On a mission from God, young woman draws closer to him and others
Mary Carmen Zakrajsek, a former member of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Indianapolis, prays with fellow perpetual pilgrim Eduardo Gutierrez during a stop on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. The 2,000-mile journey along the East Coast was connected to this year’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. (Submitted photo)
By John Shaughnessy
The sound of sirens and the flashing lights of police cars surrounded her, but Mary Carmen Zakrajsek kept blissfully driving, knowing she was on a mission from God.
It was her first time behind the wheel of the van that was transporting the Blessed Sacrament during the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage—the 2,000-mile journey along the East Coast that was connected to this year’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
“After reposing the Blessed Sacrament in the van’s tabernacle, we had about an hour’s drive from St. Augustine, Florida, to Fernandina Beach,” Zakrajsek wrote in the pilgrimage’s blog on May 27. “It was going to be my first time driving the van with the team and Jesus inside, and I was a little nervous.
“Needless to say, I had nothing to worry about. Why? Because they shut down the interstate for Jesus. And it was awesome. I have never seen so many police cars make way for Jesus.
“Five policemen sped ahead of us on motorcycles, and several police cars followed behind, as local authorities graciously blocked all on-ramps and traffic lights for Jesus in the Eucharist. As I began driving, I could not stop smiling in awe of what I was witnessing. I kept thinking to myself, ‘This is LEGIT!’ as we drove Jesus through the state of Florida to our next destination.
“It was such a tangible experience of God’s royalty and sovereignty, and of our nation showing him honor. Those sirens and flashing lights felt like a modern-day voice crying out in the wilderness to make straight a highway for our God.
“And still, whether there are flashing lights or police escorts, each of us can make straight a highway for our God inside our hearts. We can prepare the way for the King by clearing what gets in the way—and allowing his presence the space to move.”
Zakrajsek felt God’s presence and that power all during the pilgrimage that began in Florida on May 24, traveled through the country’s 13 original colonies and ended in Philadelphia on the weekend of July 4th for the country’s anniversary celebrations.
As one of the nine young adult pilgrims who lived with the Blessed Sacrament, traveled with the Eucharist in their van, and shared Christ with
people on every mile of the pilgrimage, 27-year-old Zakrajsek described the experience as “once-in-a-lifetime.”
A former member of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Indianapolis, Zakrajsek now serves as the director of youth faith formation at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Elkhart, Ind., in the
Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese. She shared her memories, joys and insights about the pilgrimage with The Criterion.
Q. Talk about your experience as a perpetual pilgrim on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage.
A. “I feel very grateful that the Lord granted me this opportunity to be physically close to him for such an extended time, to offer up my sufferings for the pilgrimage intentions, and to be invited into the intimacy of his company day in and day out.
“It was a packed summer. We travelled to at least 68 cities in six weeks. I saw the hunger people have for the Lord, and I was amazed at the crowds that would gather to greet the Blessed Sacrament when we arrived outside each stop. I experienced parish communities feeling renewed by our visit and invigorated to share their faith.
“I also got to witness Jesus’ humility and mercy as I watched him be carried in and out of tabernacles constantly and processed through neighborhoods, busy streets and church grounds. In short, my experience was truly once in a lifetime.”
Q. Please share a few specific moments from the pilgrimage that stood out to you and touched you.
A. “The opening Holy Hour at the Cathedral Basilica in St. Augustine really stands out. As I gazed upon the crucifix, Jesus reminded me in prayer that there has never been a time where he has not been faithful. Jesus truly has been present all my life. That is the hardest to believe in seasons of dryness and places of desert, but it is true. That was a theme that continued to play out throughout the pilgrimage. He really is present with us.
“I have to say that being with Jesus on a literal boat was a really beautiful experience, particularly from Fernandina Beach in Florida to St. Mary’s in Georgia, as well as the boat procession across the Chesapeake Bay. Even the winds and waves obey his voice. I really felt in those moments we were on water that I was living out the Gospel passages and identifying with the Apostles, particularly Peter.
“I really enjoyed praying over the thousands of handwritten intentions we received along the route. My teammates and I would pray with these individually, but then also together out loud, and it was really powerful. I was touched by how vulnerable people were and the confidence they had in entrusting these intentions to us and to the Lord.
“I was always moved whenever our processions were through downtown areas either on sidewalks or streets, and people inside shops and restaurants would come right up to the glass to see what was happening or step outside to witness it. It just made me reflect on how Jesus draws all hearts to himself. This was particularly noticeable in downtown Keene, New Hampshire. I have confidence that where he is processed, he will bless.”
Q. Talk about some of your interactions with people you met on the pilgrimage.
A. “I was really inspired meeting this one woman named Theresa in the Archdiocese of Boston. She was so in touch with the Lord and how he spoke to her through prayer. She said that over a year ago, she kept hearing in prayer that Jesus wanted people to gather and pray at Lexington Green [in Lexington, Mass.]. She mentioned that she tried to spread the word to gather as many people there to pray, but without much success.
“Well, lo and behold, one of our events for the pilgrimage this summer was a eucharistic procession from St. Brigid’s Church to Lexington Green, where we had outdoor adoration there with hundreds of people kneeling in the grass. She felt like that was an answer to prayer.”
Q. Talk about how the experience helped you personally move closer to Christ in the Eucharist.
A. “This experience taught me, and continues to teach me, that in all moments God draws close to man. I think having this experience of traveling on the road full time with the Blessed Sacrament allowed me to reflect on the fact that Christ, though fully God, was also fully man. I felt like I was able to get a deeper glimpse into his weariness and exhaustion that he must have felt traveling from town to town, with crowds pressing in and always asking things of him. And still, Jesus gave until he gave all that he had.
“I felt like this experience really challenged me to make acts of self-gift to the communities that we visited and to my teammates, and to identify with Christ in his tiredness and perseverance.”
Q. Talk about what it meant to you to share the experience with the other young adults who were perpetual pilgrims.
A. “It is such a blessing to have shared this experience with the other young adults who went the whole route. I miss being around them. They were so funny, and I miss praying with them. Each of us were assigned different roles on pilgrimage. Some of the pilgrims led music, others did interviews, one was a media missionary who documented photos and videos along the route.
“But something we all got to rotate doing was going out in pairs during the eucharistic processions to evangelize on the sidewalks. Like the Apostles, we were sent out two by two. It was a gift to see my fellow perpetual pilgrims pray with people and share about our Catholic faith to strangers along the sidewalks.”
Q. How will you use this experience in the future to continue to deepen your faith?
A. “This experience continues to remind me that God wants us to draw close to him, and that we have his full attention. My hope is that this pilgrimage will remind me of his eucharistic heart in the moments where I feel dry or unworthy of his love.
“I think the Lord revealed to me more of his identity as Savior on this pilgrimage. To rely on the Lord for mercy is a great act of trust and confidence in his love. I had been praying for a deeper faith along this pilgrimage and to trust in his love for me. It was while we were in the Diocese of Charleston [S.C.] at St. Peter’s Church, when I really resonated with the quote, ‘I cannot withstand you as my judge, therefore I claim you as my Savior.’
“In Maryland, I had a strong conviction of his Sacred Heart that burns with love for us, and that he is our Redeemer. I am walking away with a greater belief of his love for me, and for that I am thankful.” †
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