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Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi – May/June 2004

Rather than write a report about the week, each of the pilgrims has been asked to give one sentence or line to sum up the week for them. This is very difficult as the week is very tightly packed with visits, masses, meals, walking, etc. I hope you will get the essence of the week from the following comments:

• Heavenly blessings in Rome and Assisi – two good soakings along with lightning and thunder, sunhats and pakamacs!
• If pilgrimages are a way of gaining indulgencies and therefore ease the way into heaven, Italian food and wine certainly reduce the pain.
• A ‘Roman Holiday’ with a difference!
• Everything was just right.
• It has been a great and wonderful experience. Thank you.
• If I wove a tapestry of beautiful threads in my life, Mass in the woods of the Carceri Hermitage (Assisi) would be one of the gold ones. Thank you for superb organisation and leadership.
• High point – Friar John – what a salesman for Christ!
  Low point - not enough time for contemplation or prayers.
• A memorable sojourn and spiritually uplifting.
• Steps – steep, narrow, smooth, rocky but all leading to new discoveries and unexpected joys.
• A glorious experience much appreciated. Thank you.
• I bet St. Francis never had this much fun!
• The spiritual excitement of being so close to our saintly Pope was quite overwhelming. Backache!! What backache? The upward trekking on a mountain which seemed to keep moving its promised destination.
• World famous group from St. Richard’s of Chichester wows Pope at Papal audience!
• Gelati and genuflections.
• A remarkable spiritual experience and a great holiday in company with friends from St. Richard’s Parish.
• Memorable and inspiring experience exploring Rome’s beautiful churches, and Assisi’s basilicas and chapels.
• After the splendour of Rome, the most special moment of my pilgrimage was to celebrate Mass in the woods at the Hermitage in Assisi.
• A week of extremes: Mass on Sunday in the opulent splendour of St. Peter’s Rome and our final Mass in the woods of the Hermitage near Assisi, accompanied by the birds. Lots of laughter and tears in between with cappucinos to revive us at regular intervals.
• The ecumenical spirit of the Franciscans forces us to consider further our Lord's words 'that all may be one'.