Knock vigil for Madeleine

Knock vigil for Madeleine

Michael Commins
 
THE grandparents of four-year-old Madeleine McCann, the child believed to have been abducted from the Portuguese sea-side resort where the family were on holiday from England, will attend a special mini-vigil at Knock Shrine this Friday night, June 29.
It is now just over two months since Madeleine went missing and, despite a mammoth investigation by police and huge media attention around the world, there has been no trace of the little girl since. Her parents Gerry and Kate, a consultant cardiologist and GP respectively and both devout Catholics, have met the Pope in Rome and visited the shrine in Fatima over the past few weeks.
Such has been the volume of cards and letters received by the family from Ireland, including a huge amount of Mass cards from Knock Shrine, that Kate’s parents, Sue and Brian Healy, who reside in Liverpool, have requested that a mini-vigil be held in Knock for the safe return of their grandchild.
Knock native, Caroline Jones (nee Jennings), who also lives in the Liverpool area, contacted The Mayo News last week to say that the Healy and McCann families were overwhelmed by the response of the Irish people and felt a special calling to go to Knock Shrine at this time.
“Sue and Brian Healy and some friends are travelling to Knock for the vigil on Friday night from 8pm to 12 midnight. They will also be joined by some of the McCann relations from Donegal who are also coming to Knock.
“If the crowd is too big for the old church, the vigil will be moved across to the Basilica. The family want to express their thanks and gratitude to the Irish people for the huge outpouring of support and they feel a special bond with Knock Shrine at this time. All at the Shrine have been most supportive of the idea and the Healy and McCann families are deeply grateful for that support,” said Caroline.
It is understood that Gerry and Kate McCann intend to spend some more time in Portugal in the hope that some positive news about their daughter’s whereabouts will manifest itself in the coming weeks. In the meantime, it is hoped that many people from around the country will show solidarity with the family when Madeleine’s grandparents will lead the vigil and convey the thanks of the McCann family to the Irish people in Knock on Friday night.