MEDJUGORJE: MY EXPERIENCE By Erin Gaffney

This month we presented a two part testimony by Robert McCrindle of his recent trip to Medjugorje with Fr. Peter and a group from St. Francis. Erin Gaffney was on the trip as well, and here is her account of her experience.

I had a wonderful experience at Medjugorje. There are many details of the trip I could talk about, but in humble homage to John 21:25 – if I tried to write them all down, there would simply be no room. I came to Medjugorje feeling unsure about a lot of things. Being relatively new to the faith, I had recently made a lot of big changes in my career path (and life in general), and was struggling to find my stride. The changes in my life also made me feel distant from my usual friend group, and I had been praying that God would send me a friend I could connect with on a spiritual level. 

Upon my flight arrival in Croatia, I was so grateful to meet up with other people my age, as we all boarded the bus that would take us to Medjugorje. I told myself, ‘I have to make at least ONE friend here!’ By the end of the trip, I realized God had blessed me with not just one, but a whole group of dear friends. 

Throughout the week, my new friends and I were blessed to witness many miracles. Some were on a larger scale – for example, when the Eucharist bled on the last day of Adoration; or when we got to visit the weeping Risen Christ statue – locals say this continuously drips a mysterious liquid all year long, even in freezing temperatures! 

I also experienced many “smaller” personal miracles that were at least equally, if not more profound and meaningful to me. All week it felt like God was working tirelessly to put me in the right place at the right time, continuously directing, leading, inspiring and providing for me, so that I was able to find all the answers I needed. By the end of the trip, I was sad to leave – but my soul was at peace. I would highly recommend this pilgrimage for any Catholic; it is truly an amazing, life-changing experience.