In the footsteps of Blessed John Paul II

Our Lady of Cz?stochowa

Tomorrow morning, Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski will lead a pilgrimage to the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.  I’ll be reporting on the spiritual journey for The Catholic Review — both on this blog and in the print edition of the newspaper.

Over the next two weeks, be sure to check The Narthex for updates, photos and video reports from Europe. I hope to provide a glimpse into the deep spirituality and strong Marian devotion in that part of the world. I also hope to gain some insights into the holy sites that shaped Blessed John Paul II, while experiencing Catholicism as it is practiced more than two decades after the collapse of Communism.  They’ll be some surprises along the way, I’m sure.

It’s a special honor for me to report on this particular pilgrimage. My grandparents on my father’s side were both from the Czech Republic and my grandparents on my mother’s side were both from Poland.  My dad grew up speaking Czech at home, just as my mom spoke Polish.  It will be a bit of a homecoming for me.

Stay tuned.  Much more to come.

Our Lady of Cz?stochowaOroduj za násPray for us.

Catholic Review

The Catholic Review is the official publication of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

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