University of Mary High School Rome Pilgrimage

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!