Castle and Cross Mountain

Part of the castle

Did you know there is a castle in Medjugorje?  That’s right, a legit castle.  The seminarians extended the owner’s invitation to us to hear them speak and have lunch with them.  The couple, Nancy and Patrick, are from Canada.  But after a big conversion they felt the need to be “Mary’s neighbor” and move out here and build a castle to house the religious pilgrims that pass through, as

Nancy and Patrick

well as host retreats.  They are an incredibly holy couple and you can actually feel the intense love they have for each other and for every single person that walks through their doors.  Patrick told us how he used to be Catholic as a child, but fell away from the church and became a car salesmen, where money became his god.  Meanwhile, he had two marriages, two divorces, and kids who were leading very troublesome lifestyles.  He never once prayed with his kids.  Then one day he opened up a Medjugorje book that someone had given him called “Messages from our Queen of Peace” filled with her messages to the visionaries.  The one he opened up to said, “Dear

Walking up Cross Mountain

Children!  I am calling you to conversion for the last time!...”  These words struck his heart and he began reading more about it and began to pray the rosary.  He began to see his mistakes as a father and decided to consecrate his children to Mary, so that she could be the parent he could never be.  Gradually his kids began to return to the faith through the rosary and the couple moved out to Medjugorje.  What hit me the most is that Medjugorje is a place where the supernatural is at your fingertips.  It is not uncommon to experience a miracle or a spiritual revelation while you are here.  But his holy couple who has lived here for years have never seen any spectacular event or experienced any spiritual consolation.  They just pray the rosary every day, open up the word of God every day, and trust in the Lord.  And that is how they manage having a castle with thousands of immigrants.  That is how they tell their story day after day, and that is how they keep their marriage together.  I walked away with a sense of urgency, knowing that there is no excuse not to pray adamantly.  Mary says our souls are like flowers, if we do not water them with prayer every single day, they will wither and die.  Great saints such as St. Therese of Lisieux never experienced any spiritual consolation, but served God in little ways with great love.          

         After a wonderful lunch we all headed to the base of cross mountain for another steep climb.  Thankfully, it was sunny out because the rocks were sharper and the hill was steeper.  We prayed the way of the cross on the way up to the top.  Cross Mountain has been the scene of many dramatic signs and miracles. The Cross was erected by the villagers of Medjugorje in 1933 to commemorate the 1900 anniversary of Christ’s death. Since then, the Way of the Cross has been prayed by millions of people. When Our Lady was asked if She is really appearing at the foot of the Cross, She responded: “…Almost everyday I am at the foot of the cross…” (December 31, 1981).  I learned that every morning at 6am Mary prays at the foot of the cross for the town and for the whole world.  Many pilgrims make the trek up the hill early

At the top of Cross Mountain

in the morning to pray with her there at that time.  It was a beautiful site of all of the surrounding mountains at the top of the mountain and a beautiful silent time of prayer.  We hiked down after a while and attended mass and tried our luck again at adoration.  Although it was still crowded and we were outside, there was still an indescribable beautiful presence there.  Surrounded by hundreds of pilgrims all packed in to adore Jesus in the blessed Sacrament in silent prayer was so fruitful.  I could definitely feel the holy spirit in that room.  We celebrated our day with a nice dinner before heading back to the hotel for the night. Although I was still unclear about why I was here, I do know that Medjugorje is a very special place.  Even looking up at the sky during mass I felt that this place is untouched by the world.  It was so still and so brightly white.  I didn’t know quite what it meant, but I finally began to feel more comfortable in this place and was sad that I already had to leave in the morning.