POLAND

Okay folk. It's pretty ridiculous that I am now in the states writing about my adventures in Europe. I apologize. Hopefully I can whip out the last few trips I haven't mentioned yet and then I can actually tell you how the Lord worked in me this past semester. For me, and maybe for you, that'll be more exciting. But until then...let's go to Poland!

Poland was a school trip so again we took the buses. It was actually our first long bus trip - it took ten hours to get to Chestohova from Gaming. When we arrived it was six in the morning and we all stumbled off the buses to go see the unveiling of the image of the black madonna. It was a really incredible experience I must say. The Image has survived many thefts and battles and has a miraculous story. The church walls that enclose it are covered with braces, crutches and what not from people who have been healed. Mary is awesome.
           

The seminary

       While in Poland we got a tour of Krakow which turned out to be one of my all time favorite cities. It is beautiful. One of the cool things we got to see there was the seminary where John Paul II studied! I was also able to help lead music with my music ministry team for one of the daily Masses while we were in Poland which was an incredible experience. We also went to a Latin Mass while we were there and it brought me to tears. The Latin Mass is so dear to my heart for multiple reasons. I shed tears that morning because Latin Mass is the Mass that I usually attend at home with my family and so I was reminded of them. Also my mom always says, "see you in the Eucharist." I felt so connected to my family whom I was a million miles away from in a different country on a different continent in a different time zone with at least an 8 hour plane ride away from. Also the Latin Mass in Poland that morning reminded me of how truly universal the Catholic Church is. Amazing. Only the one true Church can be that universal.

Maximillian Kolbe's Cell

       One of the most incredible experiences I had while I was in Poland was when we took a tour of Auschwitz. I expected to be in tears during the tour remembering the many times I learned about it in history class and in all the books I had read and movies I'd seen about the holocaust. But my eyes were dry as can be on that beautiful, breezy, blue skied day. We saw the gas chambers, the cells - including Maximillian Kolbes, the shoes, the hair, the people's personal belongings they thought they would be able to keep when they were forced to move from their homes, the braces, prosthetic arms and legs, and crutches,  the luggage, and the execution wall. All from one of the most horrific and unjust historical events in the history of all time. And as I saw the place where these beautiful children of God suffered for Him and as I sympathized and prayed for them I recalled the religious injustice going on in my own home country with the push for contraceptives and excessive abortions. Millions upon millions of Gods beautiful, and innocent children are dying daily for Him. Maybe they're not dying because they've said they're His willing followers but I believe they are a testament to His love and mercy and power and will because they are His creation and His gift and they are stripped of their right to life before they even have a voice. We are experiencing a holocaust today people. Auschwitz is still active in those abortion clinics and condoms and birth control pills. Frightening, huh?

The execution wall

I guess the reason I didn't cry that day was because I was severely numbed by the disgust and shock I was experiencing. But evil will not prevail. Justice will reign -  that's why I was able to have a tour of Auschwitz and see the crematoriums empty and years out of use. I pray that one day all abortion clinics will be inactive one day as well.

The Divine Mercy 

        We also went to the Divine Mercy Shrine of Saint Faustina. We saw Saint Faustina's relics and were able to venerate them. We prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet in the little chapel there as well as had Mass there. We heard a talk about Sister Faustina from a sister of Mercy. It was a beautiful and prayerful experience.

Wadowice

     


       On the last day we were able to go to Wadowice - John Paul the Great's home town! We went in the church and ate "Pope cake" in the square and explored the small town. It was a short stop but on a gorgeous day to a very beautiful place.


      

  So those were all the great places I went but there was something that I did in Poland that I believe was my "Poland moment." From the people who have gone on this program before me, I've heard that Poland is a life changing place but you can't really look for the change you just have to see what happens. So of course I was looking and all the major, incredible places, although they were amazing and I certainly grew because of them, were not it. Going to a wild club in Krakow one night was when something in me changed. Everyone dolled up, drank up, and grabbed taxis to go to Club Fashion for the night. Now we'd heard that the clubbing in Poland was awesome and being the group we were of course we wanted to have a great time - myself included! But that night as I was dancing franciscan style :) with all my friends I realized something about the environment. I realized something that happens to my wonderful friends changed when we were there and I didn't like it. I didn't like the people I was suddenly surrounded by and I didn't like who I was when I walked into that club. So yes, I danced and I drank and it wasn't a terrible time but it wasn't exactly what I would call fun. Maybe I was just in a funk that night or maybe clubs just aren't for me and it was simply a personal opinion I finally cued into. But what I realized was that in that environment I desire attention and not exactly the kind of attention that makes people view me as a woman of God. 

The environment makes me desire everything that had brought me down in the past before - a skinny body, popularity before holiness, talents that the Lord just hasn't blessed me with because He has a different plan for me, boy's attention - the kind who aren't worthy of me...silly things that are the complete opposite of everything that I stand for. So after my mood slowly faded from joyful to anxty and annoyed - which could have easily been fixed by intoxication - I decided to leave. I decided I hated clubbing. Now if you've read my other travel posts you will have realized I went dancing in Paris and I'll admit that was after this trip to Poland. But it was different for some reason. The people I was with were confident in themselves and did not change when they walked into the bar. Even the french men were fairly respectful - although they also treated me and my girl friends like celebrities. And it wasn't a club - it was a bar :). (I like the cozy bar/pub atmosphere so much better then a vibrant yet dark night club.) Being that Austria seems to have a theme of finding yourself, Poland helped me realize that clubs are just not for me and actually aren't a healthy environment for me to be in.

Next up...ROMANIA! I'm really excited to tell y'all about this one and then my pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi - stay posted!


Food for thought: "Much later, when I understood what perfection was, I realised that to become a saint one must suffer a great deal, always seek what is best, and forget oneself. I understood that there were many kinds of of sanctity and that each soul was free to respond to the approaches of Our Lord and to do little or much for Him — in other words,to make a choice among the sacrifices He demands. Then, just as when I was a child, I cried: “My God, I choose all. I do not want to be a saint by halves. I am not afraid to suffer for You. I fear only one thing — that I should keep my own will. So take it, for I choose all that You will.” – St. Thérèse of Lisieux, The Story of a Soul. (I'm slowly becoming a bigger fan of St. Therese. She's amazing!)