Rev. Richard McAlear, OMI, led a group of 44 Americans (including two Canadians) on a pilgrimage of Mercy and Healing. Choosing Austria for his yearly pilgrimage, Fr. McAlear worked with Jenny Healy to develop an itinerary which included stops at Austria’s most famous shrines in and around Salzburg, Gaming, and Vienna. It was an extraordinary week: beyond the typical sightseeing, the pilgrimage group had the chance to pray and celebrate Mass at some very special places: the memorial chapel in Oberndorf where Silent Night was composed, the Chapel of the Relic at Holy Cross Monastery, and in St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, where the miraculous icon of Maria Pocs is venerated.
At the Kartause Gaming, Fr. McAlear celebrated a healing Mass, and prayed over all who wished for a special blessing. The Kartause community was blessed by it, and likewise the pilgrims were amazed to find such a vibrant, English-speaking faith community in the middle of Europe. Overall, the pilgrimage group had a wonderful experience at so many holy places in Austria, and more than one of them let us know that the Kartause was their favorite of all!