SW News: US Catholic military personnel have gathered nearly 3,000 prayer kits to be sent to Ukraine to give spiritual consolation to soldiers fighting Russian troops. A delegation comprising active-duty soldiers and veterans collected the kits following their recent annual visit to the Marian sanctuary of Lourdes in France as part of the International Military Pilgrimage.

The pilgrimage to Lourdes with the theme "Pacem Meam do Vobis" (Peace I Give You), was supported by the US Archdiocese for the Military Services and the Knights of Columbus. Each kit consists of a rosary, an Our Lady of Lourdes prayer card, a vial of Lourdes Holy Water, which is believed to have healing powers, and a prayer card of Blessed Michael McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus. The prayer kits dispatched to Ukraine were blessed by Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, who heads the US military Archdiocese.

More than 175 soldiers from the US took part in the "Warriors to Lourdes" pilgrimage from May 10-16. American military personnel annually visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, where the Holy Mary appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. The pilgrims took part in a Holy Eucharistic celebration, and they had moments of personal prayer and formation.

The Knights of Columbus also supported the pilgrimage of a Ukrainian delegation, comprising six soldiers who were on active duty, four mothers of soldiers who died in battle, two military officials, two chaplains, and one military bishop who was consecrated for the chaplaincy. This was made possible for the Ukrainians through the organization's initiative called United in Charity.

The pilgrimage coordinator, retired Marine Col. Charles H. Gallina, stated, "The Warriors to Lourdes' pilgrimage allows the Knights as a fraternal organization to demonstrate its patriotic values by sponsoring the wounded, ill, and injured active-duty military and veterans." In a statement issued, the prelate also offered prayers for the soldiers who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for their mental and spiritual healing after fighting the war.

The Knights of Columbus is the largest lay organization of men in the Catholic Church, with two million members spread across 16,000 local councils. After the onset of the war, similar prayer kits and rosaries were sent to Ukraine from various parts of the world.

In the pilgrimage with 10,000 participants, 160 soldiers were baptized and received confirmation.