by Fina Golden
Retreat Coordinator at the Fr Peyton Centre
“A pilgrimage is not simply a journey to a holy place. It is an opportunity to encounter God, deepen faith, and walk in the footsteps of the saints.”
This year, I was part of a group from Sligo, Slovakia and Czech who gathered in Rome for a retreat with the Missionaries of Charity Fathers. We travelled to Nettuno and had Mass at the tomb of St Maria Goretti. In San Gregoria, a house where Mother Teresa’s sisters care for the poor, we were privileged to view her relic and see the room where she stayed when visiting Sisters or the Pope in Rome.
We visited St Paul Outside the Walls.
The sacred building was constructed outside the walls of Rome to honour the mortal remains of the apostle and martyr St Paul, to preserve his memory and to celebrate his cult. This basilica was most memorable part of my pilgrimage. We were able to view the Chain, which, according to tradition, bound St Paul to the Roman soldier guarding him during his house arrest while awaiting his trial. During that period, he continued to teach and write. “Remember my chains!” (Colossians 4:18).
One of the greatest blessings of any pilgrimage is the people who share the journey.
Throughout our time in Italy, we had conversation, shared experiences, ate plenty pasta and enjoyed Gelato, the heartbeat of any pilgrimage!! Whether travelling between sacred sites or gathering for Mass, we were a community united by faith and purpose.
Among the most peaceful moments of the pilgrimage were periods spent before the Blessed Sacrament. In the quiet atmosphere of the chapel, illuminated by candlelight, we had the opportunity to step away from the distractions of daily life and simply be present with the Lord.
A Grateful Heart
Perhaps the greatest gift of pilgrimage is not what we see, but what we carry home. We return with a deeper awareness that life itself is a journey — filled with moments of grace, people who walk beside us, and countless blessings we can so easily overlook.
Rome reminds us to pause, to give thanks, and to place our lives once again in God’s hands. For the gift of faith, for the people we meet along the way, and for the grace of each new day, we return home with grateful hearts.