A pilgrimage director has dismissed claims that pilgrimages to Lourdes will be detrimentally affected by Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union.
John Tangney, director of Tangney Tours, has said Brexit would have “no discernible effect on sick pilgrims or indeed any pilgrims travelling to Lourdes”.
He was responding to a blog post on the Catholic Herald’s website by Dr Michael Moran, Chief Medical Officer of Down and Connor diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes.
Dr Moran wrote: “Although not as high impact as millions of pounds dropping from the FTSE, the care of the sick in Lourdes is nonetheless important for those who need it most, and for whom many other foreign holidays are not possible. Pilgrimages to Lourdes are currently dependent on the European Health Insurance Card, which we could stand to lose if we leave the EEA as part of Brexit. If full costs are to be borne for healthcare abroad, Lourdes, for UK pilgrims, is likely to become a domain for the fit, well and wealthy.”
