Flags from the pilgrims on the Pontau experience — along with TJP’s “Iggy” of YouTube fame
The Jesuit Post Road Crew (@TJPOnTour) is traveling with three different MAGIS immersion groups, and tweeting along the way. Chris Schroeder, SJ (@AnalogJesuit) is in Cascavel, Brazil (in the south). Brendan Busse, SJ (@bugideas) is in Belem, Brazil (near the Amazon) and Jason Welle, SJ (@malawijay) is in Pontau, Rio de Janeiro. In addition to the TJP crew, Emma Scuglik, a recent graduate of Marquette University, intern for MAGIS 2013, and veteran of MAGIS/WYD 2011 in Madrid, is en route to Aparecida on foot with a pilgrim group. She’ll be posting photos and videos, mainly through @Magis2013USA. We’ll be updating photos and stories from through groups throughout the week here at the TJP Magis/WYD portal and also on the Magis2013USA Facebook page.
Here’s what we know so far:
[Editor’s note: this post got published a bit later than we hoped as we sorted out internet connection issues in various places. We hope to publish quicker than 24 hours after the fact in the future.]
The crew in Pontau, Rio de Janeiro rested a bit yesterday. They planned a slow day to help them recover from the day of travel and a 2am arrival. Rest apparently included a game of volleyball on the beach. The group includes pilgrims from France, Colombia, Portugal and Congo, and students from Fordham University and St. Joseph’s University.
The crew in Cascavel is struggling to find a decent connection to get us photos. Based on their description of the festa junina we hope to get more pictures and news soon.
In Belem, they made history, yes you heard that right, one day into their immersion and they have something for the record books. They were there for the first public Mass celebrated by Jesuits in the original College Chapel since the expulsion of the Society of Jesus in 1760. You can read more on this historic event here, and see some pictures as well. This group includes pilgrims from Korea, Singapore, and Brazil, along with students from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
The Aparecida pilgrimage kicked off with a Mass during which the group made a prayer quilt. They’ve started with the theme of taking up the cross and following in Jesus’ footsteps. You can see more of their pictures here. There are pilgrims from Lebanon and Brazil along with students from Santa Clara University, Marquette University, and the College of the Holy Cross.
TJPOnTour will be following the MAGIS pilgrims all the way through the end of WYD. If you have some stories you want us to share, send them our way (email, Facebook or Twitter). If you know pilgrims out and about in Brazil, be sure to pass the word and tell them to share their experience with us and follow us for the experiences of other pilgrims.
Lastly, and most importantly, please join us in praying for all the MAGIS pilgrims as well as the youth who are about to descend on Rio de Janeiro for WYD next week.
