University of Mary High School Rome Pilgrimage

Our last day in Rome was a memorable one. We had Mass with the Holy Father to celebrate the feast of Peter and Paul. This is a great privilege as this is one of the biggest feast days in all of Rome. Our students were all able to get great seats, and they even wheeled Papa Francesco down the aisle after mass! We are grateful to have been able to participate in mass with the successor of Peter.

We finished the day with a fantastic banquet meal. The chaplains and staff all had the chance to share a few words with the students. It was beautiful to see how deeply the chaplains care for their students, and how much the students love them in return. We are blessed to have so many young priests to witness to and journey with these students on their early pilgrimage. Now we return to the States. Thank you for allowing your children to participate in this pilgrimage. It was an honor to be able to lead them through Rome. Andiamo!

Hello friends and family! It’s hard to believe that we have just 2 days left on pilgrimage before we come back to the States. Today we spent one more day outside of Rome journeying from Assisi to Orvieto. There we were able to see the Cathedral of Orvieto, which is home to a breathtaking façade, the San Brizio chapel that Michelangelo studied before painting the Sistine Chapel, and, most importantly, another Eucharistic miracle. This miracle took place over 700 years ago, when a priest was traveling to Rome who was doubting the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. During the mass, the host actually started bleeding onto the corporal. That very corporal is still there today, and our pilgrims were able to pray in the presence of that corporal as well as the Blessed Sacrament. We have a lot to be grateful for!

Caio from Sienna! We began the day with mass at the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi, a privilege that few pilgrims are able to participate in. Students were able to pray at his tomb and after we journeyed to Siena where we spent time learning about and praying with the great St. Catherine of Siena. We finished the day with a holy hour in front of the Eucharist Miracle of Siena. It was truly beautiful to see our students adoring Jesus in the Eucharist that has been there for nearly 300 years. Pray that this hour of adoration increases our devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. 

Hello everyone! Today we left the hustle and bustle of Rome for the peaceful country side of Assisi. On our way, we stopped at one of the great Benedictine sites: Monte Casino. The abbey at Monte Casino is a very impressive structure that can house over 300 monks. We were welcomed with a hospitable Benedictine welcome, and were able to celebrate a Gregorian chant mass with the monks there. This, of course, is a very important site as we owe many of the Catholic institutions of North Dakota to our Benedictine heritage. Now we’re off to Assisi and will spend several days in the steps of some of the greatest saints, Francis and Clare!

For the second post today, I thought it would be good to hear from a student. The following was shared by student Abby Bohl:

“I had everything planned out, I expected to see the bones of St. Peter and start crying. I soon found out that I needed to allow Jesus to give those experiences, and while in St. Peter’s, after seeing the bones, I was feeling bad that I didn’t have that experience. While sitting in prayer, I heard the Lord say, ‘be still my child’ and I knew I needed to let him provide for me on this pilgrimage.”

Thank you for your continued prayers!

Salve amici!

Today we are truly blessed. Today was the reason we came to Rome. Today we got to see the bones of St. Peter! We were able to take all 120 students down beneath St. Peter’s in the Necropolis, or the city of the dead. This is the place where pilgrims have been coming to venerate the first Pope for nearly 2,000 years. Our students were incredibly grateful for the opportunity, and the Lord continues to move hearts.

Hello friends and family. Today began at the Mamertine Prison where Peter and Paul spent time together awaiting their death and baptizing other prisoners. Next, we toured through the Roman Forum and experienced the grandeur of Ancient Rome, saw the Senate building, and toured the infamous Colosseum. 

Buongiorno from Roma! We are happy to say that all students have arrived safely in Rome! Here is a picture of our last arrivals from Bishop Ryan and Sacred Heart. We had a brief scare for 5 Shanley students who lost their bags for a few hours. But, because of the hard work of Fr. Slattery, they were only missing for a few hours and we now have all the luggage. Praise the Lord! 

The early crew got out into the city to beat jet lag, and got to see some churches that are off the beaten path. We then finished our night with a wonderful dinner near campus which consisted of pasta alla gricia, pork, and plenty of water. The students are all in good spirits, and ready for bed. Click Read More to see the photo of the early arrival students. Thank you for your prayers!

Greetings good friends. We have had a super successful first day! After a 7 hour layover in Minneapolis, everything went smoothly and our students, although tired, are doing well. All students are accounted for, and have all their limbs. Pray for the last leg of our trip and that all our luggage arrives in one piece.

Dear friends and family,
Today is our last day touring together and we finished in the wonderful city of Orvieto. Fr. Bouck gave a great tour of one of the most beautiful facades in all of Europe before we entered the crypt for Mass. Inside, I had the honor of giving a tour of the beautiful San Brizio chapel before the students had time in the chapel of the Eucharistic Miracle (the miracle that gives us the Feast of Corpus Christi) to finish the morning. We shared one last meal together with gnocchi pasta and a white ragu pasta…molto buono! 

Click 'Read More' to view an additional photo.

This morning we were able to celebrate Mass with the Holy Father!!! All 120 of us were able to celebrate Mass in St. Peter’s with Pope Francis…with Peter.
This afternoon we are going on optional adventures and then off to our banquet meal. Here come a number of photos. Thanks for your prayers, the pilgrims are wonderful. Click 'Read More' to view additional photos.

