Radio Maria England’s Pilgrimage to Medjugorje 2022

Radio Maria England’s Pilgrimage to Medjugorje 2022

Radio Maria England, with the help of Joe Walsh Tours, led a pilgrimage to Medjugorje from England from September 15th through September 22nd.  Below are some reflections from a few of the pilgrims that attended the trip.

Reflections from Mary Lee

It felt like coming home, returning to Medjugorje after four long years.

As I sat outside waiting for the evening Croatian Mass to start, the sense of peace enveloped my whole being. Every pilgrimage here holds certain memories. Our Queen had died and early in the morning, on the day of the funeral, I joined a small Scottish group of pilgrims to climb Cross Mountain. We set off before sunrise and as we climbed, I prayed my Rosary for the repose of her soul and the souls of the many others I was bringing to Medjugjore who had died over the years.

The beauty of Medjugorje is we have space and time to pray and reflect more then we would back home. Not only does Our Lady encourage us in her messages to go to Confession often, but also, so did Fr Leon in his mini reflections before the English Mass.  “Try to go to Confession on your pilgrimage,” he said. There is something extra special in saying your Confession outside in the open air under the Church spires and the beautiful skies of Medjugorje.

I had a wonderful experience this year when the priest hearing my Confession was just about to give me absolution and the time clocked 5.40pm when Our Lady appeared to Ivan and all was still amongst the pilgrims.  The priest prayed over me at this time in silence during this sacred time.  What a blessing!

Our group of Radio Maria pilgrims were like an extended family, all to experience Our Lady Queen of Peace and to give peace and joy to one another. Thank you, Our Lady, and thank you, fellow pilgrims.

Reflections from an anonymous Pilgrim

It is difficult to find words which can adequately describe the experience of Medjugorje. My experience was intensely personal and individual. However, I know that Our Lady, Our Mother, Queen of Peace wants to speak to all of us, and to help us become closer to her dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.  At Medjugorje we are supported and assisted by the ever giving and gracious priests and religious, by the witness of our fellow pilgrims, the confessionals, the shrines, adoration, Holy Mass, the Rosary, the landscape and its people. All of this provides glimpses of heaven, and by grace a healing process can further develop to assist us on our life’s journey.

  Glimpses of Heaven

I came, I saw, but was conquered

Surrendered, captured, but liberated

Welcomed and comforted, by Our Lord and King

In the land where heaven meets the Earth

Invited by His gracious Mother

Our Lady Queen of Peace

To the foot of the Blue Cross

Where I laid down my burdens

And was enveloped with love

And her maternal embrace

I saw what to me

Were her tears of joy, and a smile so sweet

That it cracked my stony heart

Wide open

From thence came forth a stream of joy

And a wondrous peace

And I heard His voice say, Come Follow me

And l did

Leaving one life for another

The Joy of our pilgrimage to Medjugorje in 2022 from Christopher McEwen

My joyful return to Medjugorje began with the first sight of the Cross on Krizevac (Cross Mountain),and continued with our warm welcome from the faithful community and guides. I was back at last.

What joy that despite operations on both my knees this year, I managed to pray the Rosary on Apparition Hill and to complete the Stations of the Cross on Krizevac. I have always found climbing Cross Mountain very spiritual and this time was no different. At the 10^th station when my body was tiring, my emotions were fired up by the thought of the anguished offense to Christ our King being brutally stripped and the Holy Spirit lifted me through the last stations to the top.

I found a blessed place to meditate close to our hotel. This joyful discovery was a votive chapel near the ruined Church that had recently been beautifully restored. It had become the “Chapel of Life” with a statue of Our Lady Queen of Peace holding the baby Jesus.

When I was diverted from the Blue Cross early one morning by two busloads of Italians, I changed direction and went instead to the spiritual chapel in Oasis of Peace. I was soon enveloped by nuns and priest joyfully chanting their morning office. The following morning with Nessa, Teresa and Kathleen we experienced a moving mass in this chapel.

The powerful testimony of Immaculee about her survival from the genocide and forgiveness in Rwanda was full of hope and yes, even joyful.

This year, wherever I went, I carried a bundle of “Spiritual Pilgrim Cards” with prayers and intentions from my parish community. Whilst I felt a burden of responsibility, I also felt a real joy at being able to share my pilgrimage remotely using WhatsApp.

My brief thoughts on our 2022 pilgrimage would not be complete without recognition of the joyful and helpful Christian fellowship in the group. Whether it was a chat during a meal or a shared rosary walking towards Apparition Hill, all my fellow pilgrims helped to make it a very special pilgrimage this year.

Encounter Jesus through Mary Reflection from Kathleen Too

“Thank you for having responded to my calls”, says Our Lady of Medjugorje in her messages. My initial thought upon joining this pilgrimage is Mother Mary is calling, so I must go there. Arriving at the shrine after a very long and tiring journey from Cambridge (with a lost priest, broken bus with uncomfortable replacement bus and journey diversion due to a road accident…), I arrived at the shrine looking for Mother Mary to pour my heart out. The air was still and >2000 people gathered for the daily mass. The chaplet of peace after mass (the apostle creed, 7×Our father, Hail Mary & Glory Be) was new to me. Then came the strong wind, changing moody skies, then the stillness of the place in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. This was accompanied by the flashes of light but no thunder nor rain. I was thinking that the Holy Spirit is coming like in the Acts of the Apostles. The next day, I felt the calling for confession(s). On the faces of all the people receiving confession, I could sense relief, comfort, and even joy. Rain or shine >thirty priests gave their time to hear confessions from 5pm to very late at night. I was emotional for >five hours having been given the message from two priests that “Jesus loves you”. I was also fortunate enough to come across a charismatic Franciscan priest, Fr Hayden from Malta, during the candlelight rosary (arranged by Joe Walsh Tours every Sunday at 8pm in Medjugorje). I stayed behind wanting to thank him for his beautiful singing. Fr Hayden gave us a blessing with imposition of hands and the heat that emanated with electricity flowing to the heart was incredible. It almost felt like my heart skipped a beat or else i was having a heart attack by the Holy Spirit. I was filled with joy, with tears and healing. I just wanted to bottle up the feeling. The climbing of the Apparition Hill, blue cross and a stop to the oasis of peace added to the experience. I would recommend that everyone come to Medjugorje to answer Mother Mary’s calls for prayers, rosary, confession, mass, adoration, and fasting. She says: “If you knew how much I love you, you’d cry for joy”. Come and find out for yourself!