With the blessing and spiritual guidance of Csaba Böjte, the pilgrimage train to Mátraverebély-Szentkút set off again after a break of several years. This year, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker coincided with Mother's Day, so the pilgrims prayed not only for men, but also for mothers, Hungarian families and peace.
The pilgrims arrived at the Keleti railway station with crosses, national colors and church flags, where they were greeted by László Budai, the managing director of Misszió Tours Kft., Róbert Homolya, the president of MÁV Zrt., and Attila Fülöp, the state secretary responsible for social affairs of the Ministry of Human Resources. Csaba Böjte spoke about the fact that in the current war situation, we are all a little uncertain and afraid, so we must also pray for the war to end as soon as possible and for peace to fill our hearts.
A Christian does not hide in a corner, does not retreat, but goes to God and asks for help. We want to go on a journey, we want to stand before God, we want to pray together at the shrine of the Blessed Virgin primarily for fathers and husbands. The most beautiful gift and blessing for mothers is a great husband, a great father who helps them live and fulfill their vocation as mothers, explained the founder of the St. Francis Foundation in Déva.
After that, with the blessing of the Franciscan monk, the train started with three hundred and fifty pilgrims. On the more than two-hour journey, Father Böjte made confession and gave spiritual guidance in the so-called quiet booth. – We try to accept the difficulties associated with the pilgrimage as opportunities that we can offer to God. Self-denial, fasting, and difficulty are always a flower that, if we lovingly accept it, tear it off, and hand it over to the Heavenly Father through the Blessed Virgin Mary, the father formulated the essence of the pilgrimage.
Meanwhile, the participants sang and talked quietly under the leadership of cantor Sándor Szabó. Eighty-year-old aunt Mária set off from Magyarkeszi, Tolna county, the afternoon before the pilgrimage, and spent the night at the train station. This is not legal, but for the sake of a good cause, he got permission to do it together with a friend. "If I want to go on a pilgrimage, I will do everything for it," said the woman. Zsike Szabón comes from Transylvania, Csíkszentdomonkos, but has been living in Hungary with her husband Sándor Szabó for years. They regularly take part in the pilgrimage to Csíksomlyó, but also go home there. They first traveled to Medjugorje as private individuals with Misszió Tours, and later became assistants of the company - he reported on his experiences.
The full article of Magyar Nemzet can be read here.
Author: Zsuzsanna Réka Szabó
In our opening picture, László Budai, managing director of Mission Tours, and Franciscan monk Csaba Böjte at the head of the Christian procession
Photo: Zoltán Havran
