I’ve meant to post this ever since I received it a few days ago. But I must say first of all that if you want to know about Auriesville 2007, I mean, really know, that is, know the inner spiritiual reality of the pilgrim who, with fear and trembling, is working out the salvation of his soul, you cannot do better than to read Iacobus’ elegantly styled report.

For those of you who like to plan a few months ahead of time, the 13th annual Pilgrimage for Restoration to Auriesville will be September 24 - 27, 2008.

Unique Spiritual Exercise Connects Young & Old to Tradition

Auriesville, NY — The twelfth annual Pilgrimage for Restoration drew throngs of enthusiastic Catholics from across the US, Canada, and beyond to the Shrine of Our Lady of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, central New York State, from Wednesday through Saturday, September 26 – 29.

Hundreds of additional participants Saturday, including senior citizens and young parents pushing infants in strollers, joined up with the nearly 300 pilgrims who began the pilgrimage at the shores of the Lake of the Blessed Sacrament (commonly called Lake George, NY) on the previous Wednesday, walking 75 miles in all.

Approximately 800 pilgrims in all prayed, sang and walked the last leg to Auriesville Saturday. Remarkable again this year were the many families with small children, and seniors, who joined the ranks of pilgrims walking all four days.

Rev. Fr. Andreas Hellmann of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, Chicago, IL, and Rev. Fr. Thomas Longua of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, Scranton, PA, returned to serve the pilgrims spiritually. They were assisted by Fathers Neal Nichols, Gregory Pendergraft, Vianney Le Roux and Daniel Geddes all of the Fraternity. The priests heard confessions, preached sermons, gave instruction and offered Holy Mass each day. Fr. Matthew Talarico of the Institute offered holy Mass Friday evening, and also heard confessions Saturday.

Material assistance was provided pilgrims throughout by volunteers of the Company of St. René Goupil, a lay apostolate named after the first of the Martyrs.

On each of the three days en route to Fonda, and in Auriesville on Saturday, Holy Mass was offered according to the traditional Roman missal of 1962 recently restored to its venerable place by Pope Benedict XVI with the motu proprio, Summorum Pontificum. In all, 26 traditional Latin Masses were offered during the pilgrimage.

Celebrant and homilist of the Mass on Saturday was Fr. Neal Nichols, who was joined Saturday by other priests who heard confessions en route and at the shrines.

The New York Catholic Chorale and its Schola, directed by Mr. Thomas Herrmann of Charlton, NY, provided music for the solemn Mass, Saturday. The choir’s glorious praise featured Gregorian chant together with the Missa Secunda of Hans Leo Hassler, a contemporary to the martyrs.

The annual spiritual exercise is conducted to restore the preeminence of grace. Two specific intentions are the restoration of the Catholic family and of the ancient Roman liturgical and spiritual patrimony. This year’s theme, marking the 90th anniversary of the Blessed Virgin’s appearances to three shepherd children at Fatima, Portugal, was Restoration of True Devotion to Mary: Our Lady of Fatima.

Sponsor of the event, the National Coalition of Clergy & Laity, says the annual pilgrimage is a spiritual exercise of penance and reparation for sins committed against the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the salvation of souls, with a view of cooperating in the work of the martyrs to convert our lands to Christ Our King — ad majorem Dei gloriam.

Inspiration and model for the pilgrimage comes from the ancient Chartres pilgrimage, rehabilitated twenty-five years ago, which draws thousands of Catholics to France each Pentecost. Organizers of the French pilgrimage, the apostolate Association Notre-Dame de Chrétienté, exchange greetings and prayers with their American counterparts now for years.

Saturday’s ceremonies began in the early morning with prayers at the Shrine of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha in Fonda where the “Lily of the Mohawks” was baptized and lived. On Saturday, as on all four days, pilgrims sang hymns and recited the Holy Rosary and other prayers, while priests heard confessions. The column arrived early in the afternoon Saturday at the Coliseum Church of Our Lady of Martyrs where the final Latin Mass was offered. The church stands at the site where Saints Isaac Jogues, René Goupil and John de LaLande were martyred in 1642 and 1646, at the Iroquois village of Ossernenon.

Following Holy Mass many pilgrims venerated the holy grounds of Ossernenon, including the ravine where St. René, the first of the martyrs and a layman, was buried by St. Isaac. Organizers consider the pilgrimage an opportunity for North American Catholics to celebrate the Church’s history of evangelization on this continent and to resolve to continue the work of the missionaries in a spirit of restoration, the same spirit which animates the pilgrimage to Chartres.

They anticipate more Catholics to join the pilgrimage next year to pray for the reform so urgently needed. The thirteenth annual Pilgrimage for Restoration is scheduled to take place September 24-27, 2007.

A recording on CD or cassette of the many traditional hymns sung during the pilgrimage is available for a suggested donation of $20 to the National Coalition. The companion “Pilgrims’ Handbook” — 65 pages of lyrics and prayers, including the ordinary parts of the 1962 Roman missal in Latin and English — is also available, and comes with the recording, on request. A documentary film of the Pilgrimage is also available on DVD or VHS, for a suggested donation of $15.

For more information contact the Company of St. René Goupil or the National Coalition of Clergy & Laity at 621 Jordan Circle, Whitehall PA 18052-7119; tel 610/435-2634; fax 610/435-2734; coalition- at - fast.net & www.national-coalition.org

————————————————–

National Coalition of Clergy and Laity
621 Jordan Circle, Whitehall PA 18052-7119
tel 610/435-2634 610/435-2734 fax
coalition -at - fast.net www.national-coalition.com

Rev. Fr. Michael Jarecki, National Spiritual Director

William R. Marra, President
, Executive Vice-President
Eric S. Bower, Treasurer
Claire M. Potteiger, Recording Secretary
Sharon Wald, Corresponding Secretary
Gregory P. Lloyd, M.A., Executive Director
Andrew J. Cole, Director
Michael J. Meier, Director

Most Rev. Roman Danylak, STL, JUD, Episcopal Advisor

Advisory Panel:

Thomas D. Hess, Chairman
John Blewett
Damian Fedoryka, Ph.D.
Christopher A. Ferrara, Esq.
Alice Ann Grayson
Richard Cowden Guido
Alice von Hildebrand, Ph.D.
Gerard J. Keane
Philip F. Kiernan
Ann M. Malone, A.M.I.
A. J. Matt, Jr.
Michael J. Matt
Vera A. Muller
Robert W. Murray
Fr. Sergius-Maria
William Smyth
David L. Sonnier, LTC (Ret.), USA
Fr. Paul Trinchard
Douglas P. Valenzuela
Howard Walsh
Brother Francis Xavier, C.Ss.R.

+ Mary K. Smith
+ William A. Marra, Ph.D.
+ Fr. Vincent P. Miceli, Ph.D.
+ Richard B. Mitchell
+ Mary R. Motley
+ John J. Mulloy

+ deceased