As the bus drove through the winding streets of Lourdes, France, framed by the background of mountains, french teacher Leigh-Ann Haggerty, her husband Chris, and their two sons, Alex and Nicholas, arrived at the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto. The grotto has long served as a pilgrimage destination for people who are searching for healing.
“When we pulled up, all of the students who were there volunteering were standing in front singing,” Haggerty said. “Like a Sound of Music moment.”
The Haggerty’s went to Lourdes in search of hope in closure after Chris was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
“They have given him six months to live, (just being there) was hope,” Haggerty said.
Leigh-Ann who has served Miege for 5 years, teaching French I to VI, is a devout Catholic with a very strong faith. She said that her trip to Lourdes helped significantly strengthen her and her family’s faith. She noted that the sheer amount of people present at the Grotto was mind-blowing. Everyone there were all tied together by their faith and struck her in a way she didn’t expect.
“They all say the Hail Mary in their own languages,” Haggerty said. “For me what was very profound was this showed me that Catholicism is the universal church.”
This trip had such a huge impact on the Haggerty family that Leigh-Ann was asked to speak at the dedication of the grotto at Miege on Sept 9.
“It definitely was a moving experience to go to Lourdes,” Haggerty told students and faculty during the all-school assembly in the gym.
To help in the dedication, Haggerty brought back a small bottle of water from the Lourdes site, as well as a few small rocks to add to the Miege grotto.
“I love Miege and all the students and I want them all to have a little piece of (my family’s experience),” Haggerty said.
Inspired to spread the wonders of Lourdes, Haggerty announced that she would lead a service trip for students to Lourdes in 2026.
“I think that this service trip sounds like a really awesome opportunity,” french student and sophomore Rosemary Holm said. “(I like that ) it’s focused on helping people and being connected to your faith.”
