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| Courtesy of Roamin' Catholics. |
But sometimes God allows an act of faith to go public.
That is the case of the now famous Turnpike Mass widely reported, first on social media, then picked up by major news outlets like CNN. Hundreds if not thousands of March for Life participants, most of them youth, were stuck on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in the rural and rugged Allegheny Mountains region. They did not move for nearly 24 hours and for some, food was growing scarce and help seemed far away. What did these on-fire Catholic Millenials do? They built an altar out of snow and ice and asked their chaplain, Fr Patrick Behm, to celebrate Holy Mass.
Fr Behm tried to deflect attention from himself and told the website Church Pop.
“I was the principal celebrant of the liturgy,” he said, “but credit for the idea, and credit for building the altar, and credit for going around to the various buses inviting people to join them belongs completely to the pilgrims from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, particularly Mr. Bill Dill, their youth minister.”
It was those students from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who built the snow altar: “Those Minnesotans apparently know how to build stuff out of snow!”
The now famous Mass was a powerful spiritual experience for Fr. Behm and everyone else involved.
“It left me with many impressions, but among them was the fact that Jesus enters into the storm. Jesus comes to us, in the storms of our life, and enters in to be with us. He desires to be with His people, and if we respond to this invitation to let Him in, then the message is profound hope and joy.”
The story of the Mass went viral on Facebook then Twitter, and soon local news outlets were reporting not only about the stranded students but that they were coming from the March for Life and that they were praying with exuberance. So, a secular media which had largely ignored the enormous annual March for Life which took place despite DC being in a state of emergency and blizzard conditions starting before the end of the March, began to cover the #TurnpikeMass, and tangentially, the #MarchforLife. God's mysterious ways indeed! It is told that a bus driver stranded with the young people who has participated in an abortion received forgiveness and healing.
Way to cooperate with the Lord of the Universerse, through what is often termed, "an act of God", a blizzard. The Holy Spirit truly acted in the hearts of his youthful worshipers, and made a big impact on the world! Thousands were witness to a moving act of faith in the snowbound mountains of Pennsylvania. Thousands call this a historic event. When we allow God to work in the midst of a crisis, history is made and hearts are changed for eternity. This sentiment is echoed in a letter from FUS President Fr. Sean Sheridan TOR.
Most of all, however, I am grateful to our Lord Jesus Christ for the good that came out of our situation—the increased media attention brought to the March for Life, the bus driver with another group of marchers who was healed of a past abortion, the witness of the outdoor Masses celebrated by two parishes—and for the good that we will only see in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead, or only when we enter into our heavenly reward.
Watch this moving video from Holy Spirit Church as the crowd sings Matt Maher's "Lord, How I Need You!"
The lyrics are;
Lord, I come, I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
Without You I fall apart
You're the One that guides my heart
Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
On a personal note
My daughter Bella was one of the 400 students of Franciscan University of Steubenville who were traveling back from the March for Life. These buses were stuck a few miles down the Turnpike were not as fortunate as the pilgrims from Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota, as their chaplains did not have hosts for Mass. But that did not stop them from praying!! They built and altar anyway and prayed the Rosary Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Liturgy of the Hours. Attitudes on the bus, according to my 18 year old daughter Bella, were mostly positive. The students shared the snacks they brought and kept each other from despairing.
Parents on the FUS Facebook group shared messages of encouragement, and Mariely M de G a parent who lives in Steubenville, arranged for subway sandwiches to be delivered to the group. The National Guard brought in pizza, and military meals, and dug them out. The students were very grateful for the assistance they provided and to return home at 7:00 AM Sunday morning after nearly 40 hours on the road (normally a 6 hour trip). They had a special Travelers' Mass offered for them in Christ the King Chapel. Here is a local news story about their safe return from the ordeal.
Renee of New Catholic Generation.com made a video about the entire phenomenon and its impact.
Here are some more great stories about the Turnpike Mass.
Patti Armstrong.com
Archdiocese of Omaha
Omaha.com
JournalStar.com
KTSP Minnesota
The Christian Post
LifeSiteNews
CatholicNewsAgency
TheCatholicSpirit
DeaconGregKandra on his Aleteia Blog
Not to mention Teresa Tomeo and Sheila Liaugminas of Relevant Radio
The New York Times
He couldn’t claim credit for the idea of having Mass: “I was the principal celebrant of the liturgy,” he said, “but credit for the idea, and credit for building the altar, and credit for going around to the various buses inviting people to join them belongs completely to the pilgrims from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, particularly Mr. Bill Dill, their youth minister.”
It was those students from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who built the snow altar: “Those Minnesotans apparently know how to build stuff out of snow!”
The now famous Mass was a powerful spiritual experience for Fr. Behm and everyone else involved.
“It left me with many impressions, but among them was the fact that Jesus enters into the storm. Jesus comes to us, in the storms of our life, and enters in to be with us. He desires to be with His people, and if we respond to this invitation to let Him in, then the message is profound hope and joy.
