1st Walking Pilgrimage
Anno Domini 1988 mieszkancy wschodnich Stanów Zjednoczonych byli swiadkami narodzin pierwszej pieszej pielgrzymki z kosciola pw. swietych Piotra i Pawla w Great Meadows w stanie New Jersey do sanktuarium Matki Bozej Czestochowskiej w Doylestown, zwanej Amerykanska Czestochowa, w Pensylwanii. Pomyslodawczynia tej formy byla Emilia Golaszewska, ksztalcaca sie w tym czasie w nowojorskiej Juiliard School. Przed skromnym komitetem organizacyjnym skladajacym sie z czterech osób: ksiedza Ignacego Kuziemskiego, siostry Teresy Gradowskiej, siostry Karoliny Mackiewicz, pani Emilii Golaszewskiej pojawilo sie mnóstwo formalnosci do zalatwienia w urzedach, na policji, wytyczenie trasy pielgrzymki, uzyskanie zgody prywatnych wlascicieli posesji na noclegi itp.
Znalazlo sie odwaznych 17 osób, którym przy niewierze obserwatorów, ze pielgrzymka sie uda, wyznaczono dzien wymarszu na piatek, 12 sierpnia 1988. Wczesnym rankiem, po Mszy sw. wyruszyli z krzyzem otoczonym flagami polska i amerykanska na pielgrzymkowy szlak. Maszerowali w wielkim upale. Na pierwszy nocleg zaprosila pielgrzymów rodzina protestancka, a na drugi nocleg farmer pochodzenia wegierskiego, mówiacy po niemiecku. Czlowiek ten serdecznie przyjmuje pielgrzymów kazdego roku - juz nie na nocleg, ale na chwilowy odpoczynek, poniewaz jego posiadlosc nie jest w stanie pomiescic duzej liczby pielgrzymów. Jest bardzo lubiany, szanowany i mile wspominany przez wszystkich pielgrzymów. Drugiego dnia do pielgrzymki dolaczyli Romowie polskiego pochodzenia z Nowego Jorku, a trzeciego dnia pojawilo sie kilkanascie innych osób. Do Doylestown ostatecznie wchodzily 33 osoby, gdzie byly bardzo serdecznio witane.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Anno Domini (In the year of our Lord) 1988 the residents of the eastern United States witnessed the birth of the first walking pilgrimage from Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Great Meadows, New Jersey, to the American Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The originator of this event was Emilia Golaszewska, educated in New York Juiliard School. The first organizing committee consisted of four people: Father Ignatius Kuziemski, Theresa Gradowski, and sisters Karolina Mackiewicz and Mrs. Emilia Golaszewska. A lot of work and preparation and planning went into this event. The committee needed to set up the route, obtain the consent of all private property owners for accommodations, prepare paperwork, notify townships and police, etc.
The day finally arrived, Friday, August 12, 1988, 17 brave people started the walk in the early morning immediately after the Mass. The cross led the procession surrounded by the Polish and American flags. They marched all day in great heat. On the first night the pilgrimage was invited to stay with a Protestant family. The pilgrimage was invited to rest with an Hungarian farmer who spoke German. This man cordially accepted pilgrims each year for rests, not overnights because his property was not able to accommodate a large number of pilgrims. He was very well-liked, respected, and pleasantly remembered by all pilgrims. On the second day of the pilgrimage Roma Polish from New York joined the group and by the third day there was a dozen other people. Eventually the pilgrimage finished with 33 people in Doylestown, PA, where they were very cordially welcomed.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
2nd Walking Pilgrimage
II pielgrzymka, 10-13 sierpnia 1989. Udzial wzielo 87 osób róznych zawodów i w bardzo róznym wieku. Tak jak pierwsza pielgrzymka jej trasa wiodla malownicza trasa: przez pola, lasy, osiedla, zbocza górskie, przypominajace rodzime krajobrazy rodem z Podhala. Pielgrzymka przebiegala w strugach deszczu.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2nd Walking Pilgrimage, August 10-13, 1989. This year the pilgrimage was attended by 87 people of all different professions and ages. Just like the first pilgrimage the route was very scenic: through fields, forests, housing developments, mountain slopes, and beautiful landscapes. Unfortunately, the pilgrimage took place in pouring rain.
II pielgrzymka, 10-13 sierpnia 1989. Udzial wzielo 87 osób róznych zawodów i w bardzo róznym wieku. Tak jak pierwsza pielgrzymka jej trasa wiodla malownicza trasa: przez pola, lasy, osiedla, zbocza górskie, przypominajace rodzime krajobrazy rodem z Podhala. Pielgrzymka przebiegala w strugach deszczu.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2nd Walking Pilgrimage, August 10-13, 1989. This year the pilgrimage was attended by 87 people of all different professions and ages. Just like the first pilgrimage the route was very scenic: through fields, forests, housing developments, mountain slopes, and beautiful landscapes. Unfortunately, the pilgrimage took place in pouring rain.
3rd Walking Pilgrimage
III pielgrzymka, 10-13 sierpnia 1990. 150-cio osobowa grupe pielgrzymów poblogoslawil bp Ryszard Karpinski, sufragan lubelski, który kazdego dnia glosil konferencje i przewodniczyl Eucharystii. Na czele pielgrzymki szla 25-cio osobowa grupa Romów z Brooklynu. Niesli oni wielka choragiew, na której widniala Matka Boza odziana w niebieski plaszcz, trzymajaca w dloniach kule ziemska. Szli z nia dumnie przez wszystkie dni pielgrzymki dajac piekne swiadectwo religijnego zaangazowania i czci dla Matki Najswietszej. Prawdziwe uznanie i podziw budzil brat Leszek, student V roku medycyny, który szedl boso. Nie zmienil swej decyzji mimo, ze na jego stopach pojawily sie rany. Szczególnie godnym zapamietania byl nocleg w kosciele sw. Anny w Hampton, NJ. Miejsce noclegu wyznaczono w innym miejscu, jednak ogromna ulewa spowodowala, ze zdecydowano o noclegu w kosciele. Pierwsi pielgrzymi znalezli sobie miejsce w konfesjonale, inni na chórze, pozostali miedzy lawkami. Miejscowy ksiadz proboszcz nie przyjal symbolicznej zaplaty za nocleg i ze wzruszeniem powiedzial, ze poswiecenie pielgrzymów i autentyzm ich wiary jest dla niego blogoslawienstwem. Pomimo ulewnego deszczu pielgrzymi szli i modlili sie, odmawiajac rózaniec, spiewajac Godzinki i piesni. Jak wspominaja pielgrzymi, nikt nie czul zmeczenia, oparzonych asfaltem opuchnietych nóg, przemoczonych ubran. Wszyscy marzyli, aby dojsc do Doylestown i upasc na kolana u stóp Matki Bozej. Tym szczesliwym dniem byla uroczystosc Wniebowziecia Najswietszej Maryi Panny oraz swieto Wojska Polskiego. Te swieta zgromadzily w Doylestown setki wiernych z róznych stron Ameryki, którzy witali ponad dwustuosobowa grupe pieszych pielgrzymów i wspólnie uczestniczyli w uroczystej Mszy sw.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3rd Walking Pilgrimage, August 10-13, 1990. This year's pilgrims totaled 150 and were blessed by Bishop Ryszard Karpinski, suffragan of Lublin, Poland, who preached conferences and presided at the Eucharist every day. At the head of the pilgrimage marched 25 walkers from a group of Roma from Brooklyn. They carried a large banner, which bore the Mother of God dressed in a blue cloak, holding in her hands the globe. They walked proudly with Her all the days of the pilgrimage giving beautiful testimony of religious commitment and devotion to the Blessed Mother. Real appreciation and admiration aroused brother Leszek, a fifth-year medical student, who walked barefoot. He did not change his decision even though his feet appeared wounded. Especially memorable was the accommodations in St. Anne Church, Hampton, NJ. Although we were schedule to stay in a different place, a huge downpour meant that it was decided to sleep in St. Anne's Church. The pilgrims found places to sleep such as the confessionals, choir loft, and among all the pews in the church. The local parish priest did not accept any money for the nights stay and with emotion said the dedication of the pilgrims and authenticity of their faith was a blessing to him. Despite the torrential rain, the pilgrims walked for hours praying the rosary and singing songs. As the pilgrims recalled, no one felt tired dispite swollen legs from the burning asphalt and the soaked clothes. Everyone dreamed that they would make it to the Shrine in Doylestown, PA, and fall to their knees at the feet of Our Lady. This lucky day was the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the feast of the Polish Army. The finale of this walk was to march into Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine, Doylestown were hundreds of faithful, from different parts of America, welcomed a group of more than 200 walkers and together they all attended the solemn final Mass.
III pielgrzymka, 10-13 sierpnia 1990. 150-cio osobowa grupe pielgrzymów poblogoslawil bp Ryszard Karpinski, sufragan lubelski, który kazdego dnia glosil konferencje i przewodniczyl Eucharystii. Na czele pielgrzymki szla 25-cio osobowa grupa Romów z Brooklynu. Niesli oni wielka choragiew, na której widniala Matka Boza odziana w niebieski plaszcz, trzymajaca w dloniach kule ziemska. Szli z nia dumnie przez wszystkie dni pielgrzymki dajac piekne swiadectwo religijnego zaangazowania i czci dla Matki Najswietszej. Prawdziwe uznanie i podziw budzil brat Leszek, student V roku medycyny, który szedl boso. Nie zmienil swej decyzji mimo, ze na jego stopach pojawily sie rany. Szczególnie godnym zapamietania byl nocleg w kosciele sw. Anny w Hampton, NJ. Miejsce noclegu wyznaczono w innym miejscu, jednak ogromna ulewa spowodowala, ze zdecydowano o noclegu w kosciele. Pierwsi pielgrzymi znalezli sobie miejsce w konfesjonale, inni na chórze, pozostali miedzy lawkami. Miejscowy ksiadz proboszcz nie przyjal symbolicznej zaplaty za nocleg i ze wzruszeniem powiedzial, ze poswiecenie pielgrzymów i autentyzm ich wiary jest dla niego blogoslawienstwem. Pomimo ulewnego deszczu pielgrzymi szli i modlili sie, odmawiajac rózaniec, spiewajac Godzinki i piesni. Jak wspominaja pielgrzymi, nikt nie czul zmeczenia, oparzonych asfaltem opuchnietych nóg, przemoczonych ubran. Wszyscy marzyli, aby dojsc do Doylestown i upasc na kolana u stóp Matki Bozej. Tym szczesliwym dniem byla uroczystosc Wniebowziecia Najswietszej Maryi Panny oraz swieto Wojska Polskiego. Te swieta zgromadzily w Doylestown setki wiernych z róznych stron Ameryki, którzy witali ponad dwustuosobowa grupe pieszych pielgrzymów i wspólnie uczestniczyli w uroczystej Mszy sw.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3rd Walking Pilgrimage, August 10-13, 1990. This year's pilgrims totaled 150 and were blessed by Bishop Ryszard Karpinski, suffragan of Lublin, Poland, who preached conferences and presided at the Eucharist every day. At the head of the pilgrimage marched 25 walkers from a group of Roma from Brooklyn. They carried a large banner, which bore the Mother of God dressed in a blue cloak, holding in her hands the globe. They walked proudly with Her all the days of the pilgrimage giving beautiful testimony of religious commitment and devotion to the Blessed Mother. Real appreciation and admiration aroused brother Leszek, a fifth-year medical student, who walked barefoot. He did not change his decision even though his feet appeared wounded. Especially memorable was the accommodations in St. Anne Church, Hampton, NJ. Although we were schedule to stay in a different place, a huge downpour meant that it was decided to sleep in St. Anne's Church. The pilgrims found places to sleep such as the confessionals, choir loft, and among all the pews in the church. The local parish priest did not accept any money for the nights stay and with emotion said the dedication of the pilgrims and authenticity of their faith was a blessing to him. Despite the torrential rain, the pilgrims walked for hours praying the rosary and singing songs. As the pilgrims recalled, no one felt tired dispite swollen legs from the burning asphalt and the soaked clothes. Everyone dreamed that they would make it to the Shrine in Doylestown, PA, and fall to their knees at the feet of Our Lady. This lucky day was the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the feast of the Polish Army. The finale of this walk was to march into Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine, Doylestown were hundreds of faithful, from different parts of America, welcomed a group of more than 200 walkers and together they all attended the solemn final Mass.
4th Walking Pilgrimage
IV pielgrzymka, 16-18 sierpnia 1991. Rozpoczela sie pózna noca z 15 na 16 sierpnia Eucharystia, która sprawowal ks. Edward Toman, przelozony salwatorianów z Verony NJ. Po Mszy sw. troche odpoczynku i bardzo wczesnie rano, gdy jeszcze bylo ciemno, wyruszyla trzystuuosobowa grupa. Czwarty raz na czele kolumny szla duza grupa sióstr i braci Romów. Na pierwszy nocleg pielgrzymi zatrzymali sie przy kosciele sw. Anny w Hampton, NJ. W drugim dniu wedrówki do pielgrzymki dolaczyla grupa polskich harcerek i harcerzy pod przewodnictwem druhny Joli Nowackiej. Na zakonczenie Mszy sw. w Doylestown druh Adam Biesago harcerzom, którzy wzieli udzial w pielgrzymce nadal sprawnosc 'Pielgrzyma'. Przed cudownym obliczem Matki i Królowej odspiewali Modlitwe Harcerska. Pieciu Romów przyjelo Sakrament Chrztu Swietego, którego udzielil ks. Edward Toman SDS. Na pozegnanie wszyscy odspiewali modlitwe Ojców 'Boze cos Polske'.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4th Walking Pilgrimage , August 16-18, 1991. This pilgrimage began late at night from the 15th to the 16th of August with a Mass celebrated by Fr. Edward Toman, Superior of the Salvatorian Fathers from Verona, NJ. After the Mass, there was a little rest and very early in the morning, while it was still dark, a group of 300 pilgrims started the march. The head of the group consisted of a large number of sisters and brothers of Roma. On the first night the pilgrims stopped at the church of St. Anne, Hampton, NJ. On the second day of the pilgrimage a group of Polish Scouts and Boy Scouts, under the leadership of, Joli Nowacka, joined us. At the end of the Mass in Doylestown, Adam Biesago, bestowed on the scouts an award for all who took part in the pilgrimage. In the presence of the Czestochowa picture of our Blessed Mother and Jesus, the scouts recited the Scout Prayer. Five Roma members received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism administed by Fr. Edward Toman. Then everyone sang the prayer “God Save Poland”.
