Our Hearts Were Raised in Gratitude June 16 to the Virgin in Częstochowa
A Meditation On Our Pilgrimage to Jasna Góra
For the 150th Jubilee Year Celebration of our Congregation recently, some of the Sisters from the North American Province travelled to our motherhouse in Wielowieś, in the southeast part of Poland.
On May 19, our Sisters gathered in the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki, Cracow, in Poland.
Then on Saturday, June 16, our Sisters gathered at a jubilee vigil at the famous Shrine of Częstochowa, at the feet of Our Lady — Our Mother. The words, “Mary, I put you as the guardian of my dedication…,” which were spoken by Our Foundress, the Venerable Servant of God, Mother Kolumba, sounded in the hearts of our Sisters at that time.
Not all of us around the world could be present physically, but we felt that each of us made a pilgrimage spiritually to Częstochowa. We went to the shrine to thank, to apologize, to beg, and to praise God for His work.
Begin Anew
During the night, we stood, knelt and bowed our heads, wrapped in the words of the Holy Rosary as the beads hung from our hands … we made a sincere request for an inner conversion and to begin anew with Christ. And we expressed our gratitude for God’s call and for all those whom God in His generosity has put in our way.
As on Mount Tabor — it’s good for us to be here! And as the Apostles did — after beholding our Lord’s glory, we must come down from the mountain and go on, so that we may not keep this experience of his Love for ourselves alone. We must do this to bring to the world and to each other the good news of God’s presence — His Real Presence, hidden in the inconspicuous daily Bread that He provides for us…
“Hide us, Mary, in the Heart of your Son,” were the words of devotion of our Sisters after this experience.
