book their own accommodation with Mount Pleasant Hotel or elsewhere if they would prefer.

Friday Saturday Total per person
Twin/ Double per Person £55 £55 £110
Single per Person £105 £105 £210

We have reserved 30 rooms at a reduced Conference rate – which will be allocated at a first come first served basis. Please book early and ensure you inform the booking team you are part of the BLMA conference to get the reduced rate. Please ring the Hotel on 01302 868696 and ask for Shannon Hairl the conference coordinator. Please say you are attending the BLMA Conference to get our discounted rates.

Outline / Draft Conference Programme

Saturday 1st November, Mount Pleasant Hotel

08.30 – 09.00 Coffee & Registration

09.00 – 09.50 Annual General Meeting of BLMA (all members welcome)

10.00– 10.10 Prayers, Welcome, introductions

10.10 – 11.00 From Plastic surgery to Priesthood - Our Lady of Lourdes and being pilgrims of Hope
Fr James McTavish

11.00 – 11.20 Tea / Coffee

11.20– 12.10 Feedback from 2025 Pilgrimage and themes from the Pilgrimage Questionnaires
Jude Raper & David Knight

12.10 – 12.40 Travel Update
? Tangney, Walsh & Lavery

12.40 -14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 15.00 Lourdes Miraculous Cures and the Cure of John (Jack) Traynor
Dr Kieran Moriarty

14.50 – 15.20 TBC : CMIL AMIL and the Medical Bureau
Dr Sandro de Fransicisis

15.20 – 15.40 Tea/Coffee

15.40 - 16.30 Common Infectious Diseases Associated with Pilgrimage
Rev Dr Ken Agwuh

16.30 – 17:00 BLMA Training – where we are and what next?
Emilio, Kim and Jenny

18.00 VIGIL MASS

19.30 Morris Dancing & Buffet

Sunday 2nd November, Mount Pleasant Hotel

08.45 – 9.15 BLMA Council Meeting

09.30 Morning Prayers

09.40 – 11.00 Does compassionate care really matter when organising and delivering a pilgrimage?
Dr Monica Doyle

11.00 – 11.20 Tea/Coffee

11.20 – 12.30 Open discussion and messages to bring to the Director’s Conference
Kim O’Connor, Paula Mitchell, Russell Brynes & Hamilton Grantham

12.15 – 12.30 Discussion & Closing Prayer (Conference Close 12:30)