ASCPG was founded in 1995 in Bergenfield, NJ, by Gerry & Rosemarie Flood and a group of very dedicated individuals. It continues because of the incredible generosity of so many volunteers, individual donors, community organizations, parishes, local businesses... and most of all, Our Lady and her Son. While Lourdes is a passionately Catholic place of pilgrimage, our journey is open to people of all faiths, or none.
Our Mission
Group 601 is the Northern New Jersey chapter of ASCPG, lead by Norm Saunders, who together with the other American chapters travel to Lourdes France every Easter week to partake in the week long pilgrimage.
The American Special Children's Pilgrimage Group is better known as ASCPG, or "The Lourdes Kids." We're a non-profit, all-volunteer organization that sponsors an annual Easter Week journey for children and young adults with special physical and developmental needs. The trip is unique for many reasons, including the fact that parents do not accompany their children; rather, caring and trained volunteer helpers travel with them and create a family atmosphere for them have a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Volunteers work year-round to raise funds for the special pilgrims -- our guests -- to travel free-of-charge.
The trip include daily Masses, meals, tours and activities that are fully inclusive and incredibly joyful. There are unique opportunities to meet others on the HCPT pilgrimage from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the West Indies, Romania, Croatia, Belgium, Spain & Italy -- the highlight of the week is Thursday's Trust Mass, where we ALL gather in the Underground Basilica for an powerful morning of praise and worship.
Our journey begins from a New York area airport on Holy Saturday, and we arrive in Lourdes on Easter Sunday. Among the many activities we participate in are: daily Mass and trips to the Grotto, the Candlelight Procession, day trip to Gavarnie, a town-wide scavenger hunt, a tour of Bernadette's life, a Thursday night party, family-style meals and lots of social time. We return home -- changed for the better -- the Saturday after Easter.
“I think it brings a sense that they are really worth something. That they are as worthy of friendships and normal experiences as anyone else. That here they are comforted and enveloped and in Lourdes people care for them and want to bring joy to them so that they feel that they are worth something, which is what they should have been feeling all along. ”
What We've Achieved
- Since 1998, ASCPG has brought over 200 special pilgrims to Lourdes without cost to the family.
- Our volunteer helpers work throughout the year to raise funds for the pilgrims.
- ASCPG has been featured in multiple television segments, such as EWTN.
- ASCPG started out as 1 group and has now evolved into 5 groups from the area that travel yearly.