Pilgrimage to Fatima (PILGRIMAGE PROGRAM). How the clergy "profit" from the parishioners

11 July 2017 Travel time: with 28 June 2017 on 11 July 2017
Reputation: +10
Add a Friend
Send message

How the clergy "profit" from the parishioners

I recently returned from a pilgrimage to Fatima

(PILGRIMAGE PROGRAM)

Padua - Venice - Milan - Turin - San Remo - Nice - Barcelona - Montserrat -

Fatima 2 days - Lourdes 2 days - Cannes - Monaco - Budapest - Lviv ". Impressions are bright and exciting, however, the travel agency and group leaders were disappointed. Andriy, who travel together.
" Ihtis "I know from Facebook. Recently I saw the information about this trip on their website, decided to go with my brother. They call and do not provide information about the trip, as promised.

For us, such a long-distance trip was the first and therefore various questions arose. I had to constantly call and remind myself. Finally the info was provided.

Let's go. With God's help and professional drivers, everything was fine. There were delays of 10-15 minutes on my part. Sometimes.


Other people were late. Yes, discipline is very important, because the move involves the accuracy of planning to keep everything planned. The trip itself turned out to be very exciting and incredible: so many holy places in one trip, so many new countries! . . It's wonderful and unique, really. In Barcelona, ​ ​ there were many hours for an independent walk (4-5 hours), the sea, photography, etc. after an interesting tour with a guide. We all had to gather at the monument to Columbus at 21:00 and we were pleasantly surprised.

We never went to the sea - we announced shortly before the stop in Barcelona, ​ ​ and we left swimsuits and other beach things in suitcases in the trunk of the bus. If we had known that we would be able to go to sea not only in Cannes, but also in Barcelona, ​ ​ we would have taken things in advance. Tell us about it yesterday - we will find out tomorrow! . .

The drivers were not allowed to use the beach speeches and at our urging they did not open the trunk and left. The leaders saw all this - Father Mykhailo and Andriy and also did not react and went to dinner with the rest of our group. Accordingly, we were disappointed and we had only a walk through an unfamiliar city ...We were late for the group's gathering, we got lost and couldn't find our way back, we fed foreigners how to pass. We are 40 minutes late! . . Everyone was angry with us ...And what to do when you are in this country for the first time and got lost unintentionally? . .

That promise is a pleasant surprise - it's a singing and colorful fountain, which starts operating at exactly 21:30. My brother and I got lost and arrived at 21:40-10 minutes, respectively. The priest came up with a fine for us - € 100. Then saying: "Well, 100 euros I will not take from you. " But, as it turned out later, we had to pay 35 euros for wine for the group for being late.

And so I did not want to become "popular"! . . Well really. Father Mykhailo approaches me and makes remarks about not taking anything with him from breakfast at the hotel. According to him, it was as if I "took the whole tray of cheese and didn't even leave anything from the food for the next group" ...cakes with you. "What, all do not eat? ! ???

- Father Mykhailo greets me with such words one morning, and I can't say anything in response: I run with my mouth full to the suitcase in the room to catch the bus ...and I'm stuck ...But who will I talk about all this tell?


Every day of God we prayed with the priests early and in the evening. Andrew read quite interesting and new prayers, composed and selected individually for each of us! And he is an interesting guide - he knows a lot about Venice.

Mykhailo is devoted to the Service of God and an obligatory, good organizer. We must pay tribute to this. Parishioners who know the priest only from the service in the church where he rules know him only in this way.

People who have a great opportunity to go on a pilgrimage with the same priest, discover not only unique shrines, but also the other side of the priest's personality. I do not want to debunk the image of the Father, but in my opinion, one man from our group is right, who expressed the opinion that only Heavenly Father, God, can be called the Father.

The last day of our trip. We arrive in Lviv. It's time to say goodbye. And my wish was the following: if a fine, then let it be documented and with a fixed cost. To make everything transparent. To without extortion. At that time I did not dare to ask the priest Mykhailo about the receipt and somehow did not think of joking. I took everything seriously. And in vain, apparently.

It seems that this is not the first time the priest has practiced such "fines". I was impressed. However, the image of a priest has not become commonplace for me. My impression has changed.

Disappointment and unwillingness to confess and receive communion came from such priests. And feelings, as you know, do not lie. The holiness of the priest disappeared.

I am grateful to God for each of my days and for the fact that all are alive and well, thank God. I really liked the church in Turin, where there is the original Shroud of Jesus Christ-- there were feelings of the presence of Christ himself, along with the fact that he is omnipresent. We experience something similar when we dedicate Easter to Easter. I really liked the atmosphere in Fatima, when there was a Mass accompanied by organ music and a big evening procession with candles! The grotto and the miraculous source of the Mother of God also moved me.

I returned home with all the light and joy, as our fathers taught us, and the blessing was not enough ...


It feels like I came back without the priest's blessing ...

It is said that there are trips on which the father gives blessings and it is rumored that the blessing is an important part of the action, if not everything. So, there was a feeling of incompleteness ...

Translated automatically from Ukrainian. View original
To add or remove photos in a story, go to album of this story
Similar stories
Comments (2) leave a comment
Show other comments …
avatar