IV pielgrzymka, 16-18 sierpnia 1991. Rozpoczela sie pózna noca z 15 na 16 sierpnia Eucharystia, która sprawowal ks. Edward Toman, przelozony salwatorianów z Verony NJ. Po Mszy sw. troche odpoczynku i bardzo wczesnie rano, gdy jeszcze bylo ciemno, wyruszyla trzystuuosobowa grupa. Czwarty raz na czele kolumny szla duza grupa sióstr i braci Romów. Na pierwszy nocleg pielgrzymi zatrzymali sie przy kosciele sw. Anny w Hampton, NJ. W drugim dniu wedrówki do pielgrzymki dolaczyla grupa polskich harcerek i harcerzy pod przewodnictwem druhny Joli Nowackiej. Na zakonczenie Mszy sw. w Doylestown druh Adam Biesago harcerzom, którzy wzieli udzial w pielgrzymce nadal sprawnosc 'Pielgrzyma'. Przed cudownym obliczem Matki i Królowej odspiewali Modlitwe Harcerska. Pieciu Romów przyjelo Sakrament Chrztu Swietego, którego udzielil ks. Edward Toman SDS. Na pozegnanie wszyscy odspiewali modlitwe Ojców 'Boze cos Polske'.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4th Walking Pilgrimage , August 16-18, 1991. This pilgrimage began late at night from the 15th to the 16th of August with a Mass celebrated by Fr. Edward Toman, Superior of the Salvatorian Fathers from Verona, NJ. After the Mass, there was a little rest and very early in the morning, while it was still dark, a group of 300 pilgrims started the march. The head of the group consisted of a large number of sisters and brothers of Roma. On the first night the pilgrims stopped at the church of St. Anne, Hampton, NJ. On the second day of the pilgrimage a group of Polish Scouts and Boy Scouts, under the leadership of, Joli Nowacka, joined us. At the end of the Mass in Doylestown, Adam Biesago, bestowed on the scouts an award for all who took part in the pilgrimage. In the presence of the Czestochowa picture of our Blessed Mother and Jesus, the scouts recited the Scout Prayer. Five Roma members received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism administed by Fr. Edward Toman. Then everyone sang the prayer “God Save Poland”.
5th Walking Pilgrimage
V pielgrzymka, 14-16 sierpnia 1992. Zgromadzila okolo 600 osób czujacych gleboka potrzebe pójscia sladami wiary ojców. Patnicy przyjechali z róznych stanów: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Marryland, a nawet z odleglego Masachusetts i Ohio. Pielgrzymi szli w niebieskich chustach, na których widnialo oblicze Pani Jasnogórskiej z Dzieciatkiem, a ponizej mapa Stanów Zjednoczonych. Po lewej stronie umieszczono sanktuarium Czestochowskie, a po prawej herb Ojca swietego Jana Pawla II oraz cytat 'Idzcie na caly swiat i gloscie Ewangelie'. Dookola zas napis: V Piesza Pielgrzymka do Amerykanskiej Czestochowy'. Nalezy wspomniec o ekumenicznym akcencie - serdecznym przyjeciu patników przez luteran w Pipersville, PA, którzy udostepnili swój kosciól, plebanie i sale parafialna, a pastor wzial udzial we Mszy sw. Wielka radosc sprawiala powiekszajaca sie z roku na rok ilosc pielgrzymów. Równoczesnie rosly klopoty organizacyjne i logistyczne w poszukiwaniu odpowiednich miejsc na postoje i noclegi czy tez uzyskiwaniu pozwolen od wlascicieli posesji. Nie zawsze rozmowy byly sympatyczne. Zdarzalo sie, ze zatrzaskiwano drzwi przed nosem. Byly tez mile momenty. Chocby ten, jak spotkanie z farmerem Unorski (pochodzenia polskiego), który z wielka radoscia uzyczyl lake na nocleg, a przyszedl czas, ze pod presja sasiadów musial odmówic.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
5th Walking Pilgrimage, August 14-16, 1992. The word was out! About 600 people, who felt a deep need to follow the footsteps of the faith of their fathers, attended this pilgrimage. Pilgrims came from many different states: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, and even from Masachusetts and Ohio. Pilgrims walked in blue headscarves, which showed the face of Our Lady of Czestochowa with the child Jesus, and below, the map of the United States. On the left of the scarf was a picture of the sanctuary of Czestochowa, and on the right the coat of arms of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II with a quote, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel". Around the inscription was, "V Walking Pilgrimage to the American Czestochowa". We would like to mentioned that there was a hearty acceptance of the pilgrims by the Lutherans in Pipersville, PA, who shared their church, rectory, and parish hall. Even their pastor took part in our Mass. It was a great joy to see the pilgrimage growing in numbers from year to year. At the same, because of the increase in people, there became an increase of organizational and logistical problems. We were having trouble searching for suitable places for stops, overnight accommodation, and obtaining permission from property owners. It wasn't easy and sometimes the doors were slammed in our faces. Of course, there were also some nice moments. Espeially when we met a farmer, Unorski (of Polish origin), who, with great joy, let us stay in his meadow for the night. But alass he surcome to the pressures of his neighbors and he had to refuse our stays.
V pielgrzymka, 14-16 sierpnia 1992. Zgromadzila okolo 600 osób czujacych gleboka potrzebe pójscia sladami wiary ojców. Patnicy przyjechali z róznych stanów: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Marryland, a nawet z odleglego Masachusetts i Ohio. Pielgrzymi szli w niebieskich chustach, na których widnialo oblicze Pani Jasnogórskiej z Dzieciatkiem, a ponizej mapa Stanów Zjednoczonych. Po lewej stronie umieszczono sanktuarium Czestochowskie, a po prawej herb Ojca swietego Jana Pawla II oraz cytat 'Idzcie na caly swiat i gloscie Ewangelie'. Dookola zas napis: V Piesza Pielgrzymka do Amerykanskiej Czestochowy'. Nalezy wspomniec o ekumenicznym akcencie - serdecznym przyjeciu patników przez luteran w Pipersville, PA, którzy udostepnili swój kosciól, plebanie i sale parafialna, a pastor wzial udzial we Mszy sw. Wielka radosc sprawiala powiekszajaca sie z roku na rok ilosc pielgrzymów. Równoczesnie rosly klopoty organizacyjne i logistyczne w poszukiwaniu odpowiednich miejsc na postoje i noclegi czy tez uzyskiwaniu pozwolen od wlascicieli posesji. Nie zawsze rozmowy byly sympatyczne. Zdarzalo sie, ze zatrzaskiwano drzwi przed nosem. Byly tez mile momenty. Chocby ten, jak spotkanie z farmerem Unorski (pochodzenia polskiego), który z wielka radoscia uzyczyl lake na nocleg, a przyszedl czas, ze pod presja sasiadów musial odmówic.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
5th Walking Pilgrimage, August 14-16, 1992. The word was out! About 600 people, who felt a deep need to follow the footsteps of the faith of their fathers, attended this pilgrimage. Pilgrims came from many different states: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, and even from Masachusetts and Ohio. Pilgrims walked in blue headscarves, which showed the face of Our Lady of Czestochowa with the child Jesus, and below, the map of the United States. On the left of the scarf was a picture of the sanctuary of Czestochowa, and on the right the coat of arms of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II with a quote, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel". Around the inscription was, "V Walking Pilgrimage to the American Czestochowa". We would like to mentioned that there was a hearty acceptance of the pilgrims by the Lutherans in Pipersville, PA, who shared their church, rectory, and parish hall. Even their pastor took part in our Mass. It was a great joy to see the pilgrimage growing in numbers from year to year. At the same, because of the increase in people, there became an increase of organizational and logistical problems. We were having trouble searching for suitable places for stops, overnight accommodation, and obtaining permission from property owners. It wasn't easy and sometimes the doors were slammed in our faces. Of course, there were also some nice moments. Espeially when we met a farmer, Unorski (of Polish origin), who, with great joy, let us stay in his meadow for the night. But alass he surcome to the pressures of his neighbors and he had to refuse our stays.
6th Walking Pilgrimage
VI pielgrzymka, 30 lipca - 1 sierpnia 1993. Wzielo w niej udzial okolo 800 pielgrzymów. Szlak pielgrzymkowy prowadzil przez piekne miejscowosci: Hampton, NJ, Pipersville, PA, i Frenchtown, NJ. Z daleka widnial sztandar wykonany przez Violette Kos z Lyndhurst, NJ. Mieszkancy mijanych miejscowosci, przyzwyczajeni do modlacych sie pielgrzymów, witali ich, a nawet czestowali napojami i owocami. Szczególnym pielgrzymem byl tym razem bp Józef Wysocki z Elblaga, który codziennie przewodniczyl Eucharystii i glosil konferencje na tenat dojrzewania do prawdziwej chrzescijanskiej milosci blizniego. Bp Józef wyjatkowo przezyl trud pielgrzymki: mimo, ze szedl w upale, glosil konferencje, odprawial Eucharystie, spowiadal, a w ostatnim dniu musial znosic ból spowodowany zapaleniem korzonków nerwowych. Nalezy takze wspomniec, ze po pielgrzymce duza grupa mlodziezy pojechala na Swiatowe Dni Mlodziezy do Denver, Colorado.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
6th Walking Pilgrimage , July 30 - August 1, 1993. This year brought 800 pilgrims to our Pilgrimage. The pilgrimage was led through beautiful towns such as Hampton, NJ, Pipersville,PA and Frenchtown,NJ. A beautiful banner, made by Violetta Kos from Lyndhurst, NJ, could be seen from quite a distance away. Some of the residents of the villages we passed, who were fimilar with our pilgrimages, would greet us with drinks and fruits. Bishop Joseph Wysocki from Elblag, Poland, presided at the Eucharist every day and preached conferences about the maturation of true Christian love of neighbors. Bishop Joseph, despite walking in the heat, preaching conferences, celebrating the Eucharist, hearing confession, he also had to endure the pain caused by inflammation of nerve roots in his back. This year the World Youth Day was held in Denver, Colorado where a great many of our youth attended right after our pilgrimage.
VI pielgrzymka, 30 lipca - 1 sierpnia 1993. Wzielo w niej udzial okolo 800 pielgrzymów. Szlak pielgrzymkowy prowadzil przez piekne miejscowosci: Hampton, NJ, Pipersville, PA, i Frenchtown, NJ. Z daleka widnial sztandar wykonany przez Violette Kos z Lyndhurst, NJ. Mieszkancy mijanych miejscowosci, przyzwyczajeni do modlacych sie pielgrzymów, witali ich, a nawet czestowali napojami i owocami. Szczególnym pielgrzymem byl tym razem bp Józef Wysocki z Elblaga, który codziennie przewodniczyl Eucharystii i glosil konferencje na tenat dojrzewania do prawdziwej chrzescijanskiej milosci blizniego. Bp Józef wyjatkowo przezyl trud pielgrzymki: mimo, ze szedl w upale, glosil konferencje, odprawial Eucharystie, spowiadal, a w ostatnim dniu musial znosic ból spowodowany zapaleniem korzonków nerwowych. Nalezy takze wspomniec, ze po pielgrzymce duza grupa mlodziezy pojechala na Swiatowe Dni Mlodziezy do Denver, Colorado.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
6th Walking Pilgrimage , July 30 - August 1, 1993. This year brought 800 pilgrims to our Pilgrimage. The pilgrimage was led through beautiful towns such as Hampton, NJ, Pipersville,PA and Frenchtown,NJ. A beautiful banner, made by Violetta Kos from Lyndhurst, NJ, could be seen from quite a distance away. Some of the residents of the villages we passed, who were fimilar with our pilgrimages, would greet us with drinks and fruits. Bishop Joseph Wysocki from Elblag, Poland, presided at the Eucharist every day and preached conferences about the maturation of true Christian love of neighbors. Bishop Joseph, despite walking in the heat, preaching conferences, celebrating the Eucharist, hearing confession, he also had to endure the pain caused by inflammation of nerve roots in his back. This year the World Youth Day was held in Denver, Colorado where a great many of our youth attended right after our pilgrimage.
7th Walking Pilgrimage
VII pielgrzymka, 4-7 sierpnia 1994. Tym razem na trase wyszla 900-osobowa grupa. Po raz pierwszy ponad 100 km trasa pielgrzymki zostala rozlozona na cztery dni wedrówki. Takze po raz pierwszy szla grupa anglojezyczna. Wyjatkowo licznie w pielgrzymce uczestniczyla mlodziez, a takze dzieci. Podnioslym momentem byla uroczysta Msza swieta w miedzynarodowym sanktuarium Matki Bozej Fatimskiej pod przewodnictwem arcybiskupa Tadeusza Kondrusiewicza, metropolity moskiewskiego, z udzialem duzej grupy amerykanów z Blue Army, organizacji katolickiej gloszacej m.in. potrzebe modlitwy o nawrócenie Rosji. Na szczególna uwage zasluguje osoba Johna Schafera - farmera wegierskiego pochodzenia, który po raz szósty przyjal pielgrzymów w swojej posiadlosci na odpoczynek i jak zawsze bawil pielgrzymów grajac na harmonijce ustnej, co zachecalo do zabawy. Nastepny nocleg juz tradycyjnie byl zorganizowany przy kosciele luteranskim.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
7th Walking Pilgrimage , August 4-7, 1994. This pilgrimage attracted a little more than 900 people. For the first time a little more than 65 miles of the pilgrimage route was spread over four days of hiking. Also, for the first time we welcomed an English-speaking group to walk. Exceptionally large numbers participated in the pilgrimage of both young people and children. A solemn moment came when the Holy Mass, in the International Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, was celebrated by Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, Metropolitan of Moscow, with the participation of a large group of Americans. These Americans were part of the Blue Army, a Catholic organization proclaiming the word and teachings of Fatima and the need to pray for the conversion of Russia. Particularly noteworthy is John Schafer, a Hungarian farmer, who for the sixth time, let our pilgrims rest on his property and amused then by playing his harmonica, which encouraged our pilgrims to play their instruments. The next evenings accommodations were hosted by the Lutheran church.
