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MICENTER PILGRIMAGES FROM LAS VEGAS
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PILGRIMAGE from LAS VEGAS TO IRELAND AND MEDJUGORJE - SEPTEMBER 27, 2011 - OCTOBER 10, 2011
Fr. Frank Yncierto, Spiritual Director
PILGRIMAGE IMAGES
PEACE, PEACE, PEACE and only PEACE!
Pilgrims in Medjugorje and Ireland
We stayed at the Daughters of Charity, Mary's Hostel, Shrine of Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland
Pilgrims at the Holy Mountain of St. Patrick in Ireland where they climbed part way and gathered at the Shrine at the base of the mountain of Our Lady, Queen of Peace of Medjugorje. You can see the top of the mountain through the glass that encloses Our Blessed Mother's statue.
PILGRIMAGE from LAS VEGAS TO IRELAND AND MEDJUGORJE - SEPTEMBER 27, 2011 - OCTOBER 10, 2011
Fr. Frank Yncierto, Spiritual Director
Pilgrims in Medjugorje and Ireland
We stayed at the Daughters of Charity, Mary's Hostel, Shrine of Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland
Pilgrims at the Holy Mountain of St. Patrick in Ireland where they climbed part way and gathered at the Shrine at the base of the mountain of Our Lady, Queen of Peace of Medjugorje. You can see the top of the mountain through the glass that encloses Our Blessed Mother's statue.
Perla's Witness
(Grace and Perla were the group leaders for
Medjugorje pilgrimage. Pilgrims went first to Our Lady of Knock in Ireland for the
outstanding, heavenly preparation for the pilgrims journey to the Oasis of
Peace in Medjugorje: the following is the firsthand account from Perla )
It was a first time for me to travel and stay with Marian Pilgrimages. The stay
with them was exceptional. I would definitely go back in a heartbeat and stay with
them again. I found the program offered as a whole to be excellent, the guides truly
exceptional. Our lovely hosts, the food and service of the Pansion of Marina, her husband Mile and their precious family
were far and above of what I have experienced in 25 years of going. We found when we got there that Marina was just recovering from cancer surgery and still she served us untiringly! Truly, a great witness for us.
I have never in my whole life met such an outstanding group of people as the
Irish...Loving, caring, hospitable and a great sense of humor, so funny! I love
Ireland, the Irish and have grown a deeper respect for David Parkes! To see his
spiritual growth through all the years of knowing him was great to experience on a
personal level. I met his lovely, beautiful family for the first time which was a
great blessing for me. He is doing a great work for the Lord and Our Lady in
Medjugorje; how blessed we are to have such friends in Christ.
Some of the sights and talks were new for me. (NOTE: This was Perla's 25th
visit) I especially liked going to the St. Anthony Shrine, to give thanks and
praise to this memorable Saint for the specialness of all in our group and the exceptional blessings we were all experiencing. All the intentions we brought with us, written and spoken, especially the very sick that we left behind, those recovering from serious illnesses we carried so specially in our hearts. I can't believe how God sent us so many guardian angels both in Ireland and Medjugorje to lead us and help us out when we were in
need. And very grateful for the guardian angels we left behind praying for us!!! Absolutely amazing to me.
One of them was a Franciscan Nun who was on the grounds of this place when we
were getting ready to leave. I needed to get a hold of Sr. Janja, a good friend of
ours for many years, especially to give her Monsignor's biography booklet. I went up
to her and asked if she knew where Sr. Janja was and to my surprise she pointed to
just down the street a few blocks away and said she sees her everyday. I
introduced myself and showed her Monsignor's recent, published booklet. (There is a picture of Monsignor and Sr. Janja on the back cover standing before the beautiful banner of Our Lady Queen of Peace that had been created for our 1992 Conference in Las Vegas and then blessed in Rome, transported to Medjugorje after which was given to her. This large banner is now hanging in their convent, next to the Chapel. Sister Janja is special to him and to us.
She was delighted to hear this and to see Sr. Janja's picture on the back cover. She asked me to write a note to sister and she would
give it to her personally. She said Sr. Janja was going to be very happy to receive
it. Wow!!! Mission accomplished!
