JUDITH WEIBLE AND THE FUTURE OF PILGRIMAGE

On September 3rd, 2020,Christine Rossi, host of Radio Maria’s “A Light in the World”, interviewed Judith Weible.

Judith runs Weible Columns, a non-profit founded by her late husband Wayne Weible in 1989. This monthly newspaper was created to bring the message of Medjugorje to America. Wayne was a hero of Medjugorje and a loyal friend of 206 Tours, traveling with us for over 20 years. He championed Our Lady of Medjugorje, Queen of Peace with a dedication and passion that changed the lives of so many people. Judith has dedicated her life to carrying on Wayne’s mission.

Christine introduces Judith as an “experienced pilgrim, traveler, and leader”. For over a decade, Judith has been on over 25 Pilgrimages with 206 Tours. During the Coronavirus Pandemic, Judith like so many pilgrims has been unable to visit Medjugorje. In this difficult and restrictive period, pilgrims have found solace in prayer, specifically prayer for peace, as they wait to return to Medjugorje.

The Weible Columns store holds a full collection of books on Medjugorje, as well as about other Marian Shrines. She refers to their collection as anything that “brings people spiritual nourishment”. 

To Judith, Pilgrimage is an essential part of “spiritual growth” that provides opportunities to “receive special graces, to move forward, to move closer to Christ.”

“I do believe that God calls us on pilgrimage... when there are special graces to be given to us. When we are at home with the busyness of our lives, sometimes it is impossible for God to speak to us and shower us with those graces. And when he calls us on Pilgrimage it’s because he has a powerful grace to give us, we take a week out of our lives, and we quiet down – no television, etcetera, etcetera, and we give that week to God. And when we give that week to God, He can get through the noise of life… Pilgrimage is not just about prayer to God, but perhaps more importantly, it’s about listening to God.”

Judith predicts there will be a “huge boom” in pilgrimage travel post-pandemic, as she believes this time in quarantine has given many, an even stronger desire to go on Pilgrimage. She says that pilgrims “crave Pilgrimage” because the “more you spend time alone with God, the more you want to spend time alone with God”.

Follow this link to 206 Tours website to listen to the full Radio interview!

https://www.206tours.com/cms/blog/judith-weible-on-medjugorje-the-future-of-pilgrimage/

“Pilgrimage is a meeting place with God and it is an opportunity to learn a healthy spiritual balance in our lives. Many cannot afford an international pilgrimage but these graces simply come from spending quality time with the Lord. You can do this from your own home or from a pilgrimage to perhaps a local shrine. I strongly recommend that one plans at least one week a year to focus on God; visiting daily mass, attending Eucharistic adoration, reading spiritually nourishing books and switching off the television - a complete quieting of the soul. Without pilgrimage or retreat, we can stay in the same place in our faith journey but through this gift to the Lord, we can receive the graces to move forward spiritually.”

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