VII pielgrzymka, 4-7 sierpnia 1994. Tym razem na trase wyszla 900-osobowa grupa. Po raz pierwszy ponad 100 km trasa pielgrzymki zostala rozlozona na cztery dni wedrówki. Takze po raz pierwszy szla grupa anglojezyczna. Wyjatkowo licznie w pielgrzymce uczestniczyla mlodziez, a takze dzieci. Podnioslym momentem byla uroczysta Msza swieta w miedzynarodowym sanktuarium Matki Bozej Fatimskiej pod przewodnictwem arcybiskupa Tadeusza Kondrusiewicza, metropolity moskiewskiego, z udzialem duzej grupy amerykanów z Blue Army, organizacji katolickiej gloszacej m.in. potrzebe modlitwy o nawrócenie Rosji. Na szczególna uwage zasluguje osoba Johna Schafera - farmera wegierskiego pochodzenia, który po raz szósty przyjal pielgrzymów w swojej posiadlosci na odpoczynek i jak zawsze bawil pielgrzymów grajac na harmonijce ustnej, co zachecalo do zabawy. Nastepny nocleg juz tradycyjnie byl zorganizowany przy kosciele luteranskim.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
7th Walking Pilgrimage , August 4-7, 1994. This pilgrimage attracted a little more than 900 people. For the first time a little more than 65 miles of the pilgrimage route was spread over four days of hiking. Also, for the first time we welcomed an English-speaking group to walk. Exceptionally large numbers participated in the pilgrimage of both young people and children. A solemn moment came when the Holy Mass, in the International Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, was celebrated by Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, Metropolitan of Moscow, with the participation of a large group of Americans. These Americans were part of the Blue Army, a Catholic organization proclaiming the word and teachings of Fatima and the need to pray for the conversion of Russia. Particularly noteworthy is John Schafer, a Hungarian farmer, who for the sixth time, let our pilgrims rest on his property and amused then by playing his harmonica, which encouraged our pilgrims to play their instruments. The next evenings accommodations were hosted by the Lutheran church.
8th Walking Pilgrimage
VIII pielgrzymka, 10-13 sierpnia 1995. Na pielgrzymke wyruszylo ponad 500 osób. Kazdego dnia ta liczba wzrastala, do Doylestown przybylo ok. 800 osób. Duchowym przewodnikiem pielgrzymki byl abp Henryk Muszynski z Gniezna. Pielgrzymka jest coraz lepiej zorganizowana od strony technicznej. Bogatszy program konferencji i modlitwy sprawily, ze pielgrzymi glebiej i mocniej udzial we wspólnej modlitwie. Wspólne pielgrzymowanie pozostawia wiez wsród patników na dlugi czas. Uczestnicza wspólnie w waznych wydarzeniach z zycia Kosciola. Jednym z nich byl wspólny wyjazd duzej grupy pielgrzymów na spotkanie z Janem Pawlem II na stadionie w New Jersey. Spotkanie odbylo sie w ulewnym deszczu. Spiew pielgrzymów zwrócil uwage papieza. Nad ich grupa rozposcieral sie bialo-czerwony transparent o wymiarach ok. 2,3 m na 8,6 m z napisem: Piesza Pielgrzymka z Great Meadows'.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
8th Walking Pilgrimage, August 10-13, 1995. The pilgrimage set off this year with a little more than 500 people. Every day this number increased until we reached approximately 800 people. Our spiritual guide for this pilgrimage was Archbishop Henryk Muszynski of Gniezno, Poland. The pilgrimage is getting better organized on the technical side. There are richer conferences and prayers which helps pilgrims deepen their faith and participation more in common prayer. The pilgrimage causes deep bonds among the pilgrims which lasts for a long time. They participate together in important events in the life of the Church. Some attended the outdoor Mass with Pope John Paul II in Giants Stadium in New Jersey. The Mass was held in the pouring rain. Singing pilgrims drew the attention of the pope. Over their group they displayed a large white-red banner with the inscription: "Walking Pilgrimage from Great Meadows, NJ".
VIII pielgrzymka, 10-13 sierpnia 1995. Na pielgrzymke wyruszylo ponad 500 osób. Kazdego dnia ta liczba wzrastala, do Doylestown przybylo ok. 800 osób. Duchowym przewodnikiem pielgrzymki byl abp Henryk Muszynski z Gniezna. Pielgrzymka jest coraz lepiej zorganizowana od strony technicznej. Bogatszy program konferencji i modlitwy sprawily, ze pielgrzymi glebiej i mocniej udzial we wspólnej modlitwie. Wspólne pielgrzymowanie pozostawia wiez wsród patników na dlugi czas. Uczestnicza wspólnie w waznych wydarzeniach z zycia Kosciola. Jednym z nich byl wspólny wyjazd duzej grupy pielgrzymów na spotkanie z Janem Pawlem II na stadionie w New Jersey. Spotkanie odbylo sie w ulewnym deszczu. Spiew pielgrzymów zwrócil uwage papieza. Nad ich grupa rozposcieral sie bialo-czerwony transparent o wymiarach ok. 2,3 m na 8,6 m z napisem: Piesza Pielgrzymka z Great Meadows'.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
8th Walking Pilgrimage, August 10-13, 1995. The pilgrimage set off this year with a little more than 500 people. Every day this number increased until we reached approximately 800 people. Our spiritual guide for this pilgrimage was Archbishop Henryk Muszynski of Gniezno, Poland. The pilgrimage is getting better organized on the technical side. There are richer conferences and prayers which helps pilgrims deepen their faith and participation more in common prayer. The pilgrimage causes deep bonds among the pilgrims which lasts for a long time. They participate together in important events in the life of the Church. Some attended the outdoor Mass with Pope John Paul II in Giants Stadium in New Jersey. The Mass was held in the pouring rain. Singing pilgrims drew the attention of the pope. Over their group they displayed a large white-red banner with the inscription: "Walking Pilgrimage from Great Meadows, NJ".
9th Walking Pilgrimage
IX pielgrzymka, 8-11 sierpnia 1996 r. 727 pielgrzymów wyprowadzil abp. Henryk Muszynski. Przez kolejne 4 dni pelnil posluge kaplanska dla pielgrzymów. Kazdego dnia przybywalo patników. Do Doylestown przybylo ok. tysiaca patników.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
9th Walking Pilgrimage, August 8-11, 1996. 727 pilgrims led by Archbishop Henryk Muszynski started this pilgrimage. Over the next four days, he was the main celebrant and speaker at all the conferences. Every day new pilgrims joined the pilgrimage. By the fourth day approximately 1,000 pilgrims marched into Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine, Doylestown, PA.
IX pielgrzymka, 8-11 sierpnia 1996 r. 727 pielgrzymów wyprowadzil abp. Henryk Muszynski. Przez kolejne 4 dni pelnil posluge kaplanska dla pielgrzymów. Kazdego dnia przybywalo patników. Do Doylestown przybylo ok. tysiaca patników.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
9th Walking Pilgrimage, August 8-11, 1996. 727 pilgrims led by Archbishop Henryk Muszynski started this pilgrimage. Over the next four days, he was the main celebrant and speaker at all the conferences. Every day new pilgrims joined the pilgrimage. By the fourth day approximately 1,000 pilgrims marched into Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine, Doylestown, PA.
10th Walking Pilgrimage
X pielgrzymka, 7-10 sierpnia 1997 r. Dziesiata, jubileuszowa pielgrzymka przypadla w roku 1997, który wedlug Listu Apostolskiego Ojca swietego Jana Pawla II 'Tertio Millenio Adveniente' byl pierwszym rokiem przygotowan do obchodów Wielkiego Jubileuszu Zbawienia, poswieconym Osobie Jezusa Chrystusa - tajemnicy wcielenia Syna Bozego. Tym razem na szlak wyruszyly 382 osoby. Na trasie pielgrzymka powiekszyla sie do 600 osób. Po raz pierwszy pielgrzymka zostala podzielona na dwie grupy. Jedna grupa - rodzinna - zlozona byla z doroslych i dzieci. Druga grupa to dzieci i mlodziez, a konferencje gloszone w niej byly w jezykach polskim i angielskim. Podczas X pielgrzymki zrodzila sie mysl, aby uczestniczyc w paradzie generala Kazimierza Pulaskiego, która odbywa sie co roku w Nowym Jorku. Po raz pierwszy w paradzie pielgrzymi mocno zaakcentowali chrzescijanskie wymiary Polonii w Stanach Zjednoczonych.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
10th Walking Pilgrimage, August 7-10, 1997. The tenth jubilee of the pilgrimage fell in 1997, which, according to the Apostolic Letter of the Holy Father Pope John Paul II, "Tertio Millennio Adveniente", was the first year of preparation for the Great Jubilee of salvation, dedicated to the Person of Jesus Christ - the mystery of the Incarnation son of God. This year 382 people set off on the trail. During the pilgrimage 600 more people joined. For the first time the pilgrimage was divided into two groups: Group One - family - was composed of adults and children. The second group was young adults and teens with conferences proclaimed in both Polish and English. During the 10th pilgrimage the idea was born to participate in the parade of General Casimir Pulaski: which takes place every year in New York. For the first time in the parade our pilgrims strongly emphasized the Christian dimensions of the Polish community in the United States.
X pielgrzymka, 7-10 sierpnia 1997 r. Dziesiata, jubileuszowa pielgrzymka przypadla w roku 1997, który wedlug Listu Apostolskiego Ojca swietego Jana Pawla II 'Tertio Millenio Adveniente' byl pierwszym rokiem przygotowan do obchodów Wielkiego Jubileuszu Zbawienia, poswieconym Osobie Jezusa Chrystusa - tajemnicy wcielenia Syna Bozego. Tym razem na szlak wyruszyly 382 osoby. Na trasie pielgrzymka powiekszyla sie do 600 osób. Po raz pierwszy pielgrzymka zostala podzielona na dwie grupy. Jedna grupa - rodzinna - zlozona byla z doroslych i dzieci. Druga grupa to dzieci i mlodziez, a konferencje gloszone w niej byly w jezykach polskim i angielskim. Podczas X pielgrzymki zrodzila sie mysl, aby uczestniczyc w paradzie generala Kazimierza Pulaskiego, która odbywa sie co roku w Nowym Jorku. Po raz pierwszy w paradzie pielgrzymi mocno zaakcentowali chrzescijanskie wymiary Polonii w Stanach Zjednoczonych.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
10th Walking Pilgrimage, August 7-10, 1997. The tenth jubilee of the pilgrimage fell in 1997, which, according to the Apostolic Letter of the Holy Father Pope John Paul II, "Tertio Millennio Adveniente", was the first year of preparation for the Great Jubilee of salvation, dedicated to the Person of Jesus Christ - the mystery of the Incarnation son of God. This year 382 people set off on the trail. During the pilgrimage 600 more people joined. For the first time the pilgrimage was divided into two groups: Group One - family - was composed of adults and children. The second group was young adults and teens with conferences proclaimed in both Polish and English. During the 10th pilgrimage the idea was born to participate in the parade of General Casimir Pulaski: which takes place every year in New York. For the first time in the parade our pilgrims strongly emphasized the Christian dimensions of the Polish community in the United States.
11th Walking Pilgrimage
XI pielgrzymka, 6-9 sierpnia 1998 r. Rozpoczela sie bardzo wczesnie rano Msza sw. w kosciele w Great Meadows. Okolo 1200 pielgrzymów utworzylo dwie grupy: polskojezyczna i anglojezyczna. W pielgrzymce wzielo udzial dwóch biskupów: bp Stanislaw Gadecki z Gniezna i bp Tomasz Wenski z Miami, FL. Po dziesieciu latach istnienia pielgrzymki na samym poczatku jedenastej pielgrzymki wydarzyl sie niespodziewany incydent. Mianowicie nowo ustanowiony szef policji stanowej zorganizowal autami policyjnymi niespodziewana blokade drogi, samochody policyjne otoczyly pielgrzymów, zostal zatrzymany ruch drogowy, wszystkim patnikom zagrozono aresztowaniem. Ks. Kuziemski poprosil szefa policji o rozmowe. Po chwili wyjasnienia policja pozwolila na kontynuowanie pielgrzymki. Szef zarzadzil nawet eskorte policyjna.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
11th Walking Pilgrimage, August 6-9, 1998. This pilgrimage began very early in the morning with the celebration of Mass in Ss. Peter & Paul Church in Great Meadows, NJ. About 1200 pilgrims formed two groups: a Polish and English. The pilgrimage was attended by Bishop Stanislaw Gadecki of Gniezno, Poland and auxiliary Bishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, FL. After ten years of our pilgrimage being in existence with the start of year eleven an unexpected incident occurred. As our pilgrimage walked along, they were all stopped and surrounded by state police cars. The pilgrims were all threatened with arrest. Fr. Ignaius Kuziemski, pastor of Ss. Peter & Paul at this time, asked to speak to the police chief. After a while the police allowed us to continue the pilgrimage and the chief even provided a police escort.