- See more at: http://aleteia.org/blogs/deacon-greg-kandra/the-story-behind-the-turnpike-mass-of-snowmageddon-from-the-priest-who-led-it/#sthash.I1ozbkiE.wlkdchCL.dpuf
He
couldn’t claim credit for the idea of having Mass: “I was the principal
celebrant of the liturgy,” he said, “but credit for the idea, and
credit for building the altar, and credit for going around to the
various buses inviting people to join them belongs completely to the
pilgrims from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, particularly
Mr. Bill Dill, their youth minister.”
It was those students from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who built the snow altar: “Those Minnesotans apparently know how to build stuff out of snow!”
The now famous Mass was a powerful spiritual experience for Fr. Behm and everyone else involved.
“It left me with many impressions, but among them was the fact that Jesus enters into the storm. Jesus comes to us, in the storms of our life, and enters in to be with us. He desires to be with His people, and if we respond to this invitation to let Him in, then the message is profound hope and joy.
- See more at: http://aleteia.org/blogs/deacon-greg-kandra/the-story-behind-the-turnpike-mass-of-snowmageddon-from-the-priest-who-led-it/#sthash.I1ozbkiE.wlkdchCL.dpuf
It was those students from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who built the snow altar: “Those Minnesotans apparently know how to build stuff out of snow!”
The now famous Mass was a powerful spiritual experience for Fr. Behm and everyone else involved.
“It left me with many impressions, but among them was the fact that Jesus enters into the storm. Jesus comes to us, in the storms of our life, and enters in to be with us. He desires to be with His people, and if we respond to this invitation to let Him in, then the message is profound hope and joy.
- See more at: http://aleteia.org/blogs/deacon-greg-kandra/the-story-behind-the-turnpike-mass-of-snowmageddon-from-the-priest-who-led-it/#sthash.I1ozbkiE.wlkdchCL.dpuf
He
couldn’t claim credit for the idea of having Mass: “I was the principal
celebrant of the liturgy,” he said, “but credit for the idea, and
credit for building the altar, and credit for going around to the
various buses inviting people to join them belongs completely to the
pilgrims from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, particularly
Mr. Bill Dill, their youth minister.”
It was those students from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who built the snow altar: “Those Minnesotans apparently know how to build stuff out of snow!”
The now famous Mass was a powerful spiritual experience for Fr. Behm and everyone else involved.
“It left me with many impressions, but among them was the fact that Jesus enters into the storm. Jesus comes to us, in the storms of our life, and enters in to be with us. He desires to be with His people, and if we respond to this invitation to let Him in, then the message is profound hope and joy.
- See more at: http://aleteia.org/blogs/deacon-greg-kandra/the-story-behind-the-turnpike-mass-of-snowmageddon-from-the-priest-who-led-it/#sthash.I1ozbkiE.wlkdchCL.dpuf
It was those students from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who built the snow altar: “Those Minnesotans apparently know how to build stuff out of snow!”
The now famous Mass was a powerful spiritual experience for Fr. Behm and everyone else involved.
“It left me with many impressions, but among them was the fact that Jesus enters into the storm. Jesus comes to us, in the storms of our life, and enters in to be with us. He desires to be with His people, and if we respond to this invitation to let Him in, then the message is profound hope and joy.
- See more at: http://aleteia.org/blogs/deacon-greg-kandra/the-story-behind-the-turnpike-mass-of-snowmageddon-from-the-priest-who-led-it/#sthash.I1ozbkiE.wlkdchCL.dpuf
He
couldn’t claim credit for the idea of having Mass: “I was the principal
celebrant of the liturgy,” he said, “but credit for the idea, and
credit for building the altar, and credit for going around to the
various buses inviting people to join them belongs completely to the
pilgrims from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, particularly
Mr. Bill Dill, their youth minister.”
It was those students from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who built the snow altar: “Those Minnesotans apparently know how to build stuff out of snow!”
The now famous Mass was a powerful spiritual experience for Fr. Behm and everyone else involved.
“It left me with many impressions, but among them was the fact that Jesus enters into the storm. Jesus comes to us, in the storms of our life, and enters in to be with us. He desires to be with His people, and if we respond to this invitation to let Him in, then the message is profound hope and joy.
- See more at: http://aleteia.org/blogs/deacon-greg-kandra/the-story-behind-the-turnpike-mass-of-snowmageddon-from-the-priest-who-led-it/#sthash.I1ozbkiE.wlkdchCL.dpuf
It was those students from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who built the snow altar: “Those Minnesotans apparently know how to build stuff out of snow!”
The now famous Mass was a powerful spiritual experience for Fr. Behm and everyone else involved.
“It left me with many impressions, but among them was the fact that Jesus enters into the storm. Jesus comes to us, in the storms of our life, and enters in to be with us. He desires to be with His people, and if we respond to this invitation to let Him in, then the message is profound hope and joy.
- See more at: http://aleteia.org/blogs/deacon-greg-kandra/the-story-behind-the-turnpike-mass-of-snowmageddon-from-the-priest-who-led-it/#sthash.I1ozbkiE.wlkdchCL.dpuf
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