The two nights in Dublin for myself were great and allowed us to rest up for our
long journey back home. Very special was having a lovely Holy Mass in our Hotel the morning of our free day with a group of pilgrims who was returning to Boston; later that Sunday afternoon, we attended the Holy Mass at St. Therese Church of the Child Jesus. Being an OCDS and having gotten my vocation through Medjugorje in the early years, this was certainly a very special blessing for me in being able to pray for and once again give God thanks for my vocation and our OCDS Carmelite Community in Las Vegas. A most beautiful way to end in thanksgiving and send off for sure. We were also able to visit the White Frairs Catholic Church where the relics of St. Valentine are located and visit Our Lady of Dublin and St. Valentine shrines. On our return to the hotel, another blessing and surprise visit from Imelda (a beautiful Irish Lady we met on our last journey to Ireland in February 2011 - a wondrous & marvelous conversion story!) Lastly, we ended our pilgrimage with a wonderful dinner and sharing was "tops". All the above was for me icing on the cake! Everyone had nothing but great blessings to share! I was deeply touched by Father Frank when he also surprised us with something
really incredible that happened to him as a result of being in Medjugorje this time!
I was deeply humbled by all of you and the special Irish pilgrims in our house! You were an exceptional group and
shall never forget your loving concern for me. I had been pick-pocketed the 2nd day I was in Medjugorje. My wallet with money and belongings
could all be replaced but all the love, concern, generosity and old and new
friendships could never be replaced, but have only deepened. A greater good comes
out of everything.
In a special way we want to thank you our many brothers and sisters in Christ that stayed behind praying for us! And to Monsignor Franzinelli, our paternal Spiritual Director and founder of our Center, for his untiring and selfless giving of himself in prayer for all of us, DAILY. We thank Fr. Frank for his generosity of time and prayer and guiding us during these 14 days. It was everyone's prayers that helped us the most. They sustained and supported us, allowing us to receive so many blessings to bring them back to you. Each of you have a special place in my heart and prayers for life. Your kindness, generosity, prayers and love are my greatest gift. From the,
deepest part of my heart - Thank you!
J.M.+J.T.
Love and prayers,
Perla
TESTIMONIES OF PAST PILGRIMAGES
FATIMA, SPAIN, LOURDES, MAY 9TH - MAY 18, 2010 with Fr. Vannetti, Divine Mercy Fathers.
As always we thank Stefanie, our agent at 206 Tours and Milanka. As the spew of ashes from the volcano in Iceland was playing havoc, we continued our delayed flight to Paris, knowing full well that we were in the hands of our Lord Jesus and Our Blessed Mother as we did not know when we would arrive in Fatima. Air France made the O/N hotel accommodations for us. Upon our arrival we knew that the skies were clear in Portugal and we would leave the following day. To make this stay in France special, a group of us went to the Eiffel Tower that evening, after a sumptuous meal at the hotel. Very early the following morning, a few of us went to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, where we were able to pray the Morning Prayers with the nuns and then we went to visit the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal where the apparition of our Blessed Mother to St. Catherine Laboure took place. There we were able to meditate and pray at the tomb of the incorruptible body of St. Catherine and the remains of St. Louise de Marillac. LAS VEGAS MEDJUGORJE PILGRIMAGE OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 6TH, 2008 with REV. MUGAGGA LULE, ST. PETER THE APOSTLE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND DIOCESAN VOCATIONS DIRECTOR as SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR First of all, thanks once again to Stefanie Meyer of 206 Tours for making this spiritual and blessed journey so thoughtfully planned for us and to dear Milanka for "putting up with us" with such graciousness and care. This pilgrimage could not have been possible without her OK - because of an illness and passing of Perla's beloved Mother, Lucy, we made the decision to postpone and finally we were able to complete what we had hoped in October. Of course, having Slavenka as our Tour Escort and beloved friend is beyond "par excellance" and then to have Dragun as our Tour Escort for Sarajevo was more than we could have imagined. Our Blessed Mother spoiled us completely as undeserving as we may be. We thank and praise God in all things!
Enjoy the pictures. JUST RETURNED IN OCTOBER 2007 FROM MEDJUGORJE, DUBROVNIK AND ROME. HERE'S WHAT THEY SAY. From: Jean LoGiudice Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007
8:22 AM
To: Stefanie Meyer Cc: Mirla Dissette; Perla Saenz; Msgr. Ben Franzinelli Our Dubrovnik stay was also perfect: the room and food at the Argosy and our poking around the old town was a nice, quiet interlude before returning home. From: Perla Saenz Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 1:36 PM Dear Milanka and Stefanie,
Thank you for an exceptional spiritual experience. Our Medjugorje guide Slavenka is phenomenal. In all my experiences with several guides in Medjugorje, all being very good ones. I personally have not experienced the exceptional and exemplary performance of a guide as I have with Slavenka. So much so that we all want her to come to Las Vegas; she has been invited. She is a pearl, always has a smile and ready to serve our every need no matter what the need. If I had to compare her with one of the visionaries it would be Vicka, (unconditional love and untiring service with a delightful smile).
