Albania Mission

We left Detroit for Frankfort, Germany to transfer there to Montenegro Airlines on September 23, 2002, arriving in Montenegro on the 24th of September. We were met there by Martin's cousin, Alexander, who then drove us to make a short visit with Martin's relatives. After a time of fellowship and a lot of fresh fruit, Alexander drove us to the Albanian border, with Bishop Prella waiting on the Albanian side. At 10 p.m., we walked across this border which was about 100 yards from one side to the other, but many worlds apart. Montenegro is fairly prosperous, with good roads; it is built up and resembles this century. Albania was quite the opposite. The roads were paths of broken concrete, one car width wide, and they wound around in almost impassable trails. It was dark of course which made it more ominous. There were no lights except the headlights of the Jeep the Bishop drove. We arrived in about twenty minutes to a large house next to the new cathedral church they are building.

We were greeted warmly by a group of twenty young adults. We had a meal and you could tell Martin was home. He has made many of these trips bringing speakers to bless and teach this fledgling community.

We started classes the following morning at 9:00 a.m. using the "Shepherd Program." Martin translated throughout the whole time along with Sr. Mary Helen.

Bishop Prella had selected five leaders to facilitate the sharing groups, two young seminarians and three women in formation for religious life. All of the twenty or so who were with us are being formed into a new charismatic religious order named, "Temple of God," by Bishop Prella. It will be their mission to bring Christianity alive again in Albania after fifty years of communist domination. Albania was the only totally professed communist country in the world. All Catholics were killed, including religious. Those who fled hid in the highest mountains and secretly practiced their faith.

On Sunday, we drove up into these mountains with Bishop Prella to celebrate the special feast of St. Michael, their patron. It took over two hours to drive up literally into the clouds on paths which only their animals travel. It was glorious - we touched the clouds. The people were spread out across these mountains with their herds of sheep and cows as far as the eye could see. They had built a small stone chapel near their cemetery.

It was too cold inside the chapel, no doors or heat, so they took the altar and a few benches out on the hillside to celebrate Mass. The people trickled in , becoming a growing crowd, until the hillside was filled with families; all had walked for miles from their mountain farms. The Bishop had Mass which started about two hours later than scheduled and continued for about two hours more. Then, the people had a program - the elders sang traditional calls from mountain to mountain - this was how they shared news. Many sang using their unique instruments. They make up very melancholy songs about their children who have left the mountains and have gone to other lands. The old men and women wept - we all wept with them.

Many still wear traditional dress - only the young appeared westernized. It was as though the centuries had merged there on that mountain and our emotions soared. Probably the single most extraordinary experience of our trip was right there on the side of the mountain having Mass that Sunday morning. Everything converged to make it so. These were the faithful remnant that survived fifty years of total devastation and at what a cost. The herds of sheep and cows were there with us, all praising God in the poorest and yet most beautiful land I'd ever seen.

Back at the school, we continued to meet daily; many teachings were interspersed as the Bishop or Martin would request them. The days brought all to a deeper unfolding of their need for inner healing. The five leaders reported this at our daily debriefing meetings.

The Bishop remained with us every step of the way - many times asking questions and explaining things to them. We worked all day, with Mass every evening and dinner following. The love relationship between myself and each one grew so quickly; they are very special young people. At meals they were teaching me Albanian. The last night there, we helped prepare a generational healing Mass. The families of these young people had such great need for this; it was a solemn and extraordinary liturgy. Such faith and zeal is rarely experienced in a common people. With our work at an end, we parted in tears, and with grateful hearts left for Montenegro. Alexander met us at the border crossing and so Martin, Sr. Mary Helen, whom the Bishop permitted to travel with us, and myself headed by car for Medjugorje. It was a five hour drive through the mountains.

We arrived at Medjugorje at night. The next day we went to Mass in the church, and then drove to see Fr. Jozo in his parish church. We slipped in on an audience that the Slovenians had with him, in time for his talk and prayer. At the end, St. Mary Helen caught Fr. Jozo's ear as he passed and said we were from Albania. He immediately took us to a room next door and visited privately with us for some time. He blessed us and prayed over us. He was sad that many charismatics don't pray the rosary. I assured him many of us do. If anything will keep us balanced it is the rosary.

The next day, we undertook to climb the big mountain, Krizevac, for each of you. With Sister on my one arm and Martin on the other, we all made it in about two hours. We made crosses with our names on them, including the words, "Detroit Archdiocese," and planted them on the mountain top. Martin made friends with the visionary Ivan's best man who was an Albanian and owned a local jewelry store. Martin is going to work to get him to visit here in the U.S. Vicka was expecting her first child any day and was on bed rest. The church in Medjugorje was always packed, and we met some friends from Texas who were very helpful. We stayed only two and a half days there, then drove back to Montenegro for our final trip home.

I believe with your prayers and blessings, the seeds for healing, freedom, and growth were planted securely and will bear the fruit of the gospel in the land of Albania. The need for inner healing for the people of Albania is very great - but we could see God's work in only that short time we were privileged to be with them. Let us continue to pray for them as they will for us.

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