Paula

I had a deep conversion when I was 28. After that, I was looking within my heart that I wanted to know more about Jesus and Mary. 

My grandmother was the one who gave me a devotion to Mary. I’ve always been very skeptical about the apparitions. I started visiting all the places that She appeared, Mexico, Lourdes, Fatima, Garabandal. 

A lot of people asked me, “Have you been to Medjugorje?”

I’m like, “No.” I also saw the movie Mary’s Land. That’s the first time that I heard about Medjugorje. 

This is my first time. It’s been very beautiful.

It was the Youth Festival. In the beginning, it was hard for me to have a connection with God while praying. The Mass was outside. It was hard for me to concentrate with all the people around. I was like, “I don’t think I came at the right time.”

Eventually, I think after the third day, after the last Mass of the Youth Festival, is when I truly felt something very beautiful that I cannot describe. It’s like nothing is missing in your life, and you don’t worry about anything. You just have so much joy in your heart. It was a very beautiful experience. After I had that experience, I don’t want to leave Medjugorje. 

You become like a teenager when you start feeling the Holy Spirit. Like I said, in the beginning, I was like, “I’m too old for this. I should have just come another time.” Even if it’s not the Youth Festival, the Holy Spirit fills you with happiness and joy so you don’t worry about anything, only Jesus and Mary.

If you really want to have a very deep connection with Jesus, I think this is the best place. Even if someone is still struggling with their vocation or struggling with their faith, to trust Jesus, I think this is the best place. 

If you’re going to come to see a miracle, you’re wasting your time, but if you want to come here for a deep connection with Jesus and find the purpose He has for you in life, this is the best place to go.

I learned so much from Mirjana. All the words she said, that’s what I needed. Everything she said was very beautiful. There’s something special about her.

There were two things that really struck me. She said that we don’t know if we’re going to be alive tomorrow so you have to take care of your soul more than your physical body because that is the thing that is going to be for all eternity. You have to take care of your soul like you’re going to die tomorrow. 

The second thing she said is that we cannot criticize priests. We have to pray for them instead of criticizing them or any other person who is consecrated to Jesus. Not only holy people, like priests, but also regular people who are not religious, we have to pray for them instead of criticizing them.

I learned so much from here. Jesus spoke to me. The things that separate me from Him, He showed me clearly. Before, I was blind. I was not firm in my faith. When it comes to the path of holiness, you have to be radical. Even in the Bible it says you cannot serve two masters. You have to be only one way, and it’s Jesus. 

What I’m taking from Medjugorje is a lot of peace in my heart. It’s something that is in my heart that I don’t want to go away when I go to America. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not worried about the future. I used to think about the future a lot because of my personal problems. I know that I have to live in the present. 

The love that I gained for the Eucharist and adoration in this pilgrimage was beautiful. I’ve taken a lot of things from here.