Day two of their pilgrimage to Quito, Ecuador, and the Australian delegation are reflecting on their whirlwind trip to attend the International Eucharistic Congress.
The Catholic Weekly spoke to some of the delegates about their revelatory visit to Mexico enroute to Ecuador, including a visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
“It was a terrific experience,” said Bishop Daniel Meagher, an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney.
“It was our first port of call, and we had a tour there of the different areas and explanation of the apparitions.
“The best part was that Our Lady appeared to the local indigenous people, she spoke in their language and elements of her apparition—her clothing, her hairstyle were messages to local Indians.
“It was a message to a people whose gods were angry, unpredictable, to whom they felt the need to offer human sacrifice and who were being oppressed by the Spanish conquistadors.
“It was a message of compassion and love to the local Indians, and because they realised she had appeared to them in love, speaking of a real God, a true God, they came in their thousands and thousands for baptism. It was a beautiful story.”
It was an experience that proved so fulfilling for the group that the tour itinerary was changed to allow them more time at the shrine where Our Lady appeared to St Juan Diego in 1531.
Kahlie Taouk, the English co-ordinator from St Anthony of Padua Catholic College in Austral, felt the prayers and accompaniment of her school community as she took in the sacred site.
She now yearns to share all she’s learnt with her students back home.
“I felt very honoured and privileged to visit Our Lady of Guadalupe gaining a deep idea of what the apparition actually means and the impact it’s had on the Mexican and global community,” she said.
“One thing I’ve learnt about her is she often appears to the lowly and she is always directing us back to the message of Jesus.
“Because we got to visit Our Lady of Guadalupe on our first day, I felt I had the humility and that idea of Mary’s message to turn to Jesus the whole time I was in Mexico.
“After we visited Guadalupe we learned about the Aztec culture, and that antithesis, the dichotomy between the pagan culture and how Mary came and shared the message of Jesus with the people back in the 1500’s was breath-taking to me.”
Despite several cases of “Delhi belly” and the usual travellers’ exhaustion, Stephen Newby of Sydney Catholic Schools said the group was relishing the community spirit and fraternal bond being shared by their group of just over 40.
“I think it’s just brilliant to see so many different people from different parts of the school system and the priests all coming together in common faith—whenever we’re around people who share our beliefs and have a love for Christ we get strengthened and built up and it’s been brilliant to experience that,” he said.
Experiencing the congress’ opening Mass was a life-changing experience for them all, he added.
“Experiencing God in a place where so many people are gathered for a like purpose, as the Bible says, where there are two or more people are gathered, there he is—whenever you get in a place with thousands of people that gets lifted.
“Physically and emotionally, it really changes how you experience things.”
Many in the Australian delegation have arrived as strangers, but after sharing such transformative experiences they are certain life-long bonds have been forged.
“I can’t tell you how quickly you grow your bonds when you go on pilgrimage together,” said Taouk.
“I knew no one before travelling to Mexico and within about a day we felt very comfortable together. And we have bonds that will last a lifetime now, I’m sure of it.”
With the announcement of the host for the 2028 International Eucharistic Congress looming in less than a week, Bishop Meagher shared his hopes for the future for Australia, should Sydney win its bid.
“I hope it sparks faith in people who have never had the faith, or sparks faith in people who have been baptised and have left it behind and become cultural Catholics,” he said.
“We all need transformation and growth, an encounter with the risen Christ, his sacred heart and his love.
“So maybe it will be a new spring for Sydney and for all of Australia.”