Pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament: An FNE Family Campout in Alabama

When you go on a campout with the Staff of St. Joseph, you never know what adventures await you. Our recent campout and pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama was no exception. Mindful of the COVID-19 virus but wanting to keep our youth engaged and active, we decided to coordinate a family campout this past fall. All youth stayed with their own families in tents, cabins, or the lodge at Lake Guntersville State Park, and families prepared and ate their own meals. This was a unique experience for our group.

The Rosary around the campfire

After families had arrived and set camp on Friday evening, we came together at one site to begin the weekend with prayer. The fire sizzled and crackled and provided some light while each of the five units led a decade of the Rosary. The Timberwolf girls and Otters helped to decorate a small shrine of Our Lady of the Angels against a nearby tree using natural elements.

Rain on the way to the Shrine

That night the clouds moved in, and the real adventure was to begin. It began raining overnight, and, unfortunately, water leaked into several families’ tents. Nevertheless, we prepared for the drive to the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, our destination for this pilgrimage. We brought with us the intentions of the group and prayers for our nation while offering the pilgrimage in reparation for sins committed against our Lord.

Mass and adoration at the Shrine

It began raining again, so we waited under the covered porticos while everyone arrived. The units took turns visiting various parts of the grounds, including the gift shop, the life-sized nativity, and a replica of the grotto of Lourdes. We met a priest from Africa who had been a scout as a boy and had even visited the gravesite of Lord Baden-Powell. We saw a statue of St. Joseph in a small courtyard and went down the stairs into the crypt, where we gazed on the Shroud of Turin images. At Mother Angelica’s tomb in the crypt, Akela Jorge shared some information about her life. After that, it was time for Mass, which was celebrated in the incredible sanctuary above. Since we got there early, we could hear the nuns singing on the other side of the partition. After Mass, we began hearing a quiet humming noise and looked up to see that, high above the altar, a cover was being lowered, and the second-largest monstrance in the world was revealed, exposing the Most Blessed Sacrament.

We knelt in silent adoration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Mother Angelica’s legacy

It was quite a privilege to walk around the beautiful grounds and contemplate what life might be like for the Poor Clare nuns who live behind the walls of the cloister, spending their lives praying for all of us in the world. We came to a new appreciation for Mother Angelica’s work to build this place of prayer and beauty and her mission of spreading the gospel through all the media that were available during her lifetime and ours – TV, radio, print, and the Internet. We have all been called to preach the Good News, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Back at a soggy camp

We left with a renewed purpose as Christians and a deeper sense of friendship among our group. When we arrived back at camp, however, we were to find even more tents, sleeping bags and fresh clothing sopping wet. Each family assessed their situation for how to make it through the remaining night. Offers of help and extra hands, family to family, were a great witness of generosity and friendship. In the end, because we were within a couple of hours of home, several families broke camp and headed back home. For those who stayed, the weather cleared and we had a couple of different concurrent campfire programs happening at different sites for the various units. It was not our typical FNE campfire, but having grandparents, parents, and siblings made for a good evening of skits, songs, and laughter. In the morning, we broke camp and went on one last adventure to a nearby cave and headed to a local parish for Holy Mass.

We are grateful to all the families who joined us on this campout and pilgrimage and to our Lord for sending His angels to watch over us. We now have lots of good stories to share and more experience so that we can be ready for our next great adventure. Semper Parati!