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Travel
PageWeather in Medjugorje is similar to
the East Coast of the United States. Depending on the time of year for your
pilgrimage, plan your attire accordingly. It is always good in spring, summer
and fall to bring a light jacket as sometimes evenings could get a little cool.
A super light rain jacket or poncho (even a throw away) is not a bad idea just
in case. Remember to pack your suitcase wisely leaving some room as you will
likely want to bring back a few gifts.
Our Lady’s Pilgrims of Medjugorje
11 Day Pilgrimage to Medjugorje
Pilgrimage organized and led by
Zdenko Zovko & Joanne Ranallo,
Fr. Charles Becker will accompany.
Faith-Peace-Prayer-Fasting-Penance-Reconciliation
LEAVING SEP. 30-RETURNING OCT. 10, 2010
From Chicago $2,350 includes:Taxes
Air Fare, Room, 2 Meals-Brkfst & Dinner
Transportation from and to Airport
DEPOSIT OF $400.00 IS REQUIRED WITH REGISTRATION
ALL TICKETS MUST BE PAID IN FULL BY JUNE 29, 2010
LATECOMERS: PRICE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO AIRLINES
The focus of this trip is “Pilgrimage”,
May 24, 1985 – A Mother’s love for all more like a retreat than a tour.
“Dear Children! I have told you already FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL
that I have chosen you in a special way, Zdenko Zovko 773-220-9058 or
just the way you are. I, the Mother, love Joanne Ranallo 847-540-9219
you all. And in any moment that is Email: pilgrim@medjugorjechicago.org
difficult for you, do not be afraid!... www.medjugorjechicago.org
Thank you for having responded to my call. Medjugorje Chicago
ABOUT THE PILGRIMAGE
I am Fr. Charles Becker, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago. I have been involved with the pilgrimages that the Zovko Family has organized over the past 20 years. Shortly after my own “conversion’ due to my experience in Medjugorje in 1989 and 1990, I believe Our Lady brought Andy Zovko and I together. From 1990 until his death on June 26th, 2008 we assisted about 50 pilgrimages to Medjugorje. Because Medjugorje is not an officially approved apparition in the Church, priests are not allowed to lead pilgrimages but they may assist them in helping with the spiritual concerns of the pilgrims. The Church’s official teaching on unapproved apparitions is that if they are not officially condemned by the Church (usually up to the local Bishop) then one is allowed to follow them using their own discernment until approved or disapproved. Priests and Bishops are free to personally believe or not believe. I believe because of the mystical signs I experienced and the profound change that the experience of Our Lady in Medjugorje and the Marian Movement of Priests had in renewing my priestly vocation. Andrija Zovko and his wife Maria were born and raised in Medjugorje. Andy escaped from the former communist country along with his wife, a couple years later. First they lived in Germany then moved to Chicago where they raised their sons Zdenko and Bruno. Joanne Ranallo assists in helping with my prayer groups and the pilgrimages. She too had her own conversion in 1989 in Medjugorje and we teamed up back in 1992 combining efforts with the northside and southside prayer groups. Today Zdenko and Joanne help to organize the trips from Chicago and Bruno, who lives back in Medjugorje with his wife and children, care for our pilgrimage in their pansion in Medjugorje.
I would like to share some helpful suggestions that can make your pilgrimage more beneficial spiritually. Pilgrimage by definition is the journeying to a sacred place or shrine, a search; in this case, to search for God through an encounter with the Blessed Virgin Mary. This definition helps us to continually direct our hearts, minds, souls and bodies to this Search for God. In Medjugorje, many have found an experience of grace, attributed to the Blessed Mother’s presence and intercession that has led to a reawakening of the love and mercy that God so desires to share with His children. Upon listening to the visionaries’ experiences and the parish priests’ reflections, if one’s heart remains open, then nothing can stop this grace from changing and converting us into the person that God intended us to be. Mary leads us to this fount of grace in Medjugorje to help us to begin anew or even begin for the first time a life of faith in God. In order to know this peace of God and experience His forgiveness, we often need help to know what keeps us from true peace, what it is that needs to be forgiven. The world blinds us slowly and subtly, but Blessed Mother leads us gently yet firmly to conversion, to truth about the world and truth about ourselves, that is, if we say “yes” to Her and if we trust and remain open to Her direction.
Experience has shown that many distractions, while on pilgrimage, seek to pull souls away from this search for God. Many of these distractions are produced and heightened by the work of the Adversary of Blessed Mother, namely Satan, for he certainly would want to frustrate and destroy Our Lady’s work in general, as well as the progress of an individual’s soul. These antics could include: sight-seeing, shopping for other than religious gift items (and even this can be a distraction), being a courier for people in the States, drinking and partying (this isn’t exclusively meant for young people), reading material not pertinent to the pilgrimage (so too CDs, i-pods with non-religious music, computer/techno. stuff etc.) not participating in group endeavors, or by not spending some time in individual reflection-in other words, distractions to prayer. Due to these realities working against one’s search for God and one’s pilgrimage, a strong commitment to the essence of pilgrimage, that of keeping these trips more like a retreat than a tour or vacation needs to exist. One final concern regarding this matter is curiosity or involvement with various works or ministries going on around Medjugorje. Certainly there is concern out of charity to help our neighbor in need however, there is a time and place for everything. Experience again has shown that by being involved in these efforts while on pilgrimage is often a distraction and causes individuals not to stay on pilgrimage. Again, the dynamic of a pilgrimage is a search, and once we begin to find an encounter with God, these distractions may keep one from facing or dealing with particular realities that the Holy Spirit may be leading them to look at in themselves, thereby sabotaging their own pilgrimage. There are other ways of assisting these efforts other than a pilgrimage, and we could assist you with suggestions. These above distractions are truly distractions while on pilgrimage, and you are encouraged to avoid them.
Our Lady calls everyone to prayer and conversion. Conversion means to change, to change your whole life to conform to God’s Will, not only the parts we are willing to change, but to become willing to change all the parts of ourselves that God knows needs changing! Before, during and after pilgrimage, we begin to see what we need to look at in ourselves in order to get a healthy perspective and answers to what we may be called “to do” to participate in God’s Will and Our Lady’s work in His world. So, first let us slow down and listen, pray and listen, and pray for courage not to be distracted so that the action of the Holy Spirit may begin to heal and direct our lives and souls.
Regarding interested teenage and child pilgrims, it is strongly recommended that one or both parents be the guardian for the young person’s pilgrimage, especially since parents know the specific “shepherding” needs of their own family members (though exceptions have been made). This arrangement also leads to the promotion of family prayer that produces optimum spiritual growth for the individual family members as well as developing family unity and strength as a whole.
May God Bless your desire to meet His Mother!
Fr. Charles Becker – (815)-385-1575
If you would like to
write Medjugorje USA
email:info@medjugorjeusa.org