Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Canadian Pilgrimage

 
 
SAINT BROTHER ANDRÉ
Oratory of Saint Joseph
 
He was a small man – not overly educated –
always delicate – precarious health.
He knew his weaknesses –
but always told people – he prayed without cease.
With the years, prayer overcame
weaknesses. People noticed something –
came to talk with him – shared
their problems of life – looked for advice.
Many came physically sick – Brother André
healed them. With time, many healings occurred.
He became known as a healer. Those healed, left their
crutches – medical wrappings behind.
Brother André had a dream –
he loved St. Joseph – wanted a basilica
in his honor.
For years, he travelled far and wide –
amassing funds for a basilica.
He never saw it finished – but
knew it would be one day.
It was completed after his death – I am sure
he is happy to see his dream
come true. Each year, thousands
come to visit and honor St. Joseph –
touch the tombstone of Brother André.
Newspapers estimate – one million people
came to his wake and funeral.
Brother André touched many
people’s lives – still does today.
Crowds come to the basilica – touch his
tombstone. He continues his work –
sign of life in a desperate world.
Robert Trabold
 
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CANADIAN PILGRIMAGE
Robert Trabold
 
 
            At the beginning of September, I had the opportunity to make a two week pilgrimage to Québec, Canada visiting the various shrines along the St. Lawrence River. It was a contemplative pilgrimage because I went by myself and not with a group; I tried to be for most part silent in my visits to the various shrines. I repeated my usual mantra and watched my breathing in order to touch God’s presence. In Québec city, I visited the burial chapel of Mary of the Incarnation, a remarkable and relatively unknown mystic who reached the heights of contemplative prayer. To me she was the Theresa of Avila of North America. I spent two days of silence there not saying too much because I knew that Mary knew all the problems that I brought on this trip and the problems of my world. I then drove to Trois Rivières where I visited the famous shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary who appeared there to several people in the 19th century. Over the years, the place became very famous and many people went there. The shrine was situated on the vast and mighty St. Lawrence River. The sky is very blue in that part of the world and makes the river also deep blue. For this reason, I have called this area Mary’s country because of the intense blue in nature. I was silent and felt God’s presence in the lovely setting of the church on the banks of the river. I spent many hours of silent prayer in the ancient chapel where the apparitions of the Virgin took place. I felt her presence acutely which gave me confidence that she was happy that I made such a long trip and would remember my concerns and the problems of the world and bring us more peace. The interior of the basilica on the grounds was very beautiful and the dim atmosphere from the deep red and blue stained glass windows gave an aura of mystery which led me into silent prayer.
            The last leg of my pilgrimage was five days spent in Montréal where I visited various shrines. I went to one of the most celebrated Canadian ones, the Oratory of Saint Joseph, which had the burial chapel of St. Brother André. The latter was a remarkable man. People came from all over the world to talk to him about their problems and he had the gift of healing them from their physically aliments. The church walls had many of the crutches that people have left behind upon their cure. At the time of his death, the newspapers reported that one million people came to his wake and funeral. I felt the power of this saint when I was in his burial chapel and touched with other people the marble of his tomb stone. There was an acute silence in that room which lead me to believe that Brother André was there and was aware of all my problems and those of the world. I did not say many words but just let the silence touch me and lead me into the presence of the divine. In contemplative prayer, silence is the language of God. I also had the opportunity to visit a lovely chapel devoted to St. Padre Pio, a modern structure and very beautiful in the interior. Like the Marian shrine in Trois Rivières, it was situated in lovely grounds which added to its sense of holiness. I was very touched by the statue of Padre Pio to the right of the altar and felt a great silence coming from it. He was a man like Saint Brother André who touched many people helping them with their problems and healing them of their infirmities. I sat there many hours in silence repeating my mantra and watching my breathing. I intensely felt the presence of the saint and Jesus. It gave me confidence that they have not forgotten us and would bring more justice and peace to our world.
            In making this pilgrimage to a foreign country and distant from my home in New York City, I was physically away from my daily life and concerns.  In this distance, a space opened up where Jesus then was able to enter into and was with me in silence. Prayer was not too difficult and although distractions never left me, I was able to rest in silence and meet the Beloved Jesus who was happy that I made the effort to visit these holy places in a distant land. He entered this space which the pilgrimage made and both of us met. It was presence meeting presence and I met Jesus, the Virgin and the saints in a special way.
            This intense encounter with the divine and the saints reminded me also that this journey would end after two weeks and that I would continue in the future my pilgrimage of life. I came back home and my life with all its joys and concerns were there. I realized that my years on earth were a pilgrimage and I was travelling on to my eternal home. The earth was not my true home but a temporary one. I hope that in my journey on earth, the encounters that I had with Jesus and the saints in Québec, Canada, will give me the strength and faith to continue on this trip. I need to be faithful each day to my practice of contemplative prayer and be active to make our world more of a place of justice and peace.
 
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