St. Maximillian erected a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary outside of the wooden chapel where we had Mass -- first thing he did when he arrived. For more pictures of their humble beginnings, get the book, "A Man for Others."
Posted on 06/26/2006 5:46:27 PM PDT by NYer
Freeper, Salvation, has just returned from a whirlwind tour of christian sites in the East. While I can only speak for myself, I am sure there are others who would like to learn more about where she traveled, as well as her experiences. While getting herself re-aclamated to US time, let's all welcome Salvation back home and to the FreeRepublic Forum. We are all indebted to you, Salvation, for your daily Mass Reading posts and the lives of the saints.
Please post your messages to this thread and let's hope Salvation will post her exciting experience to the forum.
Welcome Home!
Thanks for posting your story.
Thrilled that you got to see this most incredible country with its persistance in keeping the faith. We will have to return there soon, to the southeastern part to settle more family affairs, it appears. Where travel to other countries holds less enthusiasm to us weary travelers these days, a trip to Poland is a religious experience not to be missed.
You've been to Niepokalanow????
Gosh, a pitty I didn't know, as it's maybe 40 km from the place where I live!!!
We could've meat in live, not only online :-)))
Yes, we were there. Stopped for Mass at the end of the day' the museum had already closed -- bah!
Then our bush took us back to Novotel Centrum -- what a modern place!
Welcome home!
**a trip to Poland is a religious experience not to be missed.**
Couldn't agree with you more. The country is filled with Catholics!
Yes, A-fan, it was an incredible and touching sight -- especially to see our priest and other pilgrims from our group doing it. I had tears in my eyes.
Thanks, it's always wonderful to come home. Stayed tuned tonight for my account of what touched me most at Auscwitz and Birkeneau.
**Then our bush**
LOL! I meant bus!
But Bush was in Hungary while we were there. He had been in Vienna too.
I haven't been back since--want to visit someday, but I didn't decide when.
However what I was thinking when reading your posts was that it's a shame that Orthodox and Catholics are still can't find a common ground. I am a secular person. My mother is ethnic Russian and nominally she's Orthodox, although she distruts any official religion and does not attend church. My father is Russian/Ukrainian Jew but also non-religios.
Having a Russian/Jewish background growing up in largely eastern Catholic Ukrainian Lviv, but in nominally atheist fmr. USSR (Ukraine was then part of USSR) created a very peculiar background for my philosophical mindset -:)))
Currently, I chose to stay secular and neither practice Christianity, nor Judaism. Nevertheless, I believe that Judaico-Christian civilization is the best that exists in the world with all the wrongs its committed.
I find it's shameful that ex-Christian Europe (with a few welcome exceptions of countries like Poland) is hostile to Israel when Israel is not only a state of small but great Nation of historically viciously persecuted people fighting once again for its survival, but it's also a first line of defense against Islamic Barbarism. I find it's shameful that many officials in Orthodox Church of Russia still view Catholics as enemies although some welcome signs of cooperation on a few important issues facing Christian world today (i.e. "Gay Marriage") is taking place.
Here is a great article by Robert Spencer The Last Day of the World of what happened when Orthodox and Catholics failed to cooperate properly in the past. The end result was the Ottoman Empire took Byzantian Constantinople in May 29, 1453, massacred its Christian inhabitants and turned the magnificent cathedral of Hagia Sofia into a mosque. While I have nothing against modern Turkey and wish it to remain more or less Westernized, Civilized and non-Islamized country, the events of more than 5 centuries ago should serve as a stark warning what happens when Christians fight each other and persecute their elder brothers (in words of John Paul II) Jews instead of standing together against the real barbarism.
Beautiful pictures. Thank you so much. Do visit Poland -- it is worth it!
I share your thoughts and sentiments about the persecution of Israel and the Catholic Church. These roots are here to stay, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. (See today's Gospel in the Daily Readings thread!)
France and UK sold out Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany at Munich conference. The Czechoslovaks surrendered without fight knowing that they cannot count for any help from the west.
Welcome back :)
"However what I was thinking when reading your posts was that it's a shame that Orthodox and Catholics are still can't find a common ground."
I would say that's rather Poles vs. Russians and Serbs vs. Croats in case of Balkans than Orthodox vs. Catholics in general.
Thanks, Wiz
Welcome back! :)
Thanks, enjoy the thread about my travels.
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