XI pielgrzymka, 6-9 sierpnia 1998 r. Rozpoczela sie bardzo wczesnie rano Msza sw. w kosciele w Great Meadows. Okolo 1200 pielgrzymów utworzylo dwie grupy: polskojezyczna i anglojezyczna. W pielgrzymce wzielo udzial dwóch biskupów: bp Stanislaw Gadecki z Gniezna i bp Tomasz Wenski z Miami, FL. Po dziesieciu latach istnienia pielgrzymki na samym poczatku jedenastej pielgrzymki wydarzyl sie niespodziewany incydent. Mianowicie nowo ustanowiony szef policji stanowej zorganizowal autami policyjnymi niespodziewana blokade drogi, samochody policyjne otoczyly pielgrzymów, zostal zatrzymany ruch drogowy, wszystkim patnikom zagrozono aresztowaniem. Ks. Kuziemski poprosil szefa policji o rozmowe. Po chwili wyjasnienia policja pozwolila na kontynuowanie pielgrzymki. Szef zarzadzil nawet eskorte policyjna.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
11th Walking Pilgrimage, August 6-9, 1998. This pilgrimage began very early in the morning with the celebration of Mass in Ss. Peter & Paul Church in Great Meadows, NJ. About 1200 pilgrims formed two groups: a Polish and English. The pilgrimage was attended by Bishop Stanislaw Gadecki of Gniezno, Poland and auxiliary Bishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, FL. After ten years of our pilgrimage being in existence with the start of year eleven an unexpected incident occurred. As our pilgrimage walked along, they were all stopped and surrounded by state police cars. The pilgrims were all threatened with arrest. Fr. Ignaius Kuziemski, pastor of Ss. Peter & Paul at this time, asked to speak to the police chief. After a while the police allowed us to continue the pilgrimage and the chief even provided a police escort.
12th Walking Pilgrimage
XII pielgrzymka, 12-15 sierpnia 1999 r. Póltoratysieczna grupa szczesliwych, rozspiewanych, modlacych sie pielgrzymów wzbudzala podziw, uznanie i momenty zamyslenia wsród obserwatorów. Pokonywali 65-milowa trase w prazacym sloncu, wsród pieknego krajobrazu, jak chocby przejscie przez wiszacy most nad rzeka Delaware czy mijajac historyczne miasteczka Oxford, Hampton, Frenchtown, aby glosic Ewangelie swiadectwem trudu i wyrzeczen. Wsród pielgrzymów byli abp Henryk Muszynski z Gniezna oraz bp Tomasz Wenski z Miami FL, którzy swoja posluga obejmowali grupy anglojezyczna i hiszpanskojezyczna. Pielgrzymi bardzo cieplo wspominaja ostatni postój w Dolinie Pokoju (Peace Valley). Jest to miejsce wzajemnego przepraszania, wybaczania i braterstwa, 'niepowtarzalna spowiedz powszechna'.
Zródlo: Krystyna Górska, 'U boku Matki', kronika pielgrzymek z kosciola pw. sw. Piotra i Pawla w Great Meadows, NJ do amerykanskiej Czestochowy w Doylestown, PA i festiwali Maryjnych, Gniezno 2001
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
12th Walking Pilgrimage, August 12-15, 1999. A group of 1,500 happy, singing, and praying pilgrims aroused admiration, appreciation, and moments of reflection among observers as they marched towards Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine, Doylestown, PA. They completed the 65 mile route in the blazing sun, amid the beautiful landscapes and passing through the historic towns of Oxford, Hampton, and Frenchtown, NJ. They crossed the suspension bridge over the Delaware River from Frenchtown, NJ into PA to proclaim the Gospel with testimony of toil and sacrifice. Among the pilgrims were Archbishop Henryk Muszynski of Gniezno, Poland and auxiliary Bishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, FL. Bp. Wenski administered to our English-speaking and Spanish-speaking group. Pilgrims warmly recall the last stop in Peace Valley Park, PA. It is a place of mutual apology, forgiveness, and brotherhood, a “unique universal confession”.
Source: Krystyna Górska, 'At the side of the Mother', chronicle of pilgrimages from the church of St. Peter and Paul in Great Meadows, NJ to American Czestochowa in Doylestown, PA and Marian festivals, Gniezno 2001
XII pielgrzymka, 12-15 sierpnia 1999 r. Póltoratysieczna grupa szczesliwych, rozspiewanych, modlacych sie pielgrzymów wzbudzala podziw, uznanie i momenty zamyslenia wsród obserwatorów. Pokonywali 65-milowa trase w prazacym sloncu, wsród pieknego krajobrazu, jak chocby przejscie przez wiszacy most nad rzeka Delaware czy mijajac historyczne miasteczka Oxford, Hampton, Frenchtown, aby glosic Ewangelie swiadectwem trudu i wyrzeczen. Wsród pielgrzymów byli abp Henryk Muszynski z Gniezna oraz bp Tomasz Wenski z Miami FL, którzy swoja posluga obejmowali grupy anglojezyczna i hiszpanskojezyczna. Pielgrzymi bardzo cieplo wspominaja ostatni postój w Dolinie Pokoju (Peace Valley). Jest to miejsce wzajemnego przepraszania, wybaczania i braterstwa, 'niepowtarzalna spowiedz powszechna'.
Zródlo: Krystyna Górska, 'U boku Matki', kronika pielgrzymek z kosciola pw. sw. Piotra i Pawla w Great Meadows, NJ do amerykanskiej Czestochowy w Doylestown, PA i festiwali Maryjnych, Gniezno 2001
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
12th Walking Pilgrimage, August 12-15, 1999. A group of 1,500 happy, singing, and praying pilgrims aroused admiration, appreciation, and moments of reflection among observers as they marched towards Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine, Doylestown, PA. They completed the 65 mile route in the blazing sun, amid the beautiful landscapes and passing through the historic towns of Oxford, Hampton, and Frenchtown, NJ. They crossed the suspension bridge over the Delaware River from Frenchtown, NJ into PA to proclaim the Gospel with testimony of toil and sacrifice. Among the pilgrims were Archbishop Henryk Muszynski of Gniezno, Poland and auxiliary Bishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, FL. Bp. Wenski administered to our English-speaking and Spanish-speaking group. Pilgrims warmly recall the last stop in Peace Valley Park, PA. It is a place of mutual apology, forgiveness, and brotherhood, a “unique universal confession”.
Source: Krystyna Górska, 'At the side of the Mother', chronicle of pilgrimages from the church of St. Peter and Paul in Great Meadows, NJ to American Czestochowa in Doylestown, PA and Marian festivals, Gniezno 2001
18th Walking Pilgrimage
XVIII pielgrzymka, 12-15 sierpnia 2005. W niedziele 14 sierpnia 2005, w wigilie uroczystosci Wniebowziecia Najswietszej Maryi Panny i w 85. rocznice Cudu nad Wisla, przybyly do Sanktuarium Amerykanskiej Czestochowy trzy piesze pielgrzymki polonijne. Poniewaz jest to rok zlotego jubileuszu Sanktuarium (1955-2005), wiec mialy one wyjatkowy, "jubileuszowy" charakter - radosci i dziekczynienia za 50 lat istnienia i oddzialywania duszpasterskiego tego swietego miejsca na spoleczenstwo amerykansko-kanadyjskie, a szczególnie na wspólnote polonijna. Nie dane mi bylo osobiscie tym razem isc z pielgrzymami. Tydzien przed wyjsciem pielgrzymek znalazlem sie w szpitalu w Doylestown, gdzie mialem powazna operacje. Spedzilem wiec "zloty" czas pielgrzymki na lozu szpitalnym. Bylo mi ciezko... tak bardzo przeciez chcialem isc z moimi bracmi i siostrami patnikami... Ale szedlem z nimi duchowo, laczylem moje bóle i samotnosc... Ufam, ze moje pielgrzymowanie z lózka szpitalnego bylo bardziej owocne anizeli osobiste moje uczestnictwo. Bylem swiadomy, ze pielgrzymi modla sie za mnie, na czele z duchowym przewodnikiem tegorocznej polonijnej pielgrzymki - polskim biskupem Tomaszem Wenskim, ordynariuszem diecezji Orlando na Florydzie, który odwiedzil mnie w szpitalu dwa razy. Takze wielu pielgrzymów z trasy odwiedzalo mnie, aby dodac mi sil w tych wyjatkowych dniach. Za to wszystko jestem im gleboko wdzieczny. Tradycyjnie juz do Sanktuarium Amerykanskiej Czestochowy przybywaja trzy piesze pielgrzymki. Najstarsza wyrusza z Great Meadows (New Jersey), z polskiej parafii Swietych Piotra i Pawla. Byla to juz 18. pielgrzymka. Rozpoczela sie na zakonczenie Roku Maryjnego w 1988 r. Do tej pielgrzymki dolacza od kilku lat duza grupa amerykanska i hiszpanska. Pielgrzymi ida 4 dni. Pielgrzymka z Great Meadows, nazywana szlachetna matka, dala poczatek pielgrzymce z Filadelfii, z parafii pw. sw. Wojciecha i sw. Jana Kantego, oraz z Trenton (New Jersey), zorganizowanej przez parafian przy polskiej parafii pw. sw. Jadwigi. Ostatnie pielgrzymki wyruszaja dwa dni pózniej. Wszyscy pielgrzymi spotykaja sie na terenie Sanktuarium w tym samym czasie. Jest to wspanialy widok. Ludzie sa razem u Matki, która zawsze laczy. Glównym tematem tegorocznych pielgrzymek byla Eucharystia, która zyje Kosciól pielgrzymów, oraz dziekczynienie za pontyfikat slugi Bozego Jana Pawla II. Haslem pielgrzymek byly slowa polskiej piesni eucharystycznej: Witaj Jezu, Synu Maryi, Tys jest Bóg prawdziwy w swietej Hostii. Uroczysta Msza sw. pielgrzymkowa zostala odprawiona o godz. 2.30 po poludniu na szczycie Sanktuarium. Liturgii przewodniczyl bp Wenski z Miami, FL, koncelebrowali kaplani z poszczególnych grup pielgrzymkowych. Bp Wenski skierowal slowo duszpasterskie w jezykach polskim i angielskim do blisko 3-tysiecznej rzeszy pielgrzymów. Ojciec prowincjal Krzysztof Wieliczko powital wszystkich patników, którzy szczesliwe dodarli do Domu Matki. W czasie procesji z darami zostaly przyniesione, oprócz wina i chleba, takze Ksiegi duchowej adopcji dziecka poczetego, która podjeli pielgrzymi, oraz Ksiega osób przyjetych do szkaplerza karmelitanskiego. Niech Dobry Bóg da nam radosc ponownego spotkania na nowym szlaku patniczym, juz za rok...
O. Marian Zalecki OSPPE
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
18th Walking Pilgrimage, August 12-15, 2005. On Saturday, August 14, 2005, the eve of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the 85th anniversary of the Miracle on the Vistula (Battle of Warsaw), three different pilgrimages of the Polish community came together and met at the American Czestochowa Shrine, Doylestown, PA. Since this is the year of the golden jubilee of the American Shrine Sanctuary in Doylestown (1955-2005) they had a special "jubilee", joy and thanksgiving for 50 years of existence of this holy place on American-Canadian societies, and especially on the Polish community. I was not allowed to personally go to this pilgrimage. A week before the pilgrimage was scheduled to leave, I found myself in a hospital in Doylestown, where I had a serious operation. So, I spent the "golden" time of the pilgrimage in a hospital bed. It was difficult for me ... I wanted so much to go with my brothers and sisters on this pilgrimage ... But I walked with them spiritually, I offered up my pain and loneliness ... I am confident that my pilgrimage, from the hospital bed, was more fruitful than my personal participation. I was aware that the pilgrims were praying for me, led by the spiritual guidence of Bishop Thomas Wenski, Bishop of the Diocese of Orlando, Florida, who visited me in the hospital twice. Also, many pilgrims from the pilgrimage visited me to add to my strength in these exceptional days. For all this I am deeply grateful. Traditionally, three pilgrimages come together and arrive at the American Czestochowa Shrine by foot. The oldest leaves from Great Meadows, NJ, the American-Polish parish of Saints Peter and Paul. It was the 18th pilgrimage. This pilgrimage began at the end of the Marian Year in 1988. To this pilgrimage joins a large group of American and Spanish speaking pilgrims. Pilgrims walk for 4 days. The pilgrimage from Great Meadows, called the noble mother, gave birth to the pilgrimages from Philadelphia, with the parish of St. Adalbert and St. John Kanty and a pilgrimage from Trenton, NJ, organized by the parishioners at the Polish parish of St. Hedwig. The last two pilgrimages set off two days later. All pilgrims meet at the sanctuary at the same time. It is a magnificent sight. People are together with our Blessed Mother who always connects. The main theme of this year's pilgrimage was “The Eucharist”, which the Church and pilgrims are thankful for the pontificate of the Servant of God, John Paul II. The motto of the pilgrimage were the words of the Polish songs of celebration: Welcome Jesus, Son of Mary, you are true God in the sacred Host. The Solemn Mass started at 2:30 pm in the upper large church in Doylestown. The liturgy was presided by Bishop Wenski of Orlando, FL, and concelebrated by priests of various pilgrimage groups. Bishop Wenski addressed a pastoral message in both Polish and English to nearly 3,000 pilgrims. Father Provincial Krzysztof Wieliczko welcomed all the pilgrims who happily reached the Czestochowa Shrine. During the procession of the gifts, in addition to the wine and bread, the Book of Spiritual Adoption of a Child, conceived by the pilgrims, and the Book of People admitted to the Carmelite Scapular were also brought to the altar. May the Good God give us the joy of meeting again on a new pilgrimage route, next year ...
