Preparing for Pilgrimage

Those who know me know my extreme love of travel. I have been blessed to journey around the world over the past thirty-one years of my life. My travels have taken me from California, to Florida, to Austria (where I studied abroad in college), to Alaska, to Lourdes, Mexico, and so many places in between.

 Muir Woods National Monument in California

 Visiting Lourdes with my Grandma

  Dogsledding in Alaska with my family and fiancé 

I guess you might say, the more I travel, the longer my bucket list of destinations becomes. My dream is to cross off going to the Canadian Rockies, Australia, Lake Havasu in the Grand Canyon, Switzerland, back to Austria, hiking the Camino in Spain, the Irish countryside, and the list goes on. While one might label me wanderlust, I consider it more of being lost in wonder- wonder of God's amazing beauty in all of the places on earth. To think that He created each one of these spots specifically for us to encounter Him through his beauty, His people, His church, His presence is just mind blowing. Oh how He loves us!

 Then there are those trips on my bucket list that truly are just dreams-  dreams that if they do come true I will be blown away by the goodness and graciousness of God. But if not, that's ok, because I know he is beyond good and gracious! A few months ago, I was gifted one of these dreams- an opportunity to experience Christ and our church's foundation in the Holy Land! Like every work place, working in a Catholic school has it joys and its challenges. But, one of the most amazing gifts is being able to share the faith with my kids and help to lead them closer to Jesus. I like to think of it as discipling them.

 The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has recently begun working with the School of Faith to provide the opportunity for Catholic educators to experience and encounter their faith in a dramatic and tangible way, in essence to disciple the "disciplers". Through the gift of very generous benefactors, teachers and administrators from various schools have the opportunity to embark upon a journey that will take us back to the roots of our church, the roots of our faith. We will encounter Christ in Bethlehem, the place of his birth. We will wash in the waters of the Jordan River, as he did when St. John the Baptist baptized him. We will journey to Cana, the site of his first miracle. And we will ultimately walk with Him on the road to Calvary, witnessing the place that he witnessed His love for each of us as he died on the cross.

 We are all pilgrims on a journey towards our Heavenly home. When we embark upon our journey in a week's time, my hope is that you can journey alongside us and perhaps encounter Christ and His church in a new and profound way through words and pictures. I will be carrying along the intentions of anyone who would like to share them via email at juliewlotzko@gmail.com These prayer intentions will be offered up at Mass and in prayer at the churches and holy sites throughout our pilgrimage. Please keep myself and the group in your prayers as we prepare for pilgrimage in a week's time.

Blessings,
Julie