JUNE 2023

RELIGION
PHOTO BY FATHER PIERRE
The Pilgrimage
Experiencing God in a unique way
BY MICHAEL ANTOON
Seeing the world is an activity
most people have on their
bucket list, but seeing the world
through faith is an experience that
goes deeper. A pilgrimage is a journey
to a variety of places that are each holy
in their own way. This voyage is not
simply for sightseeing and having a
good time, but it is a journey that calls
us to deepen our faith.
The word “pilgrim” comes from
the Latin word “peregrinus,” which
implies wandering over a distance.
This wandering is not aimless; rather
it serves a higher purpose that draws
us nearer to the Lord.
As Catholics, there are many holy
sites around the world to see and experience.
These various sites allow
pilgrims to meditate and lift their
thoughts. Many of the faithful visit
the Vatican or Holy Land, Our Lady of
Fatima, or Lourdes. In each of these
places, there is something unique that
you may not find in the next. Many pilgrims
visit ancient churches with centuries
of history to unpack, or places
of devotion to saints. No matter where
you may find yourself, there is a divine
Above: After a meditative boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.
Top of page: At the entrance to the city of Lourdes, France.
call to enter more deeply into your relationship
with the Lord.
“Pilgrimages help us detach from
our day-to-day lives to deepen our
faith through prayer with the history
of Jesus, the saints, and the Church.
We hold our intentions and offer our
pilgrimages as a sacrifice and act of
faith,” said Father Pierre Konja.
As of May 2023, St. Thomas Chaldean
Church in West Bloomfield offered
two different pilgrimages. One,
led by Father Pierre Konja, went to the
Holy Land, Rome, Assisi, Lourdes, and
Barcelona. The other was led by Father
Matthew Zetouna to Lourdes and various
cities throughout Spain.
I was blessed to have joined Father
Matthew on his pilgrimage through
Lourdes and Spain, along with 36 others.
There is no doubt that the groups
boarding their flights at DTW were all
part of a family returning home. It was
a beautiful thing to see this group of
Chaldean youth come together and
look out for one another like family
would do.
Brandon Karana, 24, says, “This
was my first pilgrimage, and I went
into it not really expecting anything. I
wanted to walk with God and grow in
my own faith. That overall was what I
was seeking. I was blessed with meeting
so many young people like myself
who were looking for the same thing,
and we were able to grow together as
a family. It was truly one of the most
amazing experiences I have had, and I
met so many amazing people.”
This is the reality for many pilgrims—becoming
part of a family in
Christ. For two full weeks, we traveled
together, took care of each other, and
most importantly, prayed together.
As previously mentioned, a pilgrimage
is a journey of faith, not simply
sightseeing and vacationing. This
is exemplified in how we respond to
issues that arise. For our group, many
unexpected problems came before us.
For starters, our flights got canceled
due to protests throughout France.
This ended up causing the group to
split into different flights traveling to
different countries, eventually reuniting
in Lourdes.
Father Matthew helped ease everyone’s
anxiety about our situation by reminding
us that God will throw us some
16 CHALDEAN NEWS JUNE 2023