O. Marian Zalecki, OSPPE
XVIII pielgrzymka, 12-15 sierpnia 2005. W niedziele 14 sierpnia 2005, w wigilie uroczystosci Wniebowziecia Najswietszej Maryi Panny i w 85. rocznice Cudu nad Wisla, przybyly do Sanktuarium Amerykanskiej Czestochowy trzy piesze pielgrzymki polonijne. Poniewaz jest to rok zlotego jubileuszu Sanktuarium (1955-2005), wiec mialy one wyjatkowy, "jubileuszowy" charakter - radosci i dziekczynienia za 50 lat istnienia i oddzialywania duszpasterskiego tego swietego miejsca na spoleczenstwo amerykansko-kanadyjskie, a szczególnie na wspólnote polonijna. Nie dane mi bylo osobiscie tym razem isc z pielgrzymami. Tydzien przed wyjsciem pielgrzymek znalazlem sie w szpitalu w Doylestown, gdzie mialem powazna operacje. Spedzilem wiec "zloty" czas pielgrzymki na lozu szpitalnym. Bylo mi ciezko... tak bardzo przeciez chcialem isc z moimi bracmi i siostrami patnikami... Ale szedlem z nimi duchowo, laczylem moje bóle i samotnosc... Ufam, ze moje pielgrzymowanie z lózka szpitalnego bylo bardziej owocne anizeli osobiste moje uczestnictwo. Bylem swiadomy, ze pielgrzymi modla sie za mnie, na czele z duchowym przewodnikiem tegorocznej polonijnej pielgrzymki - polskim biskupem Tomaszem Wenskim, ordynariuszem diecezji Orlando na Florydzie, który odwiedzil mnie w szpitalu dwa razy. Takze wielu pielgrzymów z trasy odwiedzalo mnie, aby dodac mi sil w tych wyjatkowych dniach. Za to wszystko jestem im gleboko wdzieczny. Tradycyjnie juz do Sanktuarium Amerykanskiej Czestochowy przybywaja trzy piesze pielgrzymki. Najstarsza wyrusza z Great Meadows (New Jersey), z polskiej parafii Swietych Piotra i Pawla. Byla to juz 18. pielgrzymka. Rozpoczela sie na zakonczenie Roku Maryjnego w 1988 r. Do tej pielgrzymki dolacza od kilku lat duza grupa amerykanska i hiszpanska. Pielgrzymi ida 4 dni. Pielgrzymka z Great Meadows, nazywana szlachetna matka, dala poczatek pielgrzymce z Filadelfii, z parafii pw. sw. Wojciecha i sw. Jana Kantego, oraz z Trenton (New Jersey), zorganizowanej przez parafian przy polskiej parafii pw. sw. Jadwigi. Ostatnie pielgrzymki wyruszaja dwa dni pózniej. Wszyscy pielgrzymi spotykaja sie na terenie Sanktuarium w tym samym czasie. Jest to wspanialy widok. Ludzie sa razem u Matki, która zawsze laczy. Glównym tematem tegorocznych pielgrzymek byla Eucharystia, która zyje Kosciól pielgrzymów, oraz dziekczynienie za pontyfikat slugi Bozego Jana Pawla II. Haslem pielgrzymek byly slowa polskiej piesni eucharystycznej: Witaj Jezu, Synu Maryi, Tys jest Bóg prawdziwy w swietej Hostii. Uroczysta Msza sw. pielgrzymkowa zostala odprawiona o godz. 2.30 po poludniu na szczycie Sanktuarium. Liturgii przewodniczyl bp Wenski z Miami, FL, koncelebrowali kaplani z poszczególnych grup pielgrzymkowych. Bp Wenski skierowal slowo duszpasterskie w jezykach polskim i angielskim do blisko 3-tysiecznej rzeszy pielgrzymów. Ojciec prowincjal Krzysztof Wieliczko powital wszystkich patników, którzy szczesliwe dodarli do Domu Matki. W czasie procesji z darami zostaly przyniesione, oprócz wina i chleba, takze Ksiegi duchowej adopcji dziecka poczetego, która podjeli pielgrzymi, oraz Ksiega osób przyjetych do szkaplerza karmelitanskiego. Niech Dobry Bóg da nam radosc ponownego spotkania na nowym szlaku patniczym, juz za rok...
O. Marian Zalecki OSPPE
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
18th Walking Pilgrimage, August 12-15, 2005. On Saturday, August 14, 2005, the eve of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the 85th anniversary of the Miracle on the Vistula (Battle of Warsaw), three different pilgrimages of the Polish community came together and met at the American Czestochowa Shrine, Doylestown, PA. Since this is the year of the golden jubilee of the American Shrine Sanctuary in Doylestown (1955-2005) they had a special "jubilee", joy and thanksgiving for 50 years of existence of this holy place on American-Canadian societies, and especially on the Polish community. I was not allowed to personally go to this pilgrimage. A week before the pilgrimage was scheduled to leave, I found myself in a hospital in Doylestown, where I had a serious operation. So, I spent the "golden" time of the pilgrimage in a hospital bed. It was difficult for me ... I wanted so much to go with my brothers and sisters on this pilgrimage ... But I walked with them spiritually, I offered up my pain and loneliness ... I am confident that my pilgrimage, from the hospital bed, was more fruitful than my personal participation. I was aware that the pilgrims were praying for me, led by the spiritual guidence of Bishop Thomas Wenski, Bishop of the Diocese of Orlando, Florida, who visited me in the hospital twice. Also, many pilgrims from the pilgrimage visited me to add to my strength in these exceptional days. For all this I am deeply grateful. Traditionally, three pilgrimages come together and arrive at the American Czestochowa Shrine by foot. The oldest leaves from Great Meadows, NJ, the American-Polish parish of Saints Peter and Paul. It was the 18th pilgrimage. This pilgrimage began at the end of the Marian Year in 1988. To this pilgrimage joins a large group of American and Spanish speaking pilgrims. Pilgrims walk for 4 days. The pilgrimage from Great Meadows, called the noble mother, gave birth to the pilgrimages from Philadelphia, with the parish of St. Adalbert and St. John Kanty and a pilgrimage from Trenton, NJ, organized by the parishioners at the Polish parish of St. Hedwig. The last two pilgrimages set off two days later. All pilgrims meet at the sanctuary at the same time. It is a magnificent sight. People are together with our Blessed Mother who always connects. The main theme of this year's pilgrimage was “The Eucharist”, which the Church and pilgrims are thankful for the pontificate of the Servant of God, John Paul II. The motto of the pilgrimage were the words of the Polish songs of celebration: Welcome Jesus, Son of Mary, you are true God in the sacred Host. The Solemn Mass started at 2:30 pm in the upper large church in Doylestown. The liturgy was presided by Bishop Wenski of Orlando, FL, and concelebrated by priests of various pilgrimage groups. Bishop Wenski addressed a pastoral message in both Polish and English to nearly 3,000 pilgrims. Father Provincial Krzysztof Wieliczko welcomed all the pilgrims who happily reached the Czestochowa Shrine. During the procession of the gifts, in addition to the wine and bread, the Book of Spiritual Adoption of a Child, conceived by the pilgrims, and the Book of People admitted to the Carmelite Scapular were also brought to the altar. May the Good God give us the joy of meeting again on a new pilgrimage route, next year ...
O. Marian Zalecki, OSPPE
19th Walking Pilgrimage
XIX pielgrzymka, 10-13 sierpnia 2006. Odbyla sie z okazji Swieta Wniebowstapienia Matki Bozej i wyruszyla wczesnym rankiem z parafii Sw. Piotra i Pawla w Great Meadows, NJ. Pielgrzymi mieli do przejscia w ciagu czterech dni okolo 65 mil. Szli bardzo malownicza trasa: wsród lasów, pól i lak, mijajac liczne wioski i miasteczka. Pogoda dopisala - oprócz krótkiego deszczu pierwszego dnia bylo sucho i slonecznie, przy tym niezbyt goraco. Pielgrzymi podzieleni byli na 3 grupy. Pierwsza polska grupe dla doroslych poprowadzili Ojcowie Redemptorysci, a przewodniczyl jej, jak co roku, ojciec Jan Kwiecien. Druga polska grupe - mlodziezowa - prowadzili Ojcowie Paulini pod przewodnictwem Ojca Anzelma Chalupka. Natomiast trzecia, z roku na rok coraz bardziej rozrastajaca sie grupa amerykansko-hiszpanska, byla prowadzona przez braci Franciszkanów z Nowego Jorku, na czele z Ojcem Mariuszem Kochem. Grupy maszerowaly w pólgodzinnych odstepach, zatrzymujac sie na krótkie postoje co 2-3 mile. Perfekcyjna byla organizacja pielgrzymki, w która zaangazowanych bylo ponad 200 osób. Koordynacja tak wielkiej pielgrzymki jest przedsiewzieciem naprawde na ogromna skale. Zagwarantowanie bezpieczenstwa na drogach, naglosnienie, serwis porzadkowy, przygotowanie i dostarczenie posilków, wody, przewóz bagazy i wiele innych obowiazków jest wykonywane przez rzesze wolontariuszy. Przygotowanie imprezy trwa praktycznie przez caly rok. Wszystko zapiete bylo na przyslowiowy ostatni guzik. Glównym organizatorem pielgrzymki jest niestrudzony proboszcz z Great Meadows, Ojciec Ignacy Kuziemski, a jej glównymi koordynatorami pan Szczepan Radzinski i pani Zofia Ryngwelska. Kazdego dnia pielgrzymi maszeruja praktycznie od rana do nocy, ale swój trud ofiarowuja Matce Bozej w niesionych w swoich sercach intencjach. Obolale miesnie, stawy i stopy, odciski oraz zmeczenie przyjmowane sa przez uczestników z nadzwyczajna wyrozumialoscia, wszak jest to jakby wpisane w scenariusz pielgrzymki. Wszyscy patnicy zgodnie podkreslaja wspaniala atmosfere, zyczliwosc i poczucie jednosci. Glównym punktem kazdego dnia byla wspólna Msza Sw. dla wszystkich uczestników pielgrzymki. Wedlug organizatorów, pierwszego dnia zarejestrowanych bylo okolo tysiac osób, w nastepnych dolaczylo kilkaset kolejnych. W niedziele bylo ich juz oficjalnie ponad 1800, choc liczba pielgrzymów wchodzacych do maryjnego sanktuarium byla z pewnoscia znacznie wyzsza, gdyz wiele osób, które dolaczyly do pielgrzymki w czasie weekendu, nie rejestrowala sie. Duchowymi przewodnikami pielgrzymki byli w tym roku biskupi: Czeslaw Stanula z Brazylii oraz Tomasz Wencki z Orlando FL, którzy szli cala trase pielgrzymki. Ponadto wzielo w niej udzial okolo 80 osób duchowych (ksiezy, ojców, braci i sióstr zakonnych). W niedziele, 13 sierpnia, przywital pielgrzymów na przedpolach Amerykanskiej Czestochowy prowincjal Zakonu Paulinów w USA, Ojciec Krzysztof Wieliczko. Zwienczeniem pielgrzymki byla uroczysta msza sw. w sanktuarium Matki Bozej Czestochowskiej, w której wzielo udzial tysiace wiernych. Wypowiedz Pielgrzyma Ks. Biskupa Czeslawa Stanuli, CsRS z Tabuny, Brazylia: "Tegoroczna pielgrzymka byla wielkim utwierdzeniem w wierze bioracych w niej udzial wiernych. Najbardziej uderzyla mnie liczba osób, które uczestniczyly w pielgrzymce: ponad tysiac pierwszego dnia. Pielgrzymka codziennie rosla liczebnie i dolaczali do niej nowi patnicy. Przybyli na nia ludzie z dalekich zakatków Ameryki, z zagranicy, nawet z Indii. Ludzie pielgrzymuja z wielka wiara i poboznoscia. Widzialem osobe w podeszlym wieku, która szla dzielnie, a jedynie w niektórych trudniejszych momentach przy wspinaniu sie pod górki, prosila o pomoc inne panie czy siostry zakonne, by móc sie na nich wesprzec. Uderzylo mnie wielkie pragnienie poglebienia i przezywania wiary. Konferencje i rozmyslania byly uwaznie sluchane, a nastepnie komentowane. Wielka role odgrywali kaplani, którzy szli i udzielali pomocy duchowej pielgrzymom. Prawie calej pielgrzymce towarzyszyla modlitwa na rózancu, rozwazania stacji Drogi krzyzowej i koronki do Milosierdzia Bozego. Mozna powiedziec, ze pielgrzymka byla wielkim wydarzeniem religijnym i wspólnotowym ludzi, których laczy ta sama wiara i milosc do Matki Bozej Czestochowskiej. Pod koniec pielgrzymki czulo sie, ze jestesmy jedna wielka rodzina. Slowa uznania naleza sie calej ekipie, która pracowala na zapleczu, czy to w kuchni, czy to w dziale porzadkowym lub innym sektorze organizacyjnym. Byla to duza, pracujaca zgodnie ekipa. Codziennie uczestniczyli we mszy sw., która byla dla nich pokarmem duchowym na caly dzien trudnej pracy. Wielkie uznanie nalezy sie pokornemu, cichemu, ale dynamicznemu ksiedzu Ignacemu Kuziemskiemu oraz jego pomocnikowi ks. Stanislawowi Lewinskiemu."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
19th Walking Pilgrimage, August 10-13, 2006. This pilgrimage was held on the occasion of the Assumption of Our Lady and we all set off early in the morning from the parish of St. Peter and Paul Church in Great Meadows, NJ. The pilgrims had to walk 65 miles which takes about four days. They walked through very scenic routes: among forests, fields and meadows, passing numerous villages and towns. The weather was good - apart from a brief rain on the first day it was dry and sunny, while not to hot. The pilgrims were divided into 3 groups. The first group of Polish adults was led by the Redemptorist Fathers, and as every year, led by Fr. Jan Kwiecien. The second Polish group (youth) was led by the Pauline Fathers under the leadership of Fr. Anselm Chalupka. While the third group was run by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal of New York, led by Fr. Mariusz Koch. The groups marched in half-hour intervals, stopping every 2-3 miles for a rest. The organization of the pilgrimage is very intense and time consuming. More than 200 volunteers are involved. Coordination of such an event, with the amount of people and volunteers is very massive, a true huge undertaking. Securing overnight stays, getting permission for rest areas, notifying police and townships, ensuring road safety, checking sound systems, ensuring the proper service sequences, preparation and delivery of meals, water, transport of luggage and many other duties are performed by the many, many volunteers. Preparation of this event lasts almost all year round. Everything is doubled checked right down to the last second. The main organizer of the pilgrimage is a tireless pastor of Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows, NJ, Fr. Ignatius Kuziemski and its main coordinators Mr. Szczepan Radzinski and Mrs. Zofia Ringwelska. Every day, pilgrims march virtually from morning to night, but all their labor and sufferings are offered to Our Lady, as they carry their intentions in their hearts. Sore muscles, joints and feet, corns, blisters, and fatigue are taken care of by our medical nurses, The Little Servant Sisters of Woodbridge, NJ. There is always a great atmosphere, friendliness, and a sense of unity. The highlight of each day was the Holy Mass. According to the organizers, on the first day they registered about a thousand people. During the pilgrimage several hundred new people arrived. On Sunday there were now officially over 1800 people. The number of pilgrims coming to the Shrine in Doylestown was certainly much higher, because many people who joined the pilgrimage during the weekend did not register themselves. The spiritual leaders of the pilgrimage this year were Bishop Czeslaw Stanula from Brazil and Bishop Tomasz Wenski from Orlando FL, who walked the entire route of the pilgrimage. In addition, about 80 priests, Brothers, and Sisters attended. On Sunday, August 13, the pilgrims were greeted on the outskirts of the American Czestochowa by the provincial of the Pauline Order in the United States, Fr. Krzysztof Wieliczko. The culmination of the pilgrimage was the solemn final Holy Mass in the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA, which was attended by thousands of faithful. This was the statement of Bishop Czeslaw Stanuli, CSRS of Tabuna, Brazil: "This year's pilgrimage was a great confirmation of the faithful participating in it. I was struck by the number of people who participated in the pilgrimage: more than a thousand on the first day. The pilgrimage grew in numbers every day as new pilgrims joined the walk. People came from far corners of America, from abroad, even from India. The people make this pilgrimage with great faith and devotion. I saw an elderly person who walked bravely, but only asked for help in some difficult moments (while climbing a hill) and asked for help from other ladies and nuns to be able to lean on them for support. I was struck by a great desire to deepen and live my faith. Conferences and meditations were carefully listened to and commented on. The priests who walk play a great role in giving spiritual assistance to the pilgrims. Nearly the whole pilgrimage was accompanied by prayers: the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy. You could say that the pilgrimage was a great event and a religious community of people who share the same faith and love for Our Lady of Czestochowa. By the end of the pilgrimage, we felt that we are one big family. Words of appreciation are due to the entire team, who worked behind the scenes, in the back rooms and kitchen, in the order department and cleaning, or any other organizational sector. It was a large working team. They participate daily in the Holy Mass, which, for them, was the spiritual food needed for a whole day of hard work. Great appreciation goes to the humble, silent, but dynamic priest, Fr. Ignatius Kuziemski and his assistant Fr. Stanislaw Lewinski.
