“You will always find my Son
when you rest under His Cross.”
Medjugorie, May 2025
Imagine this: It’s the fall of 2021; I am alone, cold, wet, and carrying nothing but a backpack filled with a Bible, rosary, pen, and mostly like some chapstick (because I don’t go anywhere without that stuff). I’ve been in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina for about 2.5 weeks and I am currently hiking Apparition Hill on a chilly November evening without a soul in sight. For those of you who may not be aware; Medjugorje is a Marian apparition site where the Blessed Mother of Jesus has been appearing for 44 years, bringing messages of peace and conversion to her children. I kneel before the statue of Our Blessed Mother, which marks the place where she once appeared, and bring to her my heart full of fears, astounding confusion, and a handful of questions that fluctuated between genuine asks for pleas and searches for answers.
“Where is my solid ground? Where is my home? My foundation? Am I ready to receive these answers and go?”
Looking into my heart, I found her twinkling eyes meeting mine, beckoning me to find a place to shield me from the rain. At this point I was sopping wet. I looked around only to find a tall, wooden Crucifix that had a little awning above it just wide enough for someone to be protected by the elements. Kneeling down, I wrapped my arms around the base of the Cross, my forehead resting at His feet, and I heard His quiet voice say,
“This is where you will always find My Love.”
Even though there was a storm raging around me, the chaos of my heart had finally quieted; all of my questions answered in one short sentence.
Over 3 years later, just a few weeks ago, I found myself at the exact same place. This time, I was with my family; sweaty, hot, and had a few more objects in my backpack then I probably needed. However, I came with a different heart. I brought to Mary my heart of gratitude, a heart that has been touched by peace and conversion. Again, she led me to kneel before her Son, my lips pressed to His wearied feet and she spoke,
“My daughter, you will always find my Son when you rest under His Cross.”
St. James Catholic Parish
Miraculous healing water flows from the side of the Risen Christ statue
View of the top of Cross Mountain
Trails through the fields
View of the town of Medugorie from the top of Cross Mountain
Apparition Hill
"Why do you suppose there are so many rocks in Medjugorie," said the little girl. "It is all the stony hearts that pilgrims leave behind when they meet our Blessed Mother," replied the priest.
Fr. Igor Simonovis is one of the founding members of the Congregation of the Brothers of Merciful Jesus, the order Jesus asked St. Faustina and her Spiritual Director, Fr. Sopocko to live out. We were blessed to pray a Divine Mercy chaplet and pray with Bl. Sopocko's relic
Where our Blessed Mother appeared in 1981
The Marian Community Oasis of Peace is the religious community I stayed with in Medjugorie in 2021
The grounds were so familiar and restful to me at Oasis of Peace
Chapel of 24/7 Eucharistic Adoration at the Oasis of Peace
Outdoor Church for pilgrims
At the top of Cross Mountain
This is Blue Cross, another site where our Blessed Mother appeared.
Miraculous healing icon of Divine Mercy
A few pictures of Nancy and Patrick's Castle. This couple had a powerful conversion and sold everything to build this pilgrim, retreat castle
Statue of Fr. Slavo Barbaric, priest who first received the messages of Mary from the 6 visionaries and beloved spiritual father.
My family and I with Ivanka, one of the visionaries, daughter
Kids being kids on the playground
Hiking Cross Mountain
