A pilgrimage is of course a fundamental element of every Jubilee event. Setting out on a journey is traditionally associated with our human quest for meaning in life. [...] In the coming year, pilgrims of hope will surely travel the ancient and more modern routes in order to experience the Jubilee to the full." (Pope Francis, Spes non confundit).

Forty of us from the United States accepted the call to go to Rome as pilgrims of hope for this Jubilee year. We went to ask, to beg God and the saints for their intercession in our lives and the lives of those whose intentions we brought with us.

During our first days in Milan, we visited Servant of God Msgr. Luigi Giussani’s tomb and had two wonderful evenings with the CL university students (CLU) of Milan. The hospitality of the CLU there struck me. They prepared dinner for us for two nights and we had an epic singing night together in front of the steps of the Politecnico di Milano (the largest science and technology university in Italy). The enthusiasm of these new friends was contagious. We recognized that even across an ocean we have a beautiful Friend in common who brings us together, even though we may have never met before.

After a few days in Milan, we took a bus to Modena to visit the Cantina Paltrinieri, a family run vineyard, and to visit the tomb of Servant of God Enzo Piccini. At his vineyard, Paltro told us about how he was able to make new variations of his Lambrusco wine thanks to unexpected modifications that happen to the grapes during the seasons. He used this example to remind us that the unexpected things that happen in our lives can be blessings because it is in these circumstances, which we don’t choose, that opportunities are being given to us to allow Christ to enter our lives. Because most of us did not know what our next steps were for each part of the pilgrimage, hearing this allowed me to truly live in the moment and look at each part of the pilgrimage as an opportunity to meet Christ where I wasn't expecting Him. This openness allowed me to have a fruitful time and to abandon myself to the friends in front of me. For example, we had many bus rides that offered the opportunity to get to know people whom I didn’t know well. I was comforted by these conversations because, although I don’t have a CLU community near me, with these friends I share similar struggles and desires. This time together enabled me to recognize that we have our destiny in common.

We then took the bus to Rome, where we went through the Holy Doors at St. Peter’s and also at St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls. We saw the catacombs of St. Callisto and visited Assisi, too. In Assisi, we saw the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis. What was unique about Carlo was that he was dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a sweatshirt, which really put into perspective how modern he was. This made me feel like I could pray to him more easily. I had a similar experience when we went to Turin to see the tomb of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. The fact that both of these “blesseds” were close to us in age and are being canonized soon inspired me to look at my life in a new way and to think about what really matters.

The companionship throughout the trip made the greatest impact on me. From the bus rides during which we sang together, to the late-night talks on the balconies, to walking around the beautiful cities and magnificent churches where we stared in awe at the beauty in front of us…. The friendships gave more meaning to my time because they helped me notice that something greater was always happening. For example, walking through the Holy Doors: I knew it was a great thing that now all our time in Purgatory was erased, but I still couldn’t really wrap my head around it until we said the prayers as a group. Then, people started hugging each other, and everyone was looking so happy, making me realize, “Okay, this is real, and we all just received a tremendous gift!”

I am convinced that all the gifts we receive in life are more easily seen when we have great friends by our side. I have hope that these friendships will remain, so that together we can keep recognizing the gifts that He gives us.

Maddalena, Indianapolis, IN