Thirty-eight members of our parish’s ‘Magnificat Choir’ took off on Tuesday, June 18th for their flight to Krakow, Poland. Accompanied by thirty others, young adult chaperones, family members, and additional guests, the group set off on a life-changing trip.
For the past year these students prepared music, raised funds, and attended classes on Polish culture and history; preparing for ten days of visiting countless holy sites in a country near and dear to our parish.
“This trip is going to be such a life-changing experience for these young people,” said Fr. Nathan Ford, SJC, Director of the ‘Magnificat Choir’ and organizer of this pilgrimage. “They're not only going to grow culturally, but also spiritually and personally. I'm excited to experience Poland through their eyes and to see how their lives change as a result of this pilgrimage."
Arriving first in Czestochowa, the choir attended Mass before the Icon of the Black Madonna. They walked the walls of the Monastery, climbed the tallest tower in all of Poland, and sang in the courtyard before a large crowd.
Their next stop was Krakow - home for the next eight days. There they encountered a city filled with colorful buildings, baroque churches, streets filled with priests and sisters, and a people in love with their culture and their Catholic faith. When the pilgrims weren’t wandering the streets of Krakow, visiting Wawel Cathedral and Castle, praying before the tomb of St. Hyacinth, or enjoying some pierogi in Europe’s second largest square, they were taking day-trips to various shrines and cities.
Most notably, after spending a heart-wrenching morning walking through the remains of Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps, the group journeyed to the small town of Kety - the birthplace of our patron, St. John Cantius. There they sang for Mass at the newly renovated chapel built over the spot of St. John’s home.
Throughout the ten days, the group journeyed to other important places in the region. They enjoyed the sights of Zakopane, hiked the stations of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, visited the birthplace of St. John Paul II in Wadowice, and the shrine of Divine Mercy.
However, one of the most beautiful and impactful moments of the pilgrimage came on Tuesday, June 22nd when the ‘Magnificat Choir’ performed a public concert at St. Anne’s Church, the burial place of St. John Cantius, in Krakow. Beforehand the students were nervous and unsure whether anyone would even come, but as they walked forward and lined up ready to sing they saw that the church was completely filled - standing room only. They sang pieces by Bruckner, Elgar, Gabrielli, and Stopford before a diverse audience of Poles, Americans, and even some from Belgium and Spain who had heard about the concert. All the while, St. John Cantius stood over their shoulder - listening along.
The memories are numerous and the impact hard to describe. Elizabeth Wojcik (a graduating senior this year and 3-year member of the ‘Magnificat Choir’) had this to say about her experience: “Seeing the beauty and splendor of our Catholic faith in Poland was a spiritually edifying experience that will surely continue to impact me for years to come.”
Members of the ‘Magnificat Choir’ are so grateful to the many sponsors and donors who helped make this pilgrimage possible. This trip would not have been possible without their generosity and prayers.
“Going on pilgrimage, representing an entire parish was a great responsibility in Poland. I wish I could share with everyone at St. John Cantius Church in Chicago the new appreciation I have for the history of our Parish and the symbolism of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius.” said Anna Huelke (a graduating Senior and 3-year member of the ‘Magnificat Choir’). “Seeing St. Mary's Basilica painted on the image of the Miracle of the Jug, Our Lady of Częstochowa on Mary's altar, and the Wit Stwosz altar has opened for me a new understanding of the longing for home by Polish immigrants who built our own St. John Cantius Church. The Parish -- both past and present-- has come alive to me because of the Magnificat Choir Pilgrimage.”
Tired and a little jet-lagged, (after being delayed an entire day due to their flight being canceled) the choir departed from O’Hare and went their separate ways for the summer. In the coming months some members will head off to college; others will begin a new chapter of their lives no longer a part of the choir; while a good majority will meet again come Fall for a new year of making music together. Yet for all of those present on this pilgrimage a special bond was shared, one that they will always take with them.
“Cor et Vox,” the choir’s motto, borrowed from the late Monsignor Hellreigel. For them it means, “What the heart contains, the voice expresses.” This pilgrimage enabled these students to not only share their music with the people of a different country, but to grow as young people and encounter God and His Church in a new and profound way. “We have really grown together as a whole; spiritually and emotionally.” said Claire Stepansky (a Sophomore and 2-year member of the choir). “Through our ups and downs as a choir, our music has become more meaningful and impactful to each of us. We have truly adopted a real sense of unity within the choir, and that is something I will cherish forever.”
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