The pilgrimage really deepened my faith and revealed to me
how universal our Catholic Faith is. It was so powerful to be part of the
massive gatherings of hundreds of thousands of people at the place that our
Mother Mary appeared. Catholics from all parts of the world, all ages and walks
of life, joined together in singing ‘Ave Maria’ and created a sea of
candlelight. That is something that I will never forget—the faith displayed and
unity—it was beautiful. As wonderful as these large gatherings were to be a
part of, I think the more profound moments of the trip were in the quieter
times where our group of young men prayed together. Even the way we joined each
morning in a little chapel for morning prayers and song really touched me and I
found myself making my parents faith my own.
Recently I found a short paper I wrote not long after my
trip (no doubt as part of a school assignment) in which I gave a reporters style
perspective of one of my roommates on the trip. Following is what I wrote.
On August 2, 1994 fifteen year old
Michael Englert from Bartlett, Illinois, began a trip that would change his
life forever. He traveled to a town in Portugal called Fatima. It was here that in 1917 three shepherd
children Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco, were visited by the Blessed Virgin
Mary. She performed a miracle in which a
large crowd that had gathered saw the sun dance then fall toward the earth
before it returned to its regular place in the sky. Father Robert Fox led Englert and a group of
other young men on a pilgrimage to this sacred spot. The message he gave to the
boys when they got there, "Don't pass through Fatima, let Fatima pass
through you," echoed in Englert's mind as he glanced at the hilly, rocky
landscape and noticed the houses with red tile roofing.
Englert's days began at 7:00am with
his counselor knocking on the door of his hotel room and saying, "Praise
be Jesus Christ!" Englert would reply, "Now and Forever!" He had forty-five minutes to get washed up
and off to Morning Prayers. Each day of his nine day pilgrimage had different
outings planned, yet each day had routine meals, prayers, speakers, and free
time.
A place Englert really liked was
the Loca do Cabeco where an angel
appeared to three shepherd children. While touring the houses where children
had lived he got to shake hands with Jacinta and Francisco's brother, John, who
still lives in the Fatima area.
On the 12th of August Englert
helped lead the procession at the Cova. There was a tremendous sea of light as
thousands of people carrying candles prayed and sang to honor our Lady.
"In Portugal, I consecrate myself to our Lady and feel I can now help spread this message of
Peace," said Englert, who whether or not he is called into the priesthood,
believes that this pilgrimage has given him direction for his life.
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