Stage Six, Day One.
We began the day with communal prayer from the Breviary. After breakfast, we set out on the 30-kilometer trail to Vipiteno. Picturesque mountain landscapes, roadside shrines, rivers, and streams made for a beautiful pilgrimage as we prayed for fervent vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and missionary work.
There was also fatigue and some more difficult moments. It was precisely these moments that reminded us that a pilgrimage is not just a physical journey, but above all a journey of the heart.
This day was also an opportunity to give thanks for the experience of community among such diverse people who make up this leg of the relay. Traveling with us are two priests from the Diocese of Płock, seminarians from the Society of Jesus, Sister Emanuela from the Congregation of the Antonian Sisters, a catechist from Płock, and lay employees of Caritas of the Diocese of Płock.
We concluded the day with Holy Mass at the former Capuchin Church of St. Magdalene, praying together with the local parishioners. During the Mass, our priest explained the idea behind the “vocation suitcase” containing relics of the saints. This sparked a lively response among the parishioners, with conversations about Poland, Polish shrines, and a desire to join us the following day.
Today, every step we took brought us closer not only to our pilgrimage destination but, above all, to God.
