Greetings from Krakow, Poland!  It has been a LONG two days and it's taking me a little while to adjust to being in a time zone six hours ahead of home.  Sorry that there are no pictures tonight - I took plenty but cannot login to Google Drive from the hotel here - the browser is out of date and I don't have permission to download a new version.  I will figure out a way to get them in but not tonight after being awake for the better part of 36 hours. 

On Monday, June 13, we met at Xavier Center in Gettysburg, PA, at 11:00 to begin our pilgrimage.  Our group was split in two - half went from Harrisburg to Dulles to Munich to Krakow.  The other half went from Harrisburg to Detroit to Amsterdam to Krakow.  Our flights were good and mostly on time but the overnight trans-Atlantic flight did not provide the best atmosphere for sleep.  I was in the first group and we arrived here in Krakow at 12:30.  Fr. Bateman was there to meet our plane - he even beat the tour guide.  We boarded the bus and made a brief stop at our hotel and then went to see the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy.  Originally, before we realized our flights were split, the plan had been to see Auschwitz on the day of our arrival and then go to see the Sanctuary on Thursday.  Because our second group would not arrive until late in the afternoon today, the plans were switched.  Our first group was able to spend the afternoon at the Sanctuary.  What a perfect way to begin a pilgrimage for the Jubilee Year of Divine Mercy!

We arrived in time for the 3 pm recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which was said in 5 different languages in the Convent Chapel.  This was the chapel where Sister Faustina often talked with Jesus about the need to trust in His Divine Mercy.  It was also here that He instructed her to commission a painting of the Divine Mercy image. After the recitation of the Chaplet we were free to roam the grounds until 5:30.  We went through the Holy Door at the Basilica while Mass was being celebrated.  All around the edge of the sanctuary there were confessionals set up so that visitors could celebrate the sacrament of penance.  We were also able to take the elevator almost to the top of the tower next to the Basilica and were treated to a great view of the city of Krakow. 

At 5:30, one of the sisters met us and showed us a replica of the cell in which Sr. Faustina wrote her diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul. The sister then took us to one of the chapels in the lower level of the Basilica and talked to us about Sr. Faustina and the Divine Mercy image. She spoke eloquently and passionately about our need to trust in the mercy of God; we often say we trust in God but then we want to tell Him what WE want Him to do.  She also spoke about how God's mercy comes to us through confession and Holy Eucharist.
After the talk, we went to another chapel and Fr. Bateman and Fr. Richards concelebrated Mass for our group.  What a joy to have the two of them together on the altar and to hear a homily from Fr. Bateman after three months.

At about 7 pm, we went for a nice dinner in the restaurant located next to the Sanctuary and then returned to the hotel.  Sorry if this doesn't make sense - I'm a little bleary-eyed and the pictures I was going to include are stuck on my camera.  Hopefully, I will make more sense tomorrow and will have some photos to go with my ramblings. 
Thanks for your prayers.  Tomorrow, we will be visiting Old Town in Krakow, Wawel Castle, the Salt Mines, and three different churches.  Sleep tight.