First pilgrimage to Medjugorje after Vatican’s green light

“It’s always good to come here, but especially good this year”, says Mary’s Meals founder.

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Mary’s Meals founder Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow has been in Medjugorje as a pilgrim this weekend and it was his first visit to the place where he experienced, as a young man, a renewal of his faith, since the Holy See announced the “nulla osta” for pilgrimages to Medjugorje shrine 19th September 2024.

As a “fruit of Medjugorje”, Marys Meals keeps nurturing the important link between this growing international movement and its origins, as those involved in the first Mary’s Meals projects were all people whose lives had been changed by pilgrimages to Medjugorje.

Mary's Meals Family at Cross Mountain Križevac in Međugorje

At the October 2024 Mary’s Meals Pilgrimage there were more than 200 people in attendance representing 14 countries from all over the world. It was an opportunity for everyone in the Mary's Meals family - active staff members, board members, volunteers and supporters to join Magnus in a time of prayer and thanksgiving for the mission of Mary's Meals in Medjugorje. Not only that, but new people discovered the movement over the weekend in Medjugorje and joined the pilgrimage spontaneously.

The three-day event helped to bring pilgrims closer to Jesus and Our Lady, but also offered opportunities for fellowship and friendship and rejuvenated Mary’s Meals family to its shared vision and mission: FOOD + SCHOOL = HOPE. 

The itinerary included opportunities to come together to pray for the mission of Mary's Meals, through climbing the hills – amid the rain! Praying the rosary, joining the Holy Mass and hearing talks from members of the Mary's Meals family.  

Blue Container

Some of the talks happened at The Blue Container, Mary’s Meals Information Centre – where many pilgrims have shared their experiences with new visitors or spontaneous pilgrims who have discovered there how to put in action the words of Pope Francis: “You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. This is how prayer works”

Pope Francis quote

Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow remarked that everyone is welcome to this pilgrimage, no matter the age, no matter the situation in life, no matter the faith. 

Apparition Hill

Learn more about Mary's Meals Family Pilgrimage to Medjugorje