Jasna Gora Shrine in 2009
Fr Ignacy Rekawek, custodian of the Jasna Gora Shrine and Fr Stanislaw Tomon, Jasna Gora Press Office.
– About 3,500,000 pilgrims came to the Jasna Gora Shrine in the year 2009. – 167 national pilgrimages gathered 867,298 people. The biggest pilgrimages were: Radio Maryja Family, Renewal in the Holy Spirit, Farmers, Workers, Motorcyclists, Family of the John Paul II Schools, Anonymous Alcoholics, Children’s Yard Rosary Circles, Electricians, Married Couples and Families, Teachers, Legion of Mary, Postmen, Catholic Action, Railwaymen, Secular Franciscan Order and Amazon Women (breast cancer survivals).
– There were 252 walking pilgrimages, embracing 142,316 people.
– There came 156 cardinals, archbishops and bishops from 15 countries: Poland, Ukraine, Austria, Hungary, Germany, the Vatican, the Republic of Congo and Gabon, Brazil, Belarus, Croatia, the Republic of South Africa, France, Mexico, Slovakia and the United States. The visitors included Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, the President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Cardinal Paul Poupard, retired president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and the Pontifical Council for Culture, Archbishop Jan Pawlowski, the new Nuncio to the Republic of Congo and Gabon; Archbishop Francesco Coccopalmerio, the President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.
– Pilgrims and tourists from 83 countries visited the Shrine. The Jasna Gora Information Centre provided guided tours in 10 languages. 2,742 international groups, embracing 65,741 people, used the guide services.
– Priests celebrated 61,544 Masses. They delivered 5,930 sermons, homilies and Jasna Gora Appeals. 1,866,000 consecrated hosts were ministered. Confessors devoted 35,300 hours to pilgrims, serving them in confessional booths through the sacrament of reconciliation. 88 couples got married, 62 people were baptised. Various prayer groups held 220 vigils of prayer. There were 14 congresses and scientific-pastoral symposia. 21 series of retreats were conducted for various organised groups. And there were 27 musical concerts.
– 1,422 people looked for help in the Family Counselling Centre. 1,560 individual and group talks were given in the Psychological-Religious Counselling Centre. 2,375 people called the Jasna Gora Helpline. The Central Centre for Spiritual Adoption trained 680 animators. 32,000 people decided to join the Spiritual Adoption Programme. 75,000 people wrote their prayer intentions in the Book of the Jasna Gora Appeal.
– The Charity Centre at Jasna Gora provided financial and material help to 30,000 poor, homeless, unemployed and lonely people. 650 families, i.e. ca. 1,200 people, are under its continual care.
"Niedziela" 3/2010