This afternoon we were incredibly privileged to adore a 300 year old Eucharistic miracle before having Mass. In the picture you can see the monstrance on the altar that holds 150 or so consecrated hosts that for nearly 300 years have not decomposed. Thieves in the year 1730 stole the ciborium from the Church of San Francesco before the feast of the Assumption. The people were so disturbed that they shutdown the city and asked everyone to focus on the return of the blessed sacrament. Two days later a man praying in another church found the hosts in the poor box at the back of the church. The Bishop collected the hosts and processed through the streets with them to bless the people. The hosts were soiled from there exposure to the poor box and the elements, so the Bishop put the hosts in the tabernacle expecting them to disintegrate in a short time, but each time they checked the hosts were not breaking down. 300 years later they are still looking as though they were just made. Each of the pilgrims were able to knee before this miracle and ask Jesus for the grace to know Him more each day through the Eucharist.

This morning we left the beautiful city of Assisi for another beautiful city, Siena. Father Slattery gave a great tour of the city square and also explained the Palio a famous horse race in the city center that has been happening for centuries. You can see the corralling around the edges. More to come!

After having Mass at the Basilica of St. Francis and a tour of the church, we marched from our hotel to the top of Mt. Subasio to visit the Hermitage of St. Francis. About 100 pilgrims made the trek in hot weather and against a steep incline…shared it was worth it. We will visit the tomb of St. Clare and then visit the open tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis a young man that died of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15, never too young to be a saint!

This morning we were able to visit the beautiful Benedictine Monastery of Monte Cassino. We celebrated Mass with the Benedictine monks before taking a tour of the largest and last monastery St. Benedict founded. At the end of the tour we were able to visit the tomb of St. Benedict and his twin sister St. Scholastica, and at the tomb offer prayers of gratitude for our Benedictine Sisters and Brothers that brought the faith to western ND. We are now off to Assisi.  

Fr. Vetter, the students, the new religion instructor at SMCHS, Fr. Jake Magnuson, Fr. Grant Dvorak, and me, a dang proud alum. 

The pilgrims had the privilege of entering St. John Lateran through the main doors which are the original doors of the Roman Senate…they were able to touch and walk through the sand doors as Julius Caesar, Augustus Caesar, Virgil, Cicero…and naturally we needed to touch them as we entered.

We began our day with a tour of St. John Lateran. Fr. Bouck gave a tremendous tour of the first church built in Rome by Constantine after the legalization of Christianity in the Roman Empire. The students are doing well and are trooper. We walked about 8-9 miles yesterday…no complaints. We are blessed and at the end of the day were able to pray together a decade of the rosary in thanksgiving for the overturning of Roe v. Wade. 

Eight of our men enjoying the cool evening before bed following a full day of having seen the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, San Augustino, Church of St. Agnes, Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and Mass at Santa Maria en Trastevere. The weather is a bit warm at 92 degrees and muggy, but the spirits are high. Tomorrow we have a wonderful day planned with a visit to St. John Lateran, the cathedral of Rome, the Holy Stairs, Santa Croce, the catacombs of San Callisto, and a wonderful lunch at Cecilia Metella. Thank you for your prayers and know we are praying for all our families. God bless!

Fr. Dvorak, celebrated Mass for all the pilgrims at St. Maria en Trastevere for the feast of the Sacred Heart. It has been powerful to witness Fr. Dvorak, Fr. Magnuson, and Fr. Smith celebrate Mass together as three past high school pilgrims.

All of the pilgrims had the privilege of going on the Scavi tour, seeing St. Peter’s bones, a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, climbing to the top of the dome of St. Peter’s, having a penance service at the North American College with 12 priests, and Mass with new rector, Monsignor Tom Powers…not a bad day. We are resting our bones at Polese, a great restaurant in downtown Rome, before heading home for the night. I am very much enjoying this crew of pilgrims and am impressed with their faith, they do love the Church. Click 'Read More' to view an additional photo.

Bishop Ryan hanging out before their entry to the Scavi tour. An impressive group of students!

Right in front of a large group of our students we were able to see Pope Francis' love for the little ones. Click 'Read More' to view the video. 

Viva il Papa!!! This morning we were able to cheer for the Holy Father and take in the facade of St. Peter’s. Here are a few of the pilgrims waiting for Pope Francis to come around the crowd to give a blessing. All the pilgrims had a great seat on an aisle and were within 5-10 feet of the Holy Father. 

We had our first full Mass at St. Mary Major in the chapel in Salus Populi Romani, the chapel that Pope Francis visits before every trip he takes out of country, with Fr. Gregory Crane celebrating. The students are tired, but in great spirits. We also were able to go through the Colosseum and Roman Forum this afternoon. Heading back to campus now for some rest for preparing for Papal audience tomorrow with the Holt Father. God bless!

The last two groups have arrived and we are on the bus to our home in Rome, the UMary campus!!!  We are missing 4 bags, but have everyone and every limb. Dinner in an hour and then quickly to bed. God bless and thanks for the prayers.

We are on our way!  Our last group is checked in out of Bismarck and all other groups are in MSP or left. Here are a few of the SMCHS pilgrims waiting to board for Amsterdam. Don’t forget to pray for us!