PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27877, 27 January 1956, Page 14

PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES

Picton Man Seeks Cure PLANE JOURNEY PLANNED (New Zealand Press Association) BLENHEIM, January 26. As soon as' ]possible, Mr Duncan Wilson, aged 28, of Picton. will start a 12,500-mile journey to Lourdes, in France, where sufferers from many maladies seek healing at a hillside spring. Mr Wilson is critically ill. For his pilgrimage to have any chance of success, he must reach Lourdes within six weeks. Plans are being made for him to fly to France, possibly by way of Amsterdam. This will involve 44 hours’ flying time, with a 24-hour stop at Honolulu. Although not a stretcher case, Mr Wilson will require constant nursing attention, and arrangements have been made for Mrs W. A. Kenny, of Picton (formerly Sister Sylvia White, at one time sister-in-charge at the Picton Hospital) to travel with him. About £l5OO will be required to send Mr Wilson and his attendant to France. An organising committee has been set up in Picton to raise the money, and in less than two days more than £3OO has been promised.

Mr Wilson is well-known in Picton and the -Marlborough Sounds. He was a launch driver for Mr W A. Kenny for a number of years.

When the pilgrimage was suggested, it was given full support by the Bev Father Gethin Hughes, parish pries at Picton.

It is expected that Mr Wilson will leave in about two weeks, when departure formalities have been completed.