Rome-Assisi Pilgrimage, April 6-12, 2025

"Praise be to you, Lord, for your greatness!"

On Sunday, April 6, at 2:00 p.m., 40 sisters from different regions of the Congregation set off on the Rome-Assisi pilgrimage, accompanied by Brother Dennison, OFMCAP. Our arrival in Rome at our lodging facility, the General House of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary, was late.

The next day, we were ready to pass through two Holy Doors: in the morning, that of St. Peter's Basilica, where we saw numerous groups of pilgrims walking with us; and in the afternoon, that of St. John Lateran Basilica, where, in the baptistery, we renewed our baptismal promises.

On Tuesday, April 8, we headed to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the place where our Pope Francis would gather and pray before each of his journeys. We prayed especially for our Pope during Mass. We then headed to ancient Rome and had a picnic near the Colosseum. The afternoon was spent visiting the Catacombs of St. Callistus and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. On this day, we were graced with the opportunity to pass through two more Holy Doors.

On Wednesday morning, we returned to St. Peter's Square, perhaps hoping for an apparition of our Pope. But it wasn't to be; he went there the next day.

On Wednesday around 2:00 p.m., we took the bus back to Assisi, where the first visit was dedicated to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, a place so dear to St. Francis of Assisi. We celebrated the Eucharist there.

Our pilgrimage continued on Thursday with a visit to the Basilica of St. Francis, which a local Franciscan friar showed us. We appreciated the richness of his explanations and the depth of his insight. We could not experience this pilgrimage without visiting Mount Alvernia, where St. Francis of Assisi received the stigmata. This Friday, April 11th, we set off for Mount Alvernia, arriving late in the morning, just in time for the celebration of the Eucharist. In the afternoon, we were able to participate in the procession that takes place every day at 3:00 p.m. through the cloister of the sanctuary to reach the place where St. Francis received the stigmata.

This Saturday, April 12th, marks the last day of our pilgrimage. We will also visit the hermitage of Greccio and the one at Fonte Colombo, where St. Francis wrote the definitive rule of the Friars Minor.

After visiting Fonte Colombo, we had to take the bus directly to Rome Fiumicino Airport for our flight back to France that evening. Each day of our pilgrimage, Brother Dennison led us in meditation on a verse from the Canticle of Creatures, whose 800th anniversary we are celebrating this year. The places of origin of Franciscan spirituality helped us in this.

"Pilgrims of Hope" in this Jubilee Year 2025, we received many graces and we asked for them for all the sisters who were not present but in communion with us!

"Praise be to you for all your blessings!"