XIX pielgrzymka, 10-13 sierpnia 2006. Odbyla sie z okazji Swieta Wniebowstapienia Matki Bozej i wyruszyla wczesnym rankiem z parafii Sw. Piotra i Pawla w Great Meadows, NJ. Pielgrzymi mieli do przejscia w ciagu czterech dni okolo 65 mil. Szli bardzo malownicza trasa: wsród lasów, pól i lak, mijajac liczne wioski i miasteczka. Pogoda dopisala - oprócz krótkiego deszczu pierwszego dnia bylo sucho i slonecznie, przy tym niezbyt goraco. Pielgrzymi podzieleni byli na 3 grupy. Pierwsza polska grupe dla doroslych poprowadzili Ojcowie Redemptorysci, a przewodniczyl jej, jak co roku, ojciec Jan Kwiecien. Druga polska grupe - mlodziezowa - prowadzili Ojcowie Paulini pod przewodnictwem Ojca Anzelma Chalupka. Natomiast trzecia, z roku na rok coraz bardziej rozrastajaca sie grupa amerykansko-hiszpanska, byla prowadzona przez braci Franciszkanów z Nowego Jorku, na czele z Ojcem Mariuszem Kochem. Grupy maszerowaly w pólgodzinnych odstepach, zatrzymujac sie na krótkie postoje co 2-3 mile. Perfekcyjna byla organizacja pielgrzymki, w która zaangazowanych bylo ponad 200 osób. Koordynacja tak wielkiej pielgrzymki jest przedsiewzieciem naprawde na ogromna skale. Zagwarantowanie bezpieczenstwa na drogach, naglosnienie, serwis porzadkowy, przygotowanie i dostarczenie posilków, wody, przewóz bagazy i wiele innych obowiazków jest wykonywane przez rzesze wolontariuszy. Przygotowanie imprezy trwa praktycznie przez caly rok. Wszystko zapiete bylo na przyslowiowy ostatni guzik. Glównym organizatorem pielgrzymki jest niestrudzony proboszcz z Great Meadows, Ojciec Ignacy Kuziemski, a jej glównymi koordynatorami pan Szczepan Radzinski i pani Zofia Ryngwelska. Kazdego dnia pielgrzymi maszeruja praktycznie od rana do nocy, ale swój trud ofiarowuja Matce Bozej w niesionych w swoich sercach intencjach. Obolale miesnie, stawy i stopy, odciski oraz zmeczenie przyjmowane sa przez uczestników z nadzwyczajna wyrozumialoscia, wszak jest to jakby wpisane w scenariusz pielgrzymki. Wszyscy patnicy zgodnie podkreslaja wspaniala atmosfere, zyczliwosc i poczucie jednosci. Glównym punktem kazdego dnia byla wspólna Msza Sw. dla wszystkich uczestników pielgrzymki. Wedlug organizatorów, pierwszego dnia zarejestrowanych bylo okolo tysiac osób, w nastepnych dolaczylo kilkaset kolejnych. W niedziele bylo ich juz oficjalnie ponad 1800, choc liczba pielgrzymów wchodzacych do maryjnego sanktuarium byla z pewnoscia znacznie wyzsza, gdyz wiele osób, które dolaczyly do pielgrzymki w czasie weekendu, nie rejestrowala sie. Duchowymi przewodnikami pielgrzymki byli w tym roku biskupi: Czeslaw Stanula z Brazylii oraz Tomasz Wencki z Orlando FL, którzy szli cala trase pielgrzymki. Ponadto wzielo w niej udzial okolo 80 osób duchowych (ksiezy, ojców, braci i sióstr zakonnych). W niedziele, 13 sierpnia, przywital pielgrzymów na przedpolach Amerykanskiej Czestochowy prowincjal Zakonu Paulinów w USA, Ojciec Krzysztof Wieliczko. Zwienczeniem pielgrzymki byla uroczysta msza sw. w sanktuarium Matki Bozej Czestochowskiej, w której wzielo udzial tysiace wiernych. Wypowiedz Pielgrzyma Ks. Biskupa Czeslawa Stanuli, CsRS z Tabuny, Brazylia: "Tegoroczna pielgrzymka byla wielkim utwierdzeniem w wierze bioracych w niej udzial wiernych. Najbardziej uderzyla mnie liczba osób, które uczestniczyly w pielgrzymce: ponad tysiac pierwszego dnia. Pielgrzymka codziennie rosla liczebnie i dolaczali do niej nowi patnicy. Przybyli na nia ludzie z dalekich zakatków Ameryki, z zagranicy, nawet z Indii. Ludzie pielgrzymuja z wielka wiara i poboznoscia. Widzialem osobe w podeszlym wieku, która szla dzielnie, a jedynie w niektórych trudniejszych momentach przy wspinaniu sie pod górki, prosila o pomoc inne panie czy siostry zakonne, by móc sie na nich wesprzec. Uderzylo mnie wielkie pragnienie poglebienia i przezywania wiary. Konferencje i rozmyslania byly uwaznie sluchane, a nastepnie komentowane. Wielka role odgrywali kaplani, którzy szli i udzielali pomocy duchowej pielgrzymom. Prawie calej pielgrzymce towarzyszyla modlitwa na rózancu, rozwazania stacji Drogi krzyzowej i koronki do Milosierdzia Bozego. Mozna powiedziec, ze pielgrzymka byla wielkim wydarzeniem religijnym i wspólnotowym ludzi, których laczy ta sama wiara i milosc do Matki Bozej Czestochowskiej. Pod koniec pielgrzymki czulo sie, ze jestesmy jedna wielka rodzina. Slowa uznania naleza sie calej ekipie, która pracowala na zapleczu, czy to w kuchni, czy to w dziale porzadkowym lub innym sektorze organizacyjnym. Byla to duza, pracujaca zgodnie ekipa. Codziennie uczestniczyli we mszy sw., która byla dla nich pokarmem duchowym na caly dzien trudnej pracy. Wielkie uznanie nalezy sie pokornemu, cichemu, ale dynamicznemu ksiedzu Ignacemu Kuziemskiemu oraz jego pomocnikowi ks. Stanislawowi Lewinskiemu."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
19th Walking Pilgrimage, August 10-13, 2006. This pilgrimage was held on the occasion of the Assumption of Our Lady and we all set off early in the morning from the parish of St. Peter and Paul Church in Great Meadows, NJ. The pilgrims had to walk 65 miles which takes about four days. They walked through very scenic routes: among forests, fields and meadows, passing numerous villages and towns. The weather was good - apart from a brief rain on the first day it was dry and sunny, while not to hot. The pilgrims were divided into 3 groups. The first group of Polish adults was led by the Redemptorist Fathers, and as every year, led by Fr. Jan Kwiecien. The second Polish group (youth) was led by the Pauline Fathers under the leadership of Fr. Anselm Chalupka. While the third group was run by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal of New York, led by Fr. Mariusz Koch. The groups marched in half-hour intervals, stopping every 2-3 miles for a rest. The organization of the pilgrimage is very intense and time consuming. More than 200 volunteers are involved. Coordination of such an event, with the amount of people and volunteers is very massive, a true huge undertaking. Securing overnight stays, getting permission for rest areas, notifying police and townships, ensuring road safety, checking sound systems, ensuring the proper service sequences, preparation and delivery of meals, water, transport of luggage and many other duties are performed by the many, many volunteers. Preparation of this event lasts almost all year round. Everything is doubled checked right down to the last second. The main organizer of the pilgrimage is a tireless pastor of Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows, NJ, Fr. Ignatius Kuziemski and its main coordinators Mr. Szczepan Radzinski and Mrs. Zofia Ringwelska. Every day, pilgrims march virtually from morning to night, but all their labor and sufferings are offered to Our Lady, as they carry their intentions in their hearts. Sore muscles, joints and feet, corns, blisters, and fatigue are taken care of by our medical nurses, The Little Servant Sisters of Woodbridge, NJ. There is always a great atmosphere, friendliness, and a sense of unity. The highlight of each day was the Holy Mass. According to the organizers, on the first day they registered about a thousand people. During the pilgrimage several hundred new people arrived. On Sunday there were now officially over 1800 people. The number of pilgrims coming to the Shrine in Doylestown was certainly much higher, because many people who joined the pilgrimage during the weekend did not register themselves. The spiritual leaders of the pilgrimage this year were Bishop Czeslaw Stanula from Brazil and Bishop Tomasz Wenski from Orlando FL, who walked the entire route of the pilgrimage. In addition, about 80 priests, Brothers, and Sisters attended. On Sunday, August 13, the pilgrims were greeted on the outskirts of the American Czestochowa by the provincial of the Pauline Order in the United States, Fr. Krzysztof Wieliczko. The culmination of the pilgrimage was the solemn final Holy Mass in the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA, which was attended by thousands of faithful. This was the statement of Bishop Czeslaw Stanuli, CSRS of Tabuna, Brazil: "This year's pilgrimage was a great confirmation of the faithful participating in it. I was struck by the number of people who participated in the pilgrimage: more than a thousand on the first day. The pilgrimage grew in numbers every day as new pilgrims joined the walk. People came from far corners of America, from abroad, even from India. The people make this pilgrimage with great faith and devotion. I saw an elderly person who walked bravely, but only asked for help in some difficult moments (while climbing a hill) and asked for help from other ladies and nuns to be able to lean on them for support. I was struck by a great desire to deepen and live my faith. Conferences and meditations were carefully listened to and commented on. The priests who walk play a great role in giving spiritual assistance to the pilgrims. Nearly the whole pilgrimage was accompanied by prayers: the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy. You could say that the pilgrimage was a great event and a religious community of people who share the same faith and love for Our Lady of Czestochowa. By the end of the pilgrimage, we felt that we are one big family. Words of appreciation are due to the entire team, who worked behind the scenes, in the back rooms and kitchen, in the order department and cleaning, or any other organizational sector. It was a large working team. They participate daily in the Holy Mass, which, for them, was the spiritual food needed for a whole day of hard work. Great appreciation goes to the humble, silent, but dynamic priest, Fr. Ignatius Kuziemski and his assistant Fr. Stanislaw Lewinski.
20th Walking Pilgrimage
August 9-12, 2007 Since the last Walking Pilgrimage in 2006 we lost the founder and leader of this large event, Rev. Ignatius H. Kuziemski, pastor of Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows, NJ. Rev. Kuziemski was ordained on June 26, 1960 and was 71 years old. Rev. Kuziemski died on November 1, 2006. He was the pastor of Ss. Peter & Paul Church for 22 years. Just before Rev. Kuziemski's death, Rev. Marian Zalecki, also died. Rev. Marian Zalecki was of the order of Pauline Fathers and administered to his flock at Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine, Doylestown, PA. He died on September 18, 2006. The 20th pilgrimage in 2007 was now in the hands of the Salvatorian Fathers with it's new leader Rev. Tadeusz Majcher. Rev. Majcher was assigned to Ss. Peter & Paul Church by the Bishop of Metuchen, Bp. Gregory Bootkoski, on July 3, 2007. Rev. Majcher was assisted by our vicar, Rev. Pawel Dolinski. As usual, Fr. Jan Kwiecien of the Redemptorist Order led the first Polish-speaking group, followed by the second Polish-speaking group led by the Pauline Fathers of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA. And as in previous years the third group was led by Fr. Mariusz Koch and the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Newark, NJ. We had the pleasure of the attendance of Bishop Czeslaw Stanula from Brazil and Bishop Tomasz Wenski of the Diocese of Orlando, FL.
