Walking the path of life, together with the Lord, each of us changes. Being open to such changes is an opportunity to grow in faith and in the relationships we create with each other. With that in mind, on August 28, 2021, we set out on the paths of a man who gave his life by loving others: blessed Miroslav Bulešić. We walked together – beneficiaries, staff and volunteers – and along the way learned more about the life of our Blessed.
The first station was Lanišće, the place where Bulešić finished his earthly journey. “My revenge is forgiveness!” Listening to the testimony of Marija Žmak about those last moments on the bloody confirmation, reconstructing the events where they took place, we thought about how many times it is difficult for us to forgive a small thing and how much this gift means to live the faith which we confess freely. From Lanišće we went to Svetvinčenat, the Blessed’s native parish, and in the parish church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where the Blessed’s body is located, we celebrated the Eucharist. “Bring him my shirt,” we heard the words of Miroslav Bulešić, who gives the poor man one of his two shirts, putting tomorrow’s worries in God’s hands. Do we also share with our brother from the heart, and not from the surplus? Grateful for the spiritual refreshment and a warm welcome from the parish priest Darko Zgrablić, we headed to Pazin. At the Pazin College, we were greeted by its director, the priest Maksimilijan Ferlin, who told us the history of its origin and the people who worked in it, including Miroslav Bulešić, who was a teacher and educator there. We had lunch and used our free time to see the town and get to know each other. Perhaps unaware of how fast time passes, we reached our last stop before returning – the town of Motovun. We used the sunny day and the beautiful landscape to take pictures, but there was no end to the story and laughter all the way.
Indeed, we have given time to each other and changed, which is the goal of the pilgrimage. At the end of our fellowship, everyone received a gift of peace of heart and fulfillment with which they can continue to build their days. And we, Depaul Croatia, go further with the Lord towards every man in order to share that peace with him.
Dora Škarica
