Magis 2011 begins today at the Sanctuary of Loyola
For the pilgrims arriving in Loyola today to begin their Magis experience, this is just the start of their 10 days of being “with Christ at the heart of the world.”
For the Magis volunteers, coordinators, Jesuits, lay partners and organizers, Magis 2011 has been over a year of planning, preparing and practicing. It has all been leading up to this day.
Jesuit Presents His Five Rules for a Successful Pilgrimage
Young people from across the globe and their Jesuit chaperones are making their way to northern part of Spain – to the Basque country where the founder of the Jesuits, St. Ignatius of Loyola, was born – in order to participate in the Magis gathering. Tickets have been purchased, bags are packed and passports are at the ready! But, it also means being out of their comfort zone, traveling in a foreign country and not always bunking down in the most luxurious of accommodations.
Jesuit Father Will Prospero offers some tips in this video to the Magis pilgrims and provides a grounding in the spirituality of pilgrimage, drawing from the experience of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Fr. Prospero’s presentation was given last year during an Apostleship of Prayer‘s “Hearts on Fire” retreat at St. Mary’s University Parish in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
Pilgrims and Their Jesuit Chaperones Headed to Spain for Magis 2011
Over 200 young people from Jesuit schools across the United States are getting set to join their Jesuit chaperones and hundreds of other young people from Jesuit schools across the globe for this year’s Magis 2011 in Spain.
The events kick off this Friday at the birthplace of the founder of the Jesuits, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and from there pilgrims disperse across Spain and Portugal for their week-long experiences as diverse as volunteering in a prison, accompanying marginalized families, serving pilgrims at Lourdes or restoring a hermitage. There are six types of experiences: Pilgrimage, Social Service, Art and Creativity, Faith and Culture, Spirituality and Ecology. Almost 100 experiences are planned.
After, the Magis pilgrims will join back together in Madrid along with hundreds of thousands of others who are there for the World Youth Day 2011 festivities.
But, before their three week pilgrimage in Spain can begin, the pilgrims need to pack! Since accommodations will include roughing it across the country while staying in dormitories and even camping outdoors, the pilgrims are expected to carry what they need only in a backpack.
Marquette University student Emma Scuglik is taking us along on her travels to Spain. In the video below, she shares her excitement with us as she packs for Spain and tries to figure out how she is going to fit everything she needs for a three week trip into just one backpack.
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