The boys had an amazing Easter Trip! They visited Europe and saw places like Croatia, Portugal, and France. They visited many Marian sanctuaries and even went to a European soccer game! Diego Cofre personally took home Holy Water from Lourdes to his family back home, and Elias Nahed loved the soccer game and said it was his first European soccer game!
The girls also embarked on a Marian pilgrimage through Europe, visiting three of the most beloved Marian sites in the world: Medjugorje, Fátima in Lisbon, and Lourdes. Each destination offered them a deep spiritual encounter, moments of peace, prayer, and reflection. In Medjugorje, they visited the Christ statue, climbed Apparition Hill, and experienced the powerful presence of the Blessed Mother. One of the most special moments was when the girls had the opportunity to make a personal promise of chastity before the Virgin, receiving a blessed ring as a lifelong reminder of their commitment. In Lourdes, they participated in the washing ritual with the holy water, offering their intentions for healing and opening their hearts to grace. Dany Gómez shared, “My favorite part of the trip was when they washed our hands and face with the holy water from Lourdes. They asked us to think about what we were offering that moment for, whether it was to heal something in ourselves or to offer it for someone else’s healing. It was such a beautiful and intimate moment with the Virgin. I truly felt her close during whole pilgrimage.” This pilgrimage was a journey filled with faith, grace, and spiritual growth, one the girls will carry in their hearts forever.
In Lourdes, the group was officially welcomed in the Easter Mass. The students also got to serve Mass, read petitions, and bring up the gifts in the Mass of 20,000 people in the Pius X Basilica. Click here for a video of the Mass. Click here for a video of the Eucharistic Procession. They also carried Our Lady and torches in the evening Marian procession. I don’t have the official videos of that yet
