Together on A Journey of Hope

By Jennifer Miele
Chief Development and Stewardship Officer 

ROME – In a profound testament to faith and unity, 30 pilgrims from across the Diocese of Greensburg, accompanied by Bishop Larry J. Kulick, embarked on a life-changing pilgrimage to Rome and the Italian countryside during the Jubilee Year of Hope. This sacred journey, rooted in devotion, spiritual renewal and communal prayer, invited participants to walk in the footsteps of the early Christians and deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ.

These pilgrims joined the ranks of an estimated 35 million Catholics who are expected to journey to Rome throughout this Holy Year. Many will bear the cross as they process up the majestic Via della Conciliazione, entering the embrace of the Universal Church in the radiant expanse of Saint Peter’s Square.

“There is a profound opening of the heart — like the welcoming arms of the eternal Church — when you step into the square as pilgrims of hope,” said Jill Alexy, owner of SeeTheSacred, who coordinated the pilgrimage alongside Vincent Reilly, Diocesan Managing Director of Faith, Family and Discipleship, and Kate Parkinson of the Office of the Bishop.

Throughout their 10-day journey, the pilgrims visited the four Papal Basilicas, passing through the Holy Doors.

“These portals are opened only during Jubilee years. These doors symbolize more than tradition; they represent Christ Himself, the gateway to salvation. For pilgrims, walking through them is a tangible act of grace and repentance, a journey from sin toward the mercy of Christ,” Reilly said.

“We carried with us a replica of the Diocese of Greensburg Jubilee Cross, as well as hundreds of prayer intentions submitted by the faithful of the Diocese. These intentions were spiritually present at every Mass, every prayer, every sacred site,” Parkinson said.

Among the many churches visited was the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia, the global center for Divine Mercy. There, pilgrims venerated sacred images of Saint Faustina’s visions and the relics of Saint Pope John Paul II, who consecrated the church in 1991.

Some pilgrims ascended the Scala Sancta — the Holy Stairs — on their knees in an act of penance. According to tradition, these are the very steps Jesus climbed to stand before Pontius Pilate.

“There are visible divots in the wooden steps — evidence of countless knees having ascended them in prayer,” Bishop Kulick said. “Climbing them on my knees was a deeply humbling and sacrificial act. I was reminded that I am but one pilgrim among millions who have made this journey, each uniting themselves with the suffering of Christ.”

The pilgrimage also included time for historical reflection. At the Roman Colosseum, constructed by Jewish slaves following the destruction of Jerusalem, pilgrims learned of the early persecution of both Jews and Christians.

“It was eye-opening to view the Colosseum not just as a monument, but as a site of suffering and witness,” said Tim Ruflin, Regional Faith Formation Director in New Kensington and Lower Burrell.

Ruflin was one of four regional faith formation directors on the pilgrimage; they made behind-the-scenes and after-hours visits to the Papal Basilicas, which offered rare views of religious art and relics that profoundly moved them. Many were brought to tears when encountering the relics of the Holy Manger at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, enshrined in a crystal reliquary held aloft by four golden angels.

Pilgrims also traveled to Assisi, Orvieto and a serene retreat center in the Italian countryside, where they reflected on the promises of salvation, freedom from sin and the transforming grace of their pilgrimage. Daily Mass was celebrated, including one particularly meaningful liturgy at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in Orvieto, before the relic of a Eucharistic miracle — the blood-stained corporal from the 13th century.

Shari Taylor, a hospice social worker and fellow pilgrim, shared: “My patients often ask what comes after this life. Thanks to this pilgrimage, I now have a deeper peace and certainty in Christ’s promise. I can reassure them: Jesus has conquered death. We will be reunited with Him.”