Becoming church, appreciating life

Pilgrim Sharon E Delochan concludes her sharing of the recent Pilgrimage to Mexico. 

This pilgrimage afforded us the opportunity to experience God’s wonders in places outside the many Basilicas, Cathedrals and churches we visited. We immersed ourselves in the country’s rich history and learned about the lives of the country’s 52 indigenous races.

We marvelled at the sight of the pyramids, which the more adventurous scaled, some even making it to the very top! We certainly grew to appreciate the culture. In the midst of it all, we became the church, the community that Fr Christo had challenged us to be.

Unfortunately, three days into the pilgrimage one of our pilgrims passed away.  She had struggled in pain to the Basilica the day before and got her wish to see the tilma.

As each pilgrim learned of Denise’s passing, we gathered in the hotel lobby trying to make sense of it all. We were one another’s solace and support. We joined in prayer for our departed sister and for her mother, her companion on this pilgrimage.

As the days passed, we came to realise that there was a purpose yet to be revealed. We were comforted by the fact that Denise had died peacefully and were happy that she had been able to go to the Basilica and see the image on the tilma. RIP, Denise.

Fr Christo gave his blessing on the final night of the pilgrimage and we said goodbye to one another, some of us quite emotionally, as we recognised the bonds that had been formed. We carry Father’s messages of love, community and grace, among others, and remember his exhortation to become involved in a Church ministry—to live the teachings of the Church.