Tory Bauckham, director of the Benedictine Family Life Center in Atchison, Kansas, led six of the center’s St. John Paul II Fellows from March 2-10 during Spring Break 2024. He went on a pilgrimage to Poland via Oxford, England. .
“The goal was to gain a deeper understanding of spiritual heroism,” he said. “I think 20th-century Polish Catholicism is a great place to learn that quickly.”
Students said the report was informative and inspiring in their efforts to strengthen family life in the United States in the 21st century.
“This trip aimed to place John Paul II’s ideas within the context of the Polish culture that shaped him and made him a loving pastor who could inspire the world.” Bauckham said.
Benjamin Hoopes, a senior theology major, said the trip exceeded his expectations.
“I wasn’t prepared for how shocking the atmosphere in Poland was,” he says. “Our guide for this trip, Konrad Milewski, is originally from Poland and currently lives in Kansas City, but he shared his stories of participating in Polish culture and shared special stops and places of interest. It energized me,” he said. Added. “Conrad himself was a very powerful witness to the gospel and the contagious hope that came from his life of love and joy.”
The group visited Wadowice, Krakow, Wroclaw, Warsaw, Częstochowa, and Auschwitz.
Sia Nowicki said she was impressed by Poland’s “great history of resilience, perseverance and eternal hope in the face of hardship.” …Poland’s ability to bring these experiences together is something I want to intentionally cultivate in my own life and here in the United States. ”
A senior theology major from Scottsdale, Arizona, she plans to pursue graduate studies in theology. She also became a nun at Carmery and was moved to see places associated with St. Edith Stein, a Jewish philosopher who died at Auschwitz under the name St. . Benedicta of the Cross.
Students greatly appreciated visiting Oxford, the ancient capital of Catholic scholars and saints such as St John Henry Newman, JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Evelyn Waugh and Dorothy Sayers.
Ms Bauckham said: “The trip to Oxford was very special in itself. What the students experienced was amazing. Our hosts rolled out the red carpet for the students and… The students really represented the university well.”
Students had the unique opportunity to take part in Oxford activities that are not open to the public, such as the Oxford Formal Dining Hall and High Table.
“They had really rich conversations with students in the cafeteria about feminism, Edith Stein, and better foundations for marriage theology,” Bauckham said. “I was proud of my students because I felt they would hold their own in that intellectual environment.”
Ultimately, Bauckham hopes the trip will better equip students to engage in the “spiritual heroism” needed for the coming battles.
“Like everything I do in the Fellowship, it’s to help us become lovers of human love. That’s the only way to fight what we’re facing. “You can’t look at it negatively,” he said. “We must accept what God designed and why it is still the best path.”