I have always stayed with a family which I prefer, however, I must say that I was exceedingly surprised at how much I enjoyed the Villa Regina Hotel. Especially having the beautiful view of St. James, praying the Angelus to the toll of the bells every morning. Not to mention the view of cross mountain and apparition hill, (between the mountains) where it all began. A new experience for me which I will definitely repeat again.
After Medjugorje to come to the heart and soul of our faith, Rome, "THE VATICAN" was awesome. To visit the core of our faith in all its beauty and richness and a chance to see, hear and to be blessed in person by our beloved Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI is a treasure to behold forever in my heart. Coming from the perfect peace of Medjugorje. "Rome" truly was a challenge to now put into practice what Our Lady has asked of us in Medjugorje. In all it was a wonderful, extraordinary spiritual experience for me.
Thank you 206 tours for all you did for us in making this pilgrimage an unforgettable spiritual experience of the highest quality. God bless you!
+J.M.J. These are the personal
stories from participants of pilgrimages sponsored by the Marian Information Center
of Las Vegas: Updated: 13 September, 2005
Immediately we went back to the hotel, picked up our luggage and departed for the airport in Paris for our flight at 4 p.m. We were very tired but happy pilgrims! When we arrived in Lisbon, 206 Tours had arranged for a private car to take us to Fatima were our tour escort, Jesus, was waiting for us. We had a late dinner and then headed to the holy ground in Fatima where the Basilica, Capelhina and new Church are. Once you step in that huge piazza, it is Church. The evening procession had started and the multitude of faithful were arriving for the blissful event of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI to be the following day (12th) and the celebration of the Holy Mass of May 13th. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims filled the Church and we were blessed to be there. After the Holy Mass and lunch, we departed for Salamanca, Spain - joyful and exhausted. Our escort, Jesus, is a kind and very knowledgeable and organized man and made our journey thoroughly enjoyable and comfortable. During the bus ride in first-class comfort, we prayed, then settled down to either snooze or watch the movie on Pope John Paul II, titled Karol.
Our accommodation in Salamanca was outstanding and dinner waiting upon our arrival. After our overnight, we left for Alba de Tormes and then Avila. This was incredulous for me for I thought because we had stayed longer in Fatima that our visits to these sacred sites of St. Theresa of Avila might be curtailed. Not at all because the days were long and bathed in daylight and this is where I cannot say enough about what Jesus did for the group - we had the Holy Mass at the Convent in Alba Tormes where the tomb of St. Teresa lies, high behind the Altar. We had enough time, never hurried, to visit both places with guides who shared. We overnighted in Burgos, another delicious dinner and then the following day to Lourdes, via Loyola where we visited the Basilica of the great Saint, Ignatius. Again, we celebrated the Holy Mass at the crypt and venerated the Holy Relics of the Saint. We left with a wonderful sense of the faithful servant and then off to Lourdes with another film shown on the bus on St. Bernadette. Crossing the Prynees mountains was beautiful. We arrive in plenty of time for the moving procession and Mass at the underground Basilica for the Sick. The Choir was ethereal and as the sick in wheelchairs, carts, litters entered - one is so humbled by the faith of these spiritual children of God!
Our pilgrimage continued with Masses, prayer, processions, baths, confessions, visits ... We arrived back in the United States without being diverted elsewhere - the volcano had settled down and our thoughts were immersed in what we had just witnessed and participated. A beautiful and holy pilgrimage. Thank you to the staff of 206 Tours for the wonderful accomodations with meals and wines, the celebration of Father's ordination anniversary, renewal of marriage vows, birthdays and to our spiritual director, Fr. Vannetti!
Subject: Medjugorje and Dubrovnik "MICLV group"
Stefanie, Please know that everything was wonderful, especially our Medjugorje guide, Slavenka. This was our fourth pilgrimage and our second with 206, and my husband and I agree that Slavenka is a treasure, pure and simple. Never have we experienced such an exceptional guide, and she took care endlessly of our every need and question, be it hotel stuff or travel and site questions.
We were also delighted to be at the Villa Regina instead of at a local's home. However wonderful that experience would have been, my husband's knees needed the benefits of an elevator, and of course the view of St. James Church and Cross Mountain from our room for six wonderful days has no price.
Thank you and everyone at 206.... we are so happy to have traveled with you. Jean LoGiudice
To: stefanie@206tours.com
Subject: Medjugorje and Rome MICLV
Forever grateful,
Perla
Spain, Lourdes, and Italy - May 2003 | Carmel of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, July 2000
| Fatima, May 2000
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