杏MAP导航

By Fr Rafa艂 Skitek

鈥淲itness the Gospel with joy in the family and society鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis said at the Sunday Angelus, in greetings to the tens of thousands of girls and women who participated in the pilgrimage to Piekary 艢l膮skie. This place of worship was dedicated to Mary in the 17th century. According to tradition, the boys and men鈥檚 pilgrimage takes place in May, and the girls and women鈥檚 pilgrimage in August.

This year, Cardinal Gerhard Müller presided over the Mass and delivered the homily, during which he stressed that 鈥渟tanding under the Cross of Jesus, and not cowardly running away, is what makes a true Christian鈥�. He added that the scene of the women under the Cross 鈥渁lso shows us the special charisms of women or, as 杏MAP导航 John Paul II pointed out, the religious genius of women鈥�.

Women on pilgrimage to Piekary 艩l膮skie   (foto archidiecezja katowicka)

'The Church is for evangelization'

Archbishop Adrian Galbas, Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Katowice, the territory where the Piekary shrine is located, stressed that 鈥渢he Church is not a spiritual spa; the Church is for evangelization.鈥� He then referred to the motto of the pilgrimage, 鈥淚 am in the Church, so I go鈥�. 

Participants鈥� testimonies are of encouragement: 鈥淭his pilgrimage gives us strength throughout the year. Mary gives us strength鈥�, said a woman from Katowice. Among the most recurring prayer intentions were health, harmony in the family, marriages, and children.