“The art of
the pilgrim is to travel light, needing only what one can carry. The secret
which makes this easy is that the real essentials can be carried in the heart
which has infinite capacity. The paradox is that the more richly laden is the
heart with worthwhile treasures, the more lighthearted is the pilgrim.”
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| "Welcome to our retreat!" |
On
Wednesday, June 8th, I, along with the young (and not so young)
adults of the Church of Scranton participating in the 2016 World Youth Day
pilgrimage to Poland gathered on retreat in order to get know each other, share
a meal, review the itinerary for the trip, and spiritually prepare our hearts
for this once-in-a-lifetime journey of faith.
St. John Paul II
St. Faustina Kowalska
Pray for us!
World
Youth Day, first held by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1986, gathers young
Catholics from every corner of the globe with religious, priests, bishops, and
the Holy Father. For six days, the young Church celebrates our common faith in Jesus
Christ. This year’s world-wide gathering takes place from July 25th-31st
in the city of Krakow and includes opportunities for catechesis, prayer,
cultural immersion, and the celebration of the Eucharist with Pope Francis. Even
though this will be my first time participating in World Youth Day, I find
myself extremely excited for this journey of faith.
The
group of pilgrims from the Diocese of Scranton will be led by Bishop Bambera and
includes Catholics of all walks of life. One retreat activity in particular
highlighted the similarities as well as the unique qualities of each of our
respective faith journeys. All of us were asked to describe how our own pair of
shoes represented the various paths that we have been walking in our
relationship with God. The different footwear – whether Army boots, stylish
sandals, or running sneakers – revealed the beauty of our diverse paths amidst
the unity of our shared faith in Jesus.
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| Shoes that pilgrims brought to the retreat |
Our
time together in retreat has allowed me to begin reflecting on the desires,
hopes, and prayers of my heart for this upcoming pilgrimage. First, I desire to
revel in the sights, sounds, and tastes of Poland and enjoy this opportunity with
my friends and fellow pilgrims. My hope is that my heart will be open enough to
see how it is that our God is at work in the lives, the cultures, and the faith
of the millions of other pilgrims gathered from throughout the world. And
finally, I pray that this pilgrimage will deepen my faith, that I will
appreciate how the grace, the love, the peace, and the mercy of the Lord Jesus
is active and ever-present in my own life.
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| Shannon Kowalski talked about her past two World Youth Day pilgrimages. |
These
heart-filled desires, hopes, and prayers will only begin to be realized as I
make the first step of faith with my fellow pilgrims!
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Ryan P. Glenn, a seminarian for the Diocese of Scranton, just finished Year III of Theology at St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland. Ryan has begun his Pastoral Year assignment at St. Matthew Parish, East Stroudsburg. There, he will be able to spend time in prayer, become familiar with the various ministries at the parish, and reside with the pastor, Father Jerry Shantillo, and incoming assistant pastor, Father Joseph Mosley.
He is from St. Jude Parish, Mountain Top.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Ryan P. Glenn, a seminarian for the Diocese of Scranton, just finished Year III of Theology at St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland. Ryan has begun his Pastoral Year assignment at St. Matthew Parish, East Stroudsburg. There, he will be able to spend time in prayer, become familiar with the various ministries at the parish, and reside with the pastor, Father Jerry Shantillo, and incoming assistant pastor, Father Joseph Mosley.
He is from St. Jude Parish, Mountain Top.