Witnesses of the Faith | November 2024

Young Adult Pilgrimage to Rome
Testimony from Fr. Claude Lombardo

Last month, I had the blessing of leading a pilgrimage to Rome for a group of young adults—twenty of us in total. Visiting Rome is always refreshing for the spirit. I lived there for three years during my theological formation, and every time I can return, it is a true joy!

Rome is a magnificent city in so many ways: the architecture, the art, the history, and of course, the food! But above all, the spiritual richness of Rome is incomparable to any other place in the world. With over nine hundred churches, there is an abundance of sacred sites. Rome is truly dense! In one day, you can experience more than you might see in a month elsewhere.

One morning, we were fortunate enough to pray near the tombs of saints like St. Philip Neri, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Monica, St. John Berchmans, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. Cecilia, St. Helena, St. Robert Bellarmine… just to name a few. Walking just a couple of miles, you encounter these giants of the Catholic faith!

We visited the crib where Baby Jesus was laid in Bethlehem, a cherished relic of the True Cross where He gave His life for us, and the column where He was tied during the scourging. Alongside the Cross, we could see one of the nails, some of the thorns that crowned His head, the sign placed above the Cross, and even a relic of St. Thomas’s finger—the very finger that touched His risen body!

Rome connects us to the very roots of our Church, giving a clear sense that we belong to a vast family. We celebrated Mass near the bones of St. Peter and prayed at the tomb of St. Paul, the two pillars of the Catholic Church, as well as at the resting places of many other martyrs who bore witness with their blood. It’s awe-inspiring to see how full of heroism and love the Church’s history is.

Every evening, we agreed it was nearly impossible to process all we had seen that day.

We also took day trips outside of Rome. One day, we traveled to Assisi to pray to St. Francis and St. Clare, and we were able to celebrate Mass in the church where Blessed Carlo Acutis rests. It was beautiful to share the Mass with a group from a Polish parish who had come to receive a relic of the new saint, a treasure they planned to bring back to their community.

On another day, we visited Florence, savoring the rich artistry of that remarkable city. We also explored the ruins of Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast on another trip.

Oh, I almost forgot! One Sunday, while visiting St. Mary Major Basilica, we noticed some commotion. To our surprise, Pope Francis was visiting the basilica at that exact moment! What were the odds? Yet there we were, face-to-face with Pope Francis, with no barriers or security between us. I called out to him in Spanish, with my Argentine accent, asking for his blessing—and we received it! What more could we ask for?

Thanks to God, this pilgrimage was a wonderful experience that filled us with a renewed love for the Church, pride in our Catholic faith, and a fire to share that faith with whomever God places in our path!