PILGRIMAGE BROUGHT TOGETHER

By Michael H. Brown

Our pilgrimage to Medjugorje was tremendous. I know there are many who have been waiting for a report, and I apologize for the delay. It's been very busy. There were people from at least 15 different states on the trip, and from as far away as Hawaii and Argentina. Most had not been to Medjugorje before -- which made this trip special. After it was over our tour agent said she has never gotten more positive response, and so we intend on doing this again, probably next spring.

The route took us from JFK Airport in New York, where I was able to personally greet all in our travel group, to Vienna and then onward to Split, Croatia, and a bus ride down the gorgeous Adriatic Coast. Due to a limit on tickets, we were forced to travel in three different groups, something that fortunately will not happen next time, when we will be able reserve more tickets.

The first day we heard the seer Vicka Ivankovic speak, and among other things she expressed the crisis with youth and the need to reach them. "Our Lady is very preoccupied with the young people, because they are going through a very difficult time," she said. "Satan is using every moment seeking to destroy us, especially the young." But she emphasized that these moments are also moments of "great grace."

That was obvious by Medjugorje itself, which seemed like the old days. It was my sixth trip, and I had not felt this way at Medjugorje since 1991 -- before the war. I remember times during the war when I stood alone as the sole person in St. James Church during the day.

This time it was certainly different! We got there just after the 20th anniversary, and our guide, Miki 

It started out with the typical trials of pilgrimage. The first two nights roosters were keeping us up at all hours, and in all five of the pilgrim homes we were staying. It wasn't just roosters. It seemed like a cacophony of animals, and one pilgrim

Our pilgrims with seer Mirjana Dragivecic Soldo (minus our first group, who left two days earlier)

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