August 9-12, 2007 Since the last Walking Pilgrimage in 2006 we lost the founder and leader of this large event, Rev. Ignatius H. Kuziemski, pastor of Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows, NJ. Rev. Kuziemski was ordained on June 26, 1960 and was 71 years old. Rev. Kuziemski died on November 1, 2006. He was the pastor of Ss. Peter & Paul Church for 22 years. Just before Rev. Kuziemski's death, Rev. Marian Zalecki, also died. Rev. Marian Zalecki was of the order of Pauline Fathers and administered to his flock at Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine, Doylestown, PA. He died on September 18, 2006. The 20th pilgrimage in 2007 was now in the hands of the Salvatorian Fathers with it's new leader Rev. Tadeusz Majcher. Rev. Majcher was assigned to Ss. Peter & Paul Church by the Bishop of Metuchen, Bp. Gregory Bootkoski, on July 3, 2007. Rev. Majcher was assisted by our vicar, Rev. Pawel Dolinski. As usual, Fr. Jan Kwiecien of the Redemptorist Order led the first Polish-speaking group, followed by the second Polish-speaking group led by the Pauline Fathers of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA. And as in previous years the third group was led by Fr. Mariusz Koch and the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Newark, NJ. We had the pleasure of the attendance of Bishop Czeslaw Stanula from Brazil and Bishop Tomasz Wenski of the Diocese of Orlando, FL.
21st Walking Pilgrimage
August 7-10, 2008, Rev. Tadeusz Majcher and Rev. Pawel Dolinski once again led the way for this year's Walking Pilgrimage. The main speaker of this pilgrimage was Fr. Roman Hamny of Wroclaw, Poland. The first group was led by Fr. Jan Kwiecien, the second group was led by the Pauline Fathers, the third group by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Newark, NJ. Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando, FL was once again on the Pilgrimage with us; dancing and singing with the pilgrims. The concluding Mass was celebrated in Our Lady of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA with Bp. Wenski and Bp. Gregory Bootkoski of the Diocese of Metuchen, NJ. Also assisting at the Mass was our deacon, Deacon Stephen Gunther of Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows, NJ.
August 7-10, 2008, Rev. Tadeusz Majcher and Rev. Pawel Dolinski once again led the way for this year's Walking Pilgrimage. The main speaker of this pilgrimage was Fr. Roman Hamny of Wroclaw, Poland. The first group was led by Fr. Jan Kwiecien, the second group was led by the Pauline Fathers, the third group by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Newark, NJ. Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando, FL was once again on the Pilgrimage with us; dancing and singing with the pilgrims. The concluding Mass was celebrated in Our Lady of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA with Bp. Wenski and Bp. Gregory Bootkoski of the Diocese of Metuchen, NJ. Also assisting at the Mass was our deacon, Deacon Stephen Gunther of Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows, NJ.
22nd Walking Pilgrimage
August 6-9, 2009. Another change in leadership at Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows brings Rev. Pawel Dolinski back as our new pastor assisted by Rev. Dawid Adamczak. Two young priests are now in charge and bringing to the Walk new ideas and enthusiasm. The leader of group one is Fr. Jan Kwiecien of the Redemptorist Order followed by group two which is helmed by the Pauline Fathers of Doylestown, PA and lastly the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal of Newark, NJ heads our third group. Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando, FL has joined again and he brings with him his secretary and a group of new seminaries. On the last day there was a little rain but it did not dampen the spirits of the pilgrims. At the concluding Mass our main advisers brought up the gifts, Jan Prusak and Marek Szczeblewski, also Deacon Stephen Gunther of Ss. Peter & Paul Church assisted Bp. Wenski in celebrating the Mass. The church of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA was packed to the rafters.
August 6-9, 2009. Another change in leadership at Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows brings Rev. Pawel Dolinski back as our new pastor assisted by Rev. Dawid Adamczak. Two young priests are now in charge and bringing to the Walk new ideas and enthusiasm. The leader of group one is Fr. Jan Kwiecien of the Redemptorist Order followed by group two which is helmed by the Pauline Fathers of Doylestown, PA and lastly the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal of Newark, NJ heads our third group. Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando, FL has joined again and he brings with him his secretary and a group of new seminaries. On the last day there was a little rain but it did not dampen the spirits of the pilgrims. At the concluding Mass our main advisers brought up the gifts, Jan Prusak and Marek Szczeblewski, also Deacon Stephen Gunther of Ss. Peter & Paul Church assisted Bp. Wenski in celebrating the Mass. The church of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA was packed to the rafters.
23rd Walking Pilgrimage
August 5-8, 2010. For this pilgrimage the leader of our first Polish-speaking group was our own pastor, Fr. Pawel Dolinski. He was assisted by our vicar Fr. Dawid Adamczak who kept the fires burning in the background. The main speaker for the Polish community was Fr. Roman Hamny of Wroclaw, Poland. For many years Bishop Thomas Wenski has joined our pilgrimages but this year he joins us as the Archbishop of Miami, FL, congratulations to Archbishop Wenski.
August 5-8, 2010. For this pilgrimage the leader of our first Polish-speaking group was our own pastor, Fr. Pawel Dolinski. He was assisted by our vicar Fr. Dawid Adamczak who kept the fires burning in the background. The main speaker for the Polish community was Fr. Roman Hamny of Wroclaw, Poland. For many years Bishop Thomas Wenski has joined our pilgrimages but this year he joins us as the Archbishop of Miami, FL, congratulations to Archbishop Wenski.
24th Walking Pilgrimage
August 11-14, 2011. This year the theme that was carried throughout the pilgrimage was "In Communion With God". Fr. Dolinski and Fr. Adamczak are once again in charge. Day three was wet and rainy but spirits were high. Unfortunately, it poured on the last day also while everyone was trying to march into Our Lady of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA. This year we have the pleasure of hosting Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care for Health Care Workers, Rome. He was the bishop of the Diocese of Radom, Poland before being appointed Archbishop by Pope Benedict XVI. On a sad note, one of our very important organizers of the pilgrimage, Zofia Ringwelska, has fallen seriously ill. She knew every aspect of this walking pilgrimage. It took several people to try to pick up where she left off so we could continue to organize this very large event. We wish her well.
August 11-14, 2011. This year the theme that was carried throughout the pilgrimage was "In Communion With God". Fr. Dolinski and Fr. Adamczak are once again in charge. Day three was wet and rainy but spirits were high. Unfortunately, it poured on the last day also while everyone was trying to march into Our Lady of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA. This year we have the pleasure of hosting Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care for Health Care Workers, Rome. He was the bishop of the Diocese of Radom, Poland before being appointed Archbishop by Pope Benedict XVI. On a sad note, one of our very important organizers of the pilgrimage, Zofia Ringwelska, has fallen seriously ill. She knew every aspect of this walking pilgrimage. It took several people to try to pick up where she left off so we could continue to organize this very large event. We wish her well.
25th Walking Pilgrimage
August 9-12, 2012. The theme of this year's pilgrimage is "The Church Our Home". Since the last pilgrimage we lost a very important organizer of this pilgrimage, Zofia Ringwelska at the young age of 62. Zofia new every aspect of this pilgrimage like the back of her hand. This was a very great loss to our church community. This is our 25th anniversary of the start of this walking pilgrimage. Special tee shirts were made in memory of our two founding priests, Rev. Ignatius H. Kuziemski and Rev. Marian Zalecki. We invited a special film crew from Poland, Katolic Studio of Krakow, who made a documentary of our pilgrimage on our 25th anniversary. The DVD was entitled. "57.5 Miles...Because Life is a Pilgrimage". Archbishop of Miami, FL, Thomas Wenski joined us with some seminarians and his secretary.
August 9-12, 2012. The theme of this year's pilgrimage is "The Church Our Home". Since the last pilgrimage we lost a very important organizer of this pilgrimage, Zofia Ringwelska at the young age of 62. Zofia new every aspect of this pilgrimage like the back of her hand. This was a very great loss to our church community. This is our 25th anniversary of the start of this walking pilgrimage. Special tee shirts were made in memory of our two founding priests, Rev. Ignatius H. Kuziemski and Rev. Marian Zalecki. We invited a special film crew from Poland, Katolic Studio of Krakow, who made a documentary of our pilgrimage on our 25th anniversary. The DVD was entitled. "57.5 Miles...Because Life is a Pilgrimage". Archbishop of Miami, FL, Thomas Wenski joined us with some seminarians and his secretary.
26th Walking Pilgrimage
August 8-11, 2013. The theme this year is "Be the Salt of the Earth". Rev. Pawel Dolinski and Rev. Dawid Adamczak are once again in charge.
August 8-11, 2013. The theme this year is "Be the Salt of the Earth". Rev. Pawel Dolinski and Rev. Dawid Adamczak are once again in charge.
27th Walking Pilgrimage
August 7-10, 2014. The theme this year is “I Believe in the Son of God”. Although Rev. Pawel Dolinski was no longer at Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows, NJ he was thankfully transferred close by to St. Theodore Church, Port Murray, NJ where he agreed to lead the pilgrimage one more time. This year he is being assisted by our vicar, Rev. Grzegorz Podsiadlo. The weather this year was unbearably hot. The kitchen temps were registering over 100 degrees in the working spaces. God bless our volunteers!
August 7-10, 2014. The theme this year is “I Believe in the Son of God”. Although Rev. Pawel Dolinski was no longer at Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows, NJ he was thankfully transferred close by to St. Theodore Church, Port Murray, NJ where he agreed to lead the pilgrimage one more time. This year he is being assisted by our vicar, Rev. Grzegorz Podsiadlo. The weather this year was unbearably hot. The kitchen temps were registering over 100 degrees in the working spaces. God bless our volunteers!
28th Walking Pilgrimage
August 6-9, 2015. This year's theme is "Repent, and Believe in the Gospel". The pilgrimage is led by Fr. Grzegorz Podsiadlo, Administrator of Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows, NJ; this would be Fr. Greg's second pilgrimage with us. He is again assisted by the return of Fr. Dawid Adamczak. We invited Fr. Stanislaw Starostka to be the main speaker for the Polish community. Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, FL was with us once again and he brought with him some seminaries. The American speaking group was hosted by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal with Fr. Mariusz Koch assisted by his right-hand "brother", Br. Simon Dankoski. The weather was really nice this year and it was the smoothest running pilgrimage to date.
August 6-9, 2015. This year's theme is "Repent, and Believe in the Gospel". The pilgrimage is led by Fr. Grzegorz Podsiadlo, Administrator of Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows, NJ; this would be Fr. Greg's second pilgrimage with us. He is again assisted by the return of Fr. Dawid Adamczak. We invited Fr. Stanislaw Starostka to be the main speaker for the Polish community. Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, FL was with us once again and he brought with him some seminaries. The American speaking group was hosted by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal with Fr. Mariusz Koch assisted by his right-hand "brother", Br. Simon Dankoski. The weather was really nice this year and it was the smoothest running pilgrimage to date.
29th Walking Pilgrimage
August 11-14, 2016. This year was declared by Pope Francis as the "Year of Mercy". In keeping with this year's theme our pilgrimage theme is "Merciful Like the Father". This year the Pilgrimage will be managed by our Administrator, Rev. Grzegorz Podsiadlo. This will be Rev. Podsiadlo's third pilgrimage. He will again be assisted by Rev. Dawid Adamczak. There was an "angel" among us! Our spiritual guest for this year's Walking Pilgrimage is Fr. Lukacz Aniol from the Salvatorian Youth Group in Trzebnica, Poland. Fr. Lukacz's name means "Luke Angel". This year the heat and humidity were extremely dangerous but our brave walkers walked on. The heat registered in the low 90's with humidity in the high 90's while in Ss. Peter & Paul's parish hall the thermostat was reading 99 degrees but in the kitchen itself it was 115-120 degrees while teams of 2 people at a time went in to fry the chicken. Meanwhile, out on the pilgrimage, people were having difficulty walking and some were taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion. Our 3 traffic teams did a fantastic job keeping our walkers safe as they ran, sometimes a mile ahead, in the extreme heat to stop traffic. The 6-man cold water/ice team were in very high demand as they rushed cold water and drinks to our walkers.
August 11-14, 2016. This year was declared by Pope Francis as the "Year of Mercy". In keeping with this year's theme our pilgrimage theme is "Merciful Like the Father". This year the Pilgrimage will be managed by our Administrator, Rev. Grzegorz Podsiadlo. This will be Rev. Podsiadlo's third pilgrimage. He will again be assisted by Rev. Dawid Adamczak. There was an "angel" among us! Our spiritual guest for this year's Walking Pilgrimage is Fr. Lukacz Aniol from the Salvatorian Youth Group in Trzebnica, Poland. Fr. Lukacz's name means "Luke Angel". This year the heat and humidity were extremely dangerous but our brave walkers walked on. The heat registered in the low 90's with humidity in the high 90's while in Ss. Peter & Paul's parish hall the thermostat was reading 99 degrees but in the kitchen itself it was 115-120 degrees while teams of 2 people at a time went in to fry the chicken. Meanwhile, out on the pilgrimage, people were having difficulty walking and some were taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion. Our 3 traffic teams did a fantastic job keeping our walkers safe as they ran, sometimes a mile ahead, in the extreme heat to stop traffic. The 6-man cold water/ice team were in very high demand as they rushed cold water and drinks to our walkers.
30th Walking Pilgrimage
August 10-13, 2017. The theme this year is “Behold Your Mother”. This is also the year of the Jubilee of Coronation 1717-2017. The Black Madonna of Czestochowa (Polish: Czarna Madonna z Czestochowy), also known as Our Lady of Czestochowa (Polish: Matki Boskiej Czestochowskiej), is a venerated icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary housed at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Czestochowa, Poland. Pope Clement XI issued a Pontifical decree of canonical coronation to the image on September 8, 1717 via the Vatican Chapter. It has also merited three pontifical golden roses.
The icon is venerated by both Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians.
The image of the Holy Virgin of Czestochowa (derivative, after 1714), collection of Radomysl Castle.
The painting (122 × 82 centimetres) displays a traditional composition well known in the icons of Orthodox Christianity. The Virgin Mary is shown as the "Hodegetria" version (meaning "One Who Shows the Way"). In it, Mary directs attention away from herself, gesturing with her right hand toward Jesus as the source of salvation. In turn, the child extends his right hand toward the viewer in blessing while holding a book of gospels in his left hand. The icon shows Mary in fleur-de-lis robes.
The origins of the icon and the date of its composition are still contested among scholars. One difficulty in dating the icon is due in part to its original image being painted over after being severely damaged by robbers in 1430. The wooden panel backing the painting was broken, and the image slashed. Medieval restorers unfamiliar with the encaustic method found that the paints they applied to the damaged areas "simply sloughed off the image", according to the medieval chronicler Risinius. Their solution was to erase the original image and repaint it on the original panel. The original features of an Orthodox icon were softened.
