Periodical of the World Family Radio Maria Association
Year V – Issue 21 July - August - September 2017
Pilgrimages to the shrines of Europe: Holy See places of prayer and peace
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ear Friends, in this beautiful season, we feel the need to break out of the rut of everyday life to find moments to be alone with ourselves and with God in the silence and the beauty of nature. What better choice than to dedicate a few days of our vacation to visiting the smaller and larger shrines scattered throughout our beautiful Italy and all of Europe? Recently, Pope Francis emphasized the important role that shrines play in the new
evangelization, directed primarily to the countries of ancient Christianity where the faith has grown cold or been lost. Shrines, writes the Pope, are “sacred spaces to which pilgrims go to find a moment of rest, silence, and contemplation in today’s often hectic life. A hidden desire gives rise to a nostalgia for God in many of them; and shrines can be a true refuge for rediscovering oneself and regaining the necessary strength for
conversion”. This does not mean a fleeting tour but a true pilgrimage aimed at encountering God through the sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist. From this perspective, shrines become oases of refreshment for weary souls and an occasion for true inner renewal that benefits the entire person, body and soul, rather than some passing holiday, marked by worldly dissipation. Yours truly, Fr. Livio
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