Community Corner
SJB Group Heads to Rome for Canonizations
St. John Brebeuf Deacon Leads Pilgrimage to Rome for Canonization of Two Popes
A group of 45 are headed for a two-week pilgrimage that includes a stop in Rome to witness the dual canonization of Pope John XXII and Pope John Paul II on April 27. The group is led by Deacon Mariusz "Mark" Kosla of St. John Brebeuf (SJB) Parish, Niles.
Find out what's happening in Niles-Morton Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"As part of our ongoing outreach to the entire community, we put together annual pilgrimages to parts of the world which have religious interest," says Kosla. "This is different than a vacation because of our focus on visiting sites which are meaningful to believers. The emphasis is less on taking pictures and more about experiencing Christ and saints in a meaningful way."
Find out what's happening in Niles-Morton Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
This pilgrimage departs April 24 and heads to Rome where the group will join the faithful from around the world gathered in joyous celebration of the canonizations of two Popes. Regular prayer and daily mass are part of the experience on the pilgrimage, Kosla said.
Closer to home, SJB parishioners will gather on April 26 for a Polish mass and vigil prayer service which will include readings quoting from these two great saints in both English and Polish. Later a group will gather at 3 a.m. in the Ministry Center to watch a live broadcast of the canonizations on a giant screen.
After the stop in Rome, the pilgrimage group moves on to other European cities including Prague and Krakow. Along the way, the group will visit the childhood home of Pope John Paul II in Wadowice which also has a museum dedicated to its famous citizen.
Kosla started doing the pilgrimages in 2006. He notes there is a core group which goes on many of the trips but there is usually room for newcomers. For this journey, the group will be in touch with several local television stations (NBC Ch. 5 and ABC Ch. 7) which are covering the canonizations with their own crews. Some advance coverage has already been shown, Kosla said.
The SJB group returns to Chicago on May 7. For any SJB information, visit www.sjbrebeuf.org .
For information on future pilgrimages, call Kosla at 847-738-3800.