‘In the Footsteps of St. Pope John Paul II’
Southern Nebraska Register
Father Christopher Eckrich and Father Ryan Salisbury of the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln will lead a pilgrimage to Poland Nov. 2-11 “in the footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II.”
Father Eckrich is in residence at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln. He serves as diocesan master of ceremonies and priest secretary to Bishop James Conley. Father Salisbury is pastor of St. Paulinus Parish in Syracuse and Holy Trinity in Avoca.
The lives of some of the most beloved modern-day saints – John Paul II, Maximillian Kolbe, Teresa Benedicta, and Faustina – all began and unfolded in Poland. One of the most recent Eucharistic miracles took place in 2013 in Sokolkla, and in 2016 Poland declared Jesus Christ as king of the nation.
“There is a unique and powerful presence of the faith that is present in Poland,” said Father Salisbury.
“A pilgrimage provides the opportunity to immerse ourselves in a culture and place where the faith has been lived, grown and fostered,” he said. “Through the history of the Church, Catholics have found that pilgrimages are a graced opportunity which provides them the opportunity to be inspired in their faith, open their hearts to receive more of God’s blessings, and recognize in a new way the power and reality of our faith.”
With this in mind, Father Salisbury and Father Eckrich invite all to prayerfully consider signing up for the pilgrimage.
The trip will begin in Warsaw, with Mass at St. Stanislaw Kostka Church. The church is the well-known Sanctuary of Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko.
Pilgrims will also travel to Glogowiec, the birthplace of St. Faustina, where Jesus appeared to her in 1931 and requested she share the image of His Divine Mercy; then to Czestochowa, for a guided tour of Jasna Gora Monastery, Poland’s premier pilgrimage place known as the Black Madonna Shrine.
The pilgrimage will also include stops in Auschwitz to visit the Nazi concentration camp where St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein) faced martyrdom and St. Maximilian Kolbe died after volunteering his life for that of a fellow prisoner in 1941.
In Krakow, pilgrims will begin with Mass at Wawal Cathedral before touring many sites of the famous city and surrounding area. They will visit the Have No Fear Center dedicated to Saint Pope John Paul II and pray by his relics, including the blood-stained cassock he wore on the day of the attempted assassination. They will also see Wadowice, the birthplace of John Paul II, and much more.
The trip will be run by Journey of Faith Tours, and the cost is $3,700 per person (double occupancy). The final balance is due by July 26. More information is available at journeyoffaithtours.com/dol24.
