Wadowice, Mass, Liberation, Auschwitz- Ann Zelenka

Today's visit to Wadowice was definitely a moving experience for me. There was such beauty in the hometown of the late Pope John Paul II and it was truly inspiring to attend the Polish Mass. I was truly blessed to see all of the artifacts belonging to the Holy Father: it allowed for a more personal connection with  this beloved holy man of God.  This experience has allowed me to connect with my roots a little further and to experience more of the Polish culture: part of my objectives for this trip. I experienced God's loving touch at the consecration of the Eucharist today: I have been going through some rough times in my life and I just continued today to give it all to God.
     The scenery in Wadowice is quite exquisite and beautiful: it is difficult to imagine that horrible things occurred in the quaint areas of Poland such as this. After we went to Mass and visited the townsquare, we went to visit a Jewish cemetery, one that was purchased by an individual who never followed through with plans to renovate it or rebuild, so it has stayed a cemetery for many years now.  The experience there was peaceful but definitely eerie as we were walking among the graves. There was beautiful hebrew lettering on all of them and trees surrounding the graveyard. At the end of the graveyard is a river beyond the fence. As soon as we entered the graveyard, there was a physical chill that came upon me, and others experienced it as well. I feel like that may have been just the weather, or perhaps it was a reminder of the loss that occurred here. It reminds me of the discussion by Alexander Donat in "The Holocaust Kingdom" of many numbers of the unknown individuals who died in order to save others, or the "anonymous heroes who did not break down, who neither deserted their families nor tried to save their own skins at any cost" (Donat 92).
      
This trip for me is a sort of liberation: I want to experience healing by being in a different place and reflecting on all that is here and experiencing the love that is here. I have been experiencing many personal struggles in my own life lately and I hope that as I learn of the inspirations of those who suffered and who were saved, that I experience God's saving grace as well, and that I continue to grow as a person. I am very nervous for tomorrow's trip to Auschwitz but I know that it is in God's Hands and I experienced a great deal of peace after Fr. Manford gave us a blessing upon our trip.