Dear Friends of Miles Jesu,
Blessed be the Name of Jesus!
Thank you for all of your prayers and financial support this past month while we were on pilgrimage in Spain and Fatima. Currently i am still in Spain helping to cultivate the spiritual fruit obtained from the Path to Rome Conference in Madrid.
By the grace of God and your prayers the Path to Rome Conference/Pilgrimage (Nov. 1-9) was a success with 250 Spaniards in attendance, along with 200 from the U.S. and England. Among the speakers there were Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, Prefect for the Congregation of the Clergy, Alfonso Cardinal Lopez Trujillo, President of the Pontifical Counsel for the Family, Luis Cardinal Aponte Martinez, Archbishop Emeritus of San Juan, Puerto Rico and a special visit and blessing by Antonio Maria Cardinal Rouco of the Archdiocese of Madrid.
The Conference had such a strong impact in Spain that the people requested that Path to Rome take place in Spain again, organized by those who went this year. Those plans are now underway.
The pilgrimage and Vocation Discernment Retreat that took place after the conference was also a success. There were 5 young men on the pilgrimage, the oldest being 25 years old and the youngest 15 years old. One was from Chicago, two from Downers Grove, IL, one from London, and one from Canada. Only two of them signed up for the Discernment Retreat but that did not stop God from touching the souls of the others.
The pilgrimage in Fatima was probably the most moving of all for the young men. We visited the tombs of Jacinta and Francisco in the Basilica and also visited their house where we met one of their first cousins! We made the Stations of the Cross which also led to some of the sites where the angel appeared to the children and had Mass everyday at the Chapel of the Apparitions, where our Lady appeared. The summit of all this was an unexpected invitation to four of the young men and myself to carry the statue of Our Lady of Fatima in the night procession. What an honor and precious gift from Our Lady!
One of the young men who didn't originally sign up for the Discernment Retreat testified that once he laid the pole on his shoulder to carry the statue, he felt a jolt go through his body and heard Our Lord speaking to him saying, “You are not doing enough for me.” At that time he had already begun to take a good look at his life and his soul, and had made a good confession with the help and encouragement of a Miles Jesu priest. At the end of the pilgrimage he mentioned to me that he would like to begin making serious changes in his life. We discussed the idea of him making a retreat at the Miles Jesu community in Chicago to help grow closer to God and discern his vocation. He liked the idea and we are now beginning a good friendship with him and his brother. Please pray for this 22-year-old man.
Our work didn't end with the 5 young men who were on the pilgrimage but also extended to our tour guide. Fr. Paul Vota, MJ, who accompanied us during the pilgrimage, encouraged our tour guide to go to confession after not having received the sacrament for a year.
There are many more stories of God's blessings on that trip but too numerous to mention in one letter! Please know that i offered special prayers and sacrifices in Fatima for you and your needs and intentions and continue to do so while i am in Spain working until December.
May God bless you and keep you and your family always.
In Corde Matris,
David Rey, MJ
PS: Email your prayer intentions to spainmen@milesjesu.com
See the previous Catholic Exchange article on the Path to Rome Conference.