A Deo et Rege

Amazing words from a man whose trust in God through his actions should inspire us all:

The natural aversion to death and this incipient hope of immortality are illumined and brought to fulfillment by the Christian Faith, which both promises and offers a share in the victory of the Risen Christ: it is the victory of the One who, by his redemptive death, has set man free from death, the wages of sin (Rom. 6:23), and has given him the Spirit, the pledge of resurrection and of life (cf. Rom. 8:11). The certainty of future immortality and hope in the promised resurrection cast new light on the mystery of suffering and death, and fill a believer with the extraordinary capacity to trust fully in the plan of God.

From The Theology of the Body (Human Love in the Divine Plan) (pp. 546-567)

I have had the privilege of becoming a Catholic during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II. His amazing life has touched more than just me, but billions of others inside and outside of the Church. Millions are living free in the former Soviet Union because he stood fast against the wiles of communism and urged others to do the same. He has worked to promote better relations and understanding with Jews, Muslims, and other Christians, especially the Eastern Orthodox. He has consistently stood on the side of life, standing up, even when it was unpopular, for the unborn, the poor, and even convicted criminals. He has modeled a life of charity, integrity and holiness, prompting the Protestant Billy Graham to call him one of the greatest moral and spiritual leaders of the (20th) century. He is the only Pope many Catholics have known and we are immensely blessed to have him, even if for a little longer, as our spiritual leader.

Matt Drudge was premature and the Vatican confirms the Pope is still living. He still needs our prayers. I apologize for posting about this when it was still unconfirmed.

It looks like the condition of the Pope has become quite grave. I’ve tried to stay away from all the speculation about his condition that has occurred in recent weeks, but this looks quite bad. He has been such a warrior for the Truth all these years and he holds the admiration of billions, Catholics and non-Catholics alike for his fight against Communism, his work on behalf of life, and his personal holiness and integrity. May God grant him healing and peace.

Since it’s been awhile…part one is here.

Next we visited a beautiful grotto devoted to the Sorrowful Mother. I asked her to pray for me while visibly shivering because of the cold. We continued along the path. There were many smaller monuments to various Saints, all of them donated by faithful pilgrims. These and more tree shrines lined the windy path that led to the bigger and more elaborate grottoes. The first of these we encountered was a beautifully recreated Spanish design that housed a statue dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. I stayed for awhile at this grotto since it had special importance to me: I was engaged on her feast and she is the patroness of the Americas.

Next we visited some smaller grottoes, including ones dedicated to Our Lady of Czestochowa and Sts. Maria and Isodore. The first one is included because of the many Polish speaking pilgrims who come to the shrine. Ethnic pilgrimages are an important part of the shrine activities and they even provide services in various languages. Sts.  Isadore and Maria, however, represent the local culture. They are patron saints of farmers and at this grotto we said some prayers associated with that theme (provided by the shrine). It was great to see this Catholic recognition of rural life. Of course, the shrine itself is right in the midst of it!

After this, we moved along to the next major site, the Lourdes grotto. As a replica of Lourdes in France, it is one of the most impressive of all the grottoes. It was so cold, the water there was frozen! I would love to visit the real thing someday, if I can ever afford a tour of Europe!

Now we continued along the path, enjoying the scenery and getting into the spirit of the pilgrimage. I can attest that it’s easier to lift your mind to God in the midst of such wondrous nature. As we walked we noticed the beautiful stations of the cross markers as well as more tree shrines and monuments, including St. Catherine of Siena, the Paton saint of a very special person in my life. There was also a beautiful white crucifix that was especially moving since we were doing our pilgrimage during Holy Week. I noticed someone had put a rosary on it, which people had also done on many other statues. I’m not familiar with certain customs and it’s always great to learn more.

More to come…

Photo on left of Lourdes grotto; photos on right are tree shrine and Guadalupe grotto.
All photos taken by Jonathan Bennett