{"id":15267,"date":"2026-07-09T09:51:49","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T07:51:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/?p=15267"},"modified":"2026-07-28T10:08:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T08:08:28","slug":"journeying-in-the-footsteps-of-st-mary-euphrasia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/journeying-in-the-footsteps-of-st-mary-euphrasia\/","title":{"rendered":"The Way Within: Journeying in the footsteps of St. Mary Euphrasia"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Michelle Ann Veluz, Good Shepherd Center, Marymount Center, Singapore<\/em><\/p>\n

More than anything, I saw this pilgrimage as an invitation to pause and reflect. Before this pilgrimage, I had hoped for spiritual renewal, to discover more about myself, and to become more grateful. For quite some time, I had been carrying a sense of emptiness within me. I often felt like I was simply going through the motions of everyday life without truly appreciating what was happening around me. Although I did not know exactly what I was searching for, I hoped that somewhere along this journey, God would quietly speak to my heart. I did not expect to find all the answers. I simply hoped to return home with a heart that was a little lighter than when I left.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

One experience that stayed with me was walking the laberinto<\/strong>. At first, I simply followed the path without much thought. As I continued walking, I realized that the labyrinth resembled life itself. Along the way, we meet people who walk beside us for different seasons. Some remain with us, while others leave, but each person teaches us something.<\/p>\n

As we visited the places connected to the life of Santa Mar\u00eda Eufrasia<\/strong>, I gained a better understanding of who she was. Her life was not easy. She experienced struggles, sacrifices, and challenges, yet remained faithful to God and to the people entrusted to her care. What touched me most was the realization that she never seemed to set out to build a legacy. She simply responded with love wherever she saw a need, and through those ordinary acts of compassion, her legacy continues to inspire people today.<\/p>\n

Throughout the pilgrimage, one quote stayed with me: “La gratitud es la memoria del coraz\u00f3n<\/em>.” Before this trip, I thought gratitude was simply about saying “\u00a1Gracias<\/em>\u00bb. Now I realize it is also about remembering<\/strong>\u2014the people who have guided us, the experiences that have shaped us, and even the struggles that have helped us grow. Looking<\/em> back, I realized that every person I have met and every experience I have gone through has had a purpose.<\/p>\n

\"\"Among all the places we visited, Noirmoutier<\/strong> became the place closest to my heart. Knowing that it was the birthplace of our Mother Foundress made it especially meaningful. We were told that during winter it becomes much quieter, with fewer visitors and many shops closed. Somehow, that thought felt a little sad, yet it was also that peacefulness that touched me the most. It reminded me that silence is not emptiness. Sometimes, it is in the quiet that we begin to hear what God has been trying to tell us all along.<\/p>\n

When I reached the center, I continued walking back but eventually became lost. As I searched for the right path, I could not help but think about my own life. There are times when I feel uncertain, lost, and unsure of where I am heading. Eventually, I stepped out of the labyrinth to rest before trying again. This time, I quietly followed someone who already knew the way, and little by little, I found my path.<\/p>\n

That simple experience reminded me that there is no shame in admitting when we are lost<\/strong>. Sometimes we need to pause, and sometimes we need to allow others to guide us. We were never meant to walk through life alone.<\/p>\n

As I reflected on this experience, I also thought about the women and children we serve at the crisis shelter<\/strong>. Many of them come to us during one of the most difficult seasons of their lives. Like the labyrinth, their journeys are often filled with uncertainty and unexpected turns. This pilgrimage reminded me that our role is not to walk the journey for them or to have all the answers, but simply to walk beside them with compassion, patience, and hope until they are ready to continue on their own.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Looking back, this pilgrimage has been a truly meaningful and grace-filled experience. Beyond the places we visited, it was the fellowship with my fellow pilgrims that I will always treasure. Listening to their stories and reflections helped me see life from different perspectives and reminded me that each of us carries our own joys, struggles, and lessons. I am deeply grateful to Marymount Center for blessing us with this opportunity to walk in the footsteps of St. Mary Euphrasia and St. John Eudes and to experience places that have become part of our shared mission and heritage.<\/p>\n

I cannot say that I have returned completely renewed, as I know I am still on my own journey of life\u2014still learning, still growing, and still trying to find my path. However, this pilgrimage has given me quiet moments of reflection and meaningful realizations that I will continue to carry with me.<\/p>\n

As I return to serving the women and children entrusted to our care, I hope to do so with a heart that is more mindful, more compassionate, and more grateful. Like St. Mary Euphrasia, I pray not to seek recognition, but simply to love and serve others faithfully, trusting that even the smallest act of kindness can leave a lasting impact on someone’s life. <\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Michelle Ann Veluz, Good Shepherd Center, Marymount Center, Singapore More than anything, I saw this pilgrimage as an invitation to pause and reflect. Before this pilgrimage, I had hoped for spiritual renewal, to discover more about myself, and to become more grateful. For quite some time, I had been carrying a sense of emptiness […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15271,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[116,87],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motherhouse","category-singapore"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/03_pilgrimage_photo.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15267"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15267\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15279,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15267\/revisions\/15279"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}