Pilgrimage to Medjugorje at Palm Sunday, April 5th, 2009
23. April 2009
The pilgrimage (April 4th to 8th, 2009) started in the morning of April 4th, 2009 from Vienna, spiritually guided by Sr. Ivanka Vasilj, who was supported by Br. Alois and Br. Clemens from our community.
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The official begin of the pilgrimage was set by the holy mass at the Fatima chapel of Bierbaum-Trössing (Styria). On the way to Medjugorje, the rosary was praied, songs were sung, and the video "Pane de la Vita" ("bread of life") of the community "Cenacolo", a community of former drug addicted people, was shown. The arrival at Medjugorje was accompanied by prayers and songs to the Virgin Mary. After dinner, some of our group joined the evening program offered by the parish of Medjugorje.
On the Palm Sunday morning, we bought some palm branches for the procession, which started from the "Resurrected" near the cemetery. More than twothousand german speaking pilgrims joined the procession to the Yellow Hall, which was filled to the last place. Many priests, diacons, monks and nuns participated the ceremony. In his speach, the priest who leaded the ceremony appealed to reconcile with God, to go to confession, because easter, the most important feast during the ecclesiastical year remembering the resurrection of Jesus Christ, should be celebrated with a fair heart.
After the holy mass, the main part of our group went to the "Cross Hill" to climb up, praying on the way. The rest of the group prayed the "crossway" at the "Resurrected", listening to the meditations of P. Ivančić, and, during the silence, to the Palm Sunday Liturgy, which could be heard from the town. Some had troubles with getting up the hill, but there were many helpful hands - signs of the prudence of God. On the top of the "Cross Hill", many people were on their knees and handed over their desires, their problems to the Mother of God.
During the evening program, crowds of people queued up to go to confession, and some of them had a shine on their face afterwards. It was very impressive, how many young people, and even children, went to confession.
After the evening program, we came together at the dining hall of our residence. The pilgrims were invited to speak about their personal, very private experiences with the influence, the action of God and the Mother of God in their lifes.
On monday, after the holy mass in german language, P. Tomislav Pervan explained in a speach what already happened in Medjugorje. The rest of the forenoon was used to pray the rosary while climbing up the "Hill of Appearance", the hill of the visions. At the place of the appearance of the Virgin, we kept in silence. On the way down, we stoped at the blue cross for a short prayer.
On tuesday morning at 6.00 a.m., some of our group visited Mirjana, the woman whom the Virgin has appeared. Hundreds of pilgrims were waiting in front of her house, and at 7.30 a.m. Mirjana came out on the terrace. She spoke about the beginnings of the appearances of the Virgin and how her life was changed by them. She answered some questions, and she encouraged the pilgrims to give their lifes into the hands of the Mother of God - she always brings them to her son. She encouraged them too, to pray the rosary together with their families to bring and hold peace in them.
Furthermore, Mirjana spoke about her personal duty - to pray for all, who have not found the love of Jesus yet. She repeated the last message of the Mother of God to pray for the shepherds of the church, for the priests. After the meeting with Mirjana, at 9.00 a.m. we came together for the holy mass, again in german language.
After the holy mass, the group went by bus to the "village of mothers", the "Mutterdorf" . It consists of a kindergarten, a residence for old people, a residence for mothers, who bring up their children without fathers, an orphange and a community of former drug addicted. Two young men of the community informed about their former lifes as drug addicted, and how their lifes have changed now.
After dinner, the rest of the evening was used for personal belongings. Some went to confession, and for few it was the first time after years. At 9.00 p.m. our journey back home started, and on the way few pilgrims told how the greatness of God has changed their lifes.
At 5.30 a.m. on the next day, the bus arrived at the Fatima chapel, and after a holy mass and breakfast at the monastery, the pilgrims went back into their daily lifes.