I had the blessing of going on a pilgrimage recently to Fatima, Portugal; Lourdes, France and Burgos, Barcelona and Monserrat, Spain. As I was praying about what to write about, the Holy Spirit gave me the word “childlike” as my theme. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but as I prayed and started writing it began to become clear.
First, though, a pilgrimage refers to a journey that can be done alone or with others. I was with a group of 40 women and men from my parish and we were blessed to be led by two priests. The experience of a pilgrimage with others of various ages and backgrounds is truly one of the gifts of the pilgrimage.
Back to childlikeness … I really felt like the Lord wanted me to just be open and receive like a little child as we visited the holy places — especially the places where Our Lady appeared to children. My desire was to be open to whatever was presented before me — to explore, discover, reflect, share and to give thanks with openness and childlike joy.
In Fatima, it was a visit to the humble homes of the three children of Fatima, who Our Lady appeared to, and we saw the fields where they kept their sheep. As I prayed, I tried to imagine what it must have been like for the children when Our Lady visited them.
They were surprised but not afraid. They were truthful in sharing with the authorities as their stories never changed. I was struck that Lucia and Jacinta could both hear and see Our Lady, but the youngest, Francisco, could only see her. He had to keep asking his sister and cousin, “What did the Lady say?” How hard that must have been!
Our Father knows us so much better than we know ourselves — perhaps Francisco would have been frightened hearing her voice. Our Lady revealed herself as the “Immaculate Conception’ and they did not know what that meant. Her name and her message were for the adults of that time and for us. Thanks be to God that the children brought us her message of love, repentance and faithfulness to prayer, especially the Rosary.
Six men from our group had the privilege of carrying the statue of Our Lady of Fatima in the candlelight Rosary procession one evening. I felt like a child running alongside them, praying and appreciating the beautiful presentation of Our Lady and the joy of the pilgrims. It was an extremely emotional event for the men, and for many of us pilgrims, as we united our hearts as one with Our Lady of Fatima.
In Lourdes, again, was a feeling of childlikeness. That was so easy as we moved between three basilicas to pray, to celebrate Mass daily in private chapels with our pastor and to give thanks. It was powerful to pray the Rosary in different languages with people from around the world. To pray at the Grotto where Our Lady spoke to St. Bernadette, to wash in the miraculous waters, to touch the Grotto rocks, to see the spring still bubbling up from the ground where St. Bernadette scratched at the earth and washed in the muddy waters in response Our Lady’s promptings.
I was so emotional as I entered the baths to formally lift my intentions to Our Lady and to wash in the miraculous waters. I had brought so many intentions with me and I was at peace that Our Lady lovingly carried each one to her Son. The nightly candlelit Rosary processions were a magnificent display of faith by pilgrims from around the world. I felt so free going before the Father giving thanks, praising and worshipping alongside others who love Jesus through Mary. The daily afternoon procession of the sick, in which hundreds of people in wheelchairs moved around the square with the assistance of so many volunteers, touched our hearts and it reminded me of the childlike qualities of humility, hope and trust that led them to make the difficult journey to Lourdes.
Finally, we made a visit to the Black Madonna in Monserrat, Spain. This was a special gift. I’d heard of the Black Madonna, but I didn’t know the story. The statue of Our Lady was discovered in a cave and placed in a small church. Many miracles have been attributed to praying before the statue that was found in the mountains. The Benedictine Monks build the sanctuary around the statue of Our Lady. The mountainous area of Monserrat, near Barcelona, Spain, is an amazing display of rock formations and beautiful valleys where clouds shift in and out throughout the day. As we entered into the serene mountain sanctuary, I was excited to explore. The moment before the statue of Our Lady brought tears of joy and peace as I gazed upon her beautiful black and gold countenance with wonder and awe.
When a pilgrimage ends, it is bittersweet. It’s wonderful to be back home. Now there is time for reflection, sharing stories with others and pondering the spiritual messages that we received. Whether your pilgrimage is abroad or you go to your local parish church for a Holy Hour, I pray that you are blessed with a childlike spirit of wonder and awe at the glorious gift of our faith and the endless riches of our Church and communion with the saints and our brothers and sisters in Christ.