History
The icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa has been intimately associated with Poland for the past 600 years. Its history before it arrived in Poland is shrouded in numerous legends that trace the icon's origin to Luke the Evangelist, who painted it on a cedar table top from the Holy Family house. The same legend holds that the painting was discovered in Jerusalem in 326 by Helena, who brought it back to Constantinople and presented it to her son, Constantine the Great.
The oldest documents from Jasna Góra, Poland state that the picture traveled from Constantinople via Belz. Eventually, it came into the possession of Wladyslaw Opolczyk, Duke of Opole, and adviser to Louis of Anjou, King of Poland and Hungary. Ukrainian sources state that earlier in its history, it was brought to Belz with much ceremony and honors by King Lev I of Galicia and later taken by Wladyslaw from the Castle of Belz when the town was incorporated into the Polish kingdom. A famous story tells that in late August 1384, Ladislaus was passing Czestochowa with the picture when his horses refused to go on. He was advised in a dream to leave the icon at Jasna Góra.
Art historians say that the original painting was a Byzantine icon created around the sixth or ninth century. They agree that Prince Wladyslaw brought it to the monastery in the 14th century.
In August 1382, the hilltop parish church was transferred to the Paulites, a hermitic order from Hungary. The Black Madonna is said to have miraculously saved the monastery of Jasna Góra from a Swedish invasion. The Siege of Jasna Góra took place in the winter of 1655 during the Second Northern War, as the Swedish invasion of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth is known. The Swedes were attempting to capture the Jasna Góra monastery in Czestochowa. The sacred icon was replaced with a copy and the original moved in secret to the castle in Lubliniec, and later to the Pauline monastery in Mochów between the towns of Prudnik and Glogówek. Seventy monks and 180 local volunteers, mostly from the Szlachta (Polish nobility), held off 4,000 Swedes for 40 days, saved their sacred icon and, according to some accounts, turned the course of the war. This event led King John II Casimir Vasa to give what has become known as the Lwów Oath. He submitted the Polish Commonwealth under the protection of Our Lady and proclaimed her Queen of Poland in the cathedral of Lwów on April 1, 1656. Before this event, several royal nobilities have offered crowns to the image throughout the years, replacing its iron sheet crown with one in gold with several jewels. In later years, various gemstones were interchanged and repositioned around the image to preserve the icon's aesthetic by replacing the stolen crowns.
Legends about the Madonna's appearance
The legend concerning the two scars on the Black Madonna's right cheek is that the Hussites stormed the Pauline monastery in 1430, plundering the sanctuary. Among the items stolen was the icon. The Hussites tried to get away after putting it in their wagon, but their horses refused to move. They threw the portrait down to the ground, and one of the plunderers drew his sword upon the image and inflicted two deep strikes. When the robber tried to inflict a third strike, he fell to the ground and writhed in agony until his death. Despite past attempts to repair these scars, they had difficulty covering up those slashes as the painting was done with tempera infused with diluted wax.
Veneration
Czestochowa is regarded as the most popular shrine in Poland, with many Polish Catholics making a pilgrimage there every year. Since 1711, a pilgrimage leaves Warsaw every August 6 for the nine-day, 140-mile trek. Elderly pilgrims recall stealing through the dark countryside at great personal risk during the Nazi occupation. Pope John Paul II secretly visited as a student pilgrim during World War II. The feast day of Our Lady of Czestochowa is celebrated on August 26.
August 10-13, 2017. The theme this year is “Behold Your Mother”. This is also the year of the Jubilee of Coronation 1717-2017. The Black Madonna of Czestochowa (Polish: Czarna Madonna z Czestochowy), also known as Our Lady of Czestochowa (Polish: Matki Boskiej Czestochowskiej), is a venerated icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary housed at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Czestochowa, Poland. Pope Clement XI issued a Pontifical decree of canonical coronation to the image on September 8, 1717 via the Vatican Chapter. It has also merited three pontifical golden roses.
The icon is venerated by both Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians.
The image of the Holy Virgin of Czestochowa (derivative, after 1714), collection of Radomysl Castle.
The painting (122 × 82 centimetres) displays a traditional composition well known in the icons of Orthodox Christianity. The Virgin Mary is shown as the "Hodegetria" version (meaning "One Who Shows the Way"). In it, Mary directs attention away from herself, gesturing with her right hand toward Jesus as the source of salvation. In turn, the child extends his right hand toward the viewer in blessing while holding a book of gospels in his left hand. The icon shows Mary in fleur-de-lis robes.
The origins of the icon and the date of its composition are still contested among scholars. One difficulty in dating the icon is due in part to its original image being painted over after being severely damaged by robbers in 1430. The wooden panel backing the painting was broken, and the image slashed. Medieval restorers unfamiliar with the encaustic method found that the paints they applied to the damaged areas "simply sloughed off the image", according to the medieval chronicler Risinius. Their solution was to erase the original image and repaint it on the original panel. The original features of an Orthodox icon were softened.
History
The icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa has been intimately associated with Poland for the past 600 years. Its history before it arrived in Poland is shrouded in numerous legends that trace the icon's origin to Luke the Evangelist, who painted it on a cedar table top from the Holy Family house. The same legend holds that the painting was discovered in Jerusalem in 326 by Helena, who brought it back to Constantinople and presented it to her son, Constantine the Great.
The oldest documents from Jasna Góra, Poland state that the picture traveled from Constantinople via Belz. Eventually, it came into the possession of Wladyslaw Opolczyk, Duke of Opole, and adviser to Louis of Anjou, King of Poland and Hungary. Ukrainian sources state that earlier in its history, it was brought to Belz with much ceremony and honors by King Lev I of Galicia and later taken by Wladyslaw from the Castle of Belz when the town was incorporated into the Polish kingdom. A famous story tells that in late August 1384, Ladislaus was passing Czestochowa with the picture when his horses refused to go on. He was advised in a dream to leave the icon at Jasna Góra.
Art historians say that the original painting was a Byzantine icon created around the sixth or ninth century. They agree that Prince Wladyslaw brought it to the monastery in the 14th century.
In August 1382, the hilltop parish church was transferred to the Paulites, a hermitic order from Hungary. The Black Madonna is said to have miraculously saved the monastery of Jasna Góra from a Swedish invasion. The Siege of Jasna Góra took place in the winter of 1655 during the Second Northern War, as the Swedish invasion of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth is known. The Swedes were attempting to capture the Jasna Góra monastery in Czestochowa. The sacred icon was replaced with a copy and the original moved in secret to the castle in Lubliniec, and later to the Pauline monastery in Mochów between the towns of Prudnik and Glogówek. Seventy monks and 180 local volunteers, mostly from the Szlachta (Polish nobility), held off 4,000 Swedes for 40 days, saved their sacred icon and, according to some accounts, turned the course of the war. This event led King John II Casimir Vasa to give what has become known as the Lwów Oath. He submitted the Polish Commonwealth under the protection of Our Lady and proclaimed her Queen of Poland in the cathedral of Lwów on April 1, 1656. Before this event, several royal nobilities have offered crowns to the image throughout the years, replacing its iron sheet crown with one in gold with several jewels. In later years, various gemstones were interchanged and repositioned around the image to preserve the icon's aesthetic by replacing the stolen crowns.
Legends about the Madonna's appearance
The legend concerning the two scars on the Black Madonna's right cheek is that the Hussites stormed the Pauline monastery in 1430, plundering the sanctuary. Among the items stolen was the icon. The Hussites tried to get away after putting it in their wagon, but their horses refused to move. They threw the portrait down to the ground, and one of the plunderers drew his sword upon the image and inflicted two deep strikes. When the robber tried to inflict a third strike, he fell to the ground and writhed in agony until his death. Despite past attempts to repair these scars, they had difficulty covering up those slashes as the painting was done with tempera infused with diluted wax.
Veneration
Czestochowa is regarded as the most popular shrine in Poland, with many Polish Catholics making a pilgrimage there every year. Since 1711, a pilgrimage leaves Warsaw every August 6 for the nine-day, 140-mile trek. Elderly pilgrims recall stealing through the dark countryside at great personal risk during the Nazi occupation. Pope John Paul II secretly visited as a student pilgrim during World War II. The feast day of Our Lady of Czestochowa is celebrated on August 26.
31st Walking Pilgrimage
August 9-12, 2018. The theme this year is “Mary, an example of receiving the Holy Spirit”. Our guest priest was Rev. Maciej Szeszko, SDS from Trzebnica, Poland.
August 9-12, 2018. The theme this year is “Mary, an example of receiving the Holy Spirit”. Our guest priest was Rev. Maciej Szeszko, SDS from Trzebnica, Poland.
32nd Walking Pilgrimage
August 8-11, 2019. This year our theme was “Live Like Mary Everyday”. Our guest speaker for our Polish groups was Rev. Jerzy Moranski, SDS from Bogno, Poland. The temps of this pilgrimage ranged from 98-100+ degrees every day. We had to transport 5 people to the hospital for heat exhaustion and dehydration. But the brave made it to the finish where they were greeted by their friends and loved ones.
August 8-11, 2019. This year our theme was “Live Like Mary Everyday”. Our guest speaker for our Polish groups was Rev. Jerzy Moranski, SDS from Bogno, Poland. The temps of this pilgrimage ranged from 98-100+ degrees every day. We had to transport 5 people to the hospital for heat exhaustion and dehydration. But the brave made it to the finish where they were greeted by their friends and loved ones.
CANCEL 33rd Walking Pilgrimage
In the year 2020 our world experienced the devastating repercussions of the Covid-19 virus which killed millions of people world-wide. It was decided in late Spring that the safest and most prudent thing to do was to cancel this massive event. People were disappointed but this was the safest thing to do considering this virus was extremely contagious and deadly. Our parishioner Filip Gzella, with the help of Michal Lukijaniuk, uploaded a virtual Walking Pilgrimage on-line. It consisted of talks by priests, brothers, songs, prayers and walking footage from years past. It contained songs and prayers in both English and Polish. It was very well put together.
In the year 2020 our world experienced the devastating repercussions of the Covid-19 virus which killed millions of people world-wide. It was decided in late Spring that the safest and most prudent thing to do was to cancel this massive event. People were disappointed but this was the safest thing to do considering this virus was extremely contagious and deadly. Our parishioner Filip Gzella, with the help of Michal Lukijaniuk, uploaded a virtual Walking Pilgrimage on-line. It consisted of talks by priests, brothers, songs, prayers and walking footage from years past. It contained songs and prayers in both English and Polish. It was very well put together.
CANCEL 34th Walking Pilgrimage
In 2021, as in 2020, the walking pilgrimage was cancelled due to the Covid-19 virus. Again, we uploaded a virtual Walking Pilgrimage on-line.
In 2021, as in 2020, the walking pilgrimage was cancelled due to the Covid-19 virus. Again, we uploaded a virtual Walking Pilgrimage on-line.
35th Walking Pilgrimage
August 4th – 7th, 2022. The theme was “Queen of Peace, Pray for Us”. Our administrator, Rev. Grzegorz Podsiadlo, SDS from Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows, NJ led the conferences in Polish. Surprisingly, all our volunteers came back to help with the walking pilgrimage. These are a really dedicated bunch of people we are blessed to know. The walkers numbered about half of what they were before the deadly Covid-19 virus hit. The temps were as hot as ever. We did not have our Franciscan Friars leading the English-speaking group—they had final vows to complete this weekend. So, one of our Pauline Fathers from Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine in Doylestown, PA, Rev. Tymoteusz Tarnacki, stepped up and led the English-speaking group. We had only 2 groups this year. One large Polish group and one little English group. All went well as they marched through the searing heat.
August 4th – 7th, 2022. The theme was “Queen of Peace, Pray for Us”. Our administrator, Rev. Grzegorz Podsiadlo, SDS from Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Great Meadows, NJ led the conferences in Polish. Surprisingly, all our volunteers came back to help with the walking pilgrimage. These are a really dedicated bunch of people we are blessed to know. The walkers numbered about half of what they were before the deadly Covid-19 virus hit. The temps were as hot as ever. We did not have our Franciscan Friars leading the English-speaking group—they had final vows to complete this weekend. So, one of our Pauline Fathers from Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine in Doylestown, PA, Rev. Tymoteusz Tarnacki, stepped up and led the English-speaking group. We had only 2 groups this year. One large Polish group and one little English group. All went well as they marched through the searing heat.
36th Walking Pilgrimage
August 10th – 13th, 2023. The theme this year is “Adoring Christ with Mary”. We invited Rev. Pawel Wrobel from Krakow, Poland to lead the conferences in Polish. The August sun was bright and hot as usual. We had three groups this year, 2 Polish and 1 English. The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal were back to lead our English-speaking group. Everything went well until a massive thunderstorm hit on Saturday evening. The wind and rain pelted our walkers while they sat holding onto their tents so they didn’t blow away. The walkers got soaked as they approached Hellerick’s Family Farm, in Doylestown, PA, our last night stay. Everyone was OK, thanks be to God. Our pilgrimage met with the walking pilgrimage from Philadelphia, PA at OL of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA around 2pm. The final Mass was packed as usual; standing room only.
August 10th – 13th, 2023. The theme this year is “Adoring Christ with Mary”. We invited Rev. Pawel Wrobel from Krakow, Poland to lead the conferences in Polish. The August sun was bright and hot as usual. We had three groups this year, 2 Polish and 1 English. The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal were back to lead our English-speaking group. Everything went well until a massive thunderstorm hit on Saturday evening. The wind and rain pelted our walkers while they sat holding onto their tents so they didn’t blow away. The walkers got soaked as they approached Hellerick’s Family Farm, in Doylestown, PA, our last night stay. Everyone was OK, thanks be to God. Our pilgrimage met with the walking pilgrimage from Philadelphia, PA at OL of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA around 2pm. The final Mass was packed as usual; standing room only.
37th Walking Pilgrimage
August 8th – 11th, 2024. The theme this year is “Mary, a Model of Prayer”.
August 8th – 11th, 2024. The theme this year is “Mary, a Model of Prayer”.
