Walking with purpose: a pilgrimage through faith and friendship
By Kristine Rilling
11/20/2025
As we traveled the coast of Sorrento, our pilgrim group set out to explore Italy’s treasures. We arrived with different intentions and left united in faith.
Each day became a journey of faith, history, prayer and wonder. Guided by Father Michael DeMartinis, pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Erie, and joined by Deacon Tom McAraw, fellow parishioners and guests, we stood amid Pompeii’s ruins, listened to the sea’s song in the Blue Grotto, climbed ‘a bit of a hill’ to Padre Pio’s sanctuary and prayed before all four Holy Doors in Vatican City and Rome. We sought renewal and returned transformed. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, our pilgrimage reminds us that grace often meets us where we least expect. May these images and reflections inspire your own pilgrimage—in place or in spirit—wherever you are.
“To journey with so many people of the same faith to the place where it all began was unforgettable. The memories and the people will stay with me forever. Truly life-changing.” — Alice Ballentine
Following Ancient Footsteps
Our pilgrimage began along the glittering Bay of Naples, where the road to Sorrento wound between mountains and sea, and anticipation turned to awe. We celebrated our first Mass at the Church of San Francesco, then visited the haunting ruins of Pompeii, whose silent streets recalled life’s fragility. Nearby, the Basilica of Our Lady of Pompeii lifted our hearts in prayer, uniting sorrow with hope. Over lunch, Neapolitan singers helped us live Father DeMartinis’ homily on the joy of laughter.
The next day, Capri beckoned. A boat carried us to the Blue Grotto, where sunlight transformed the waters into sapphire light—a living parable of faith: Christ leading us from shadows into radiance.
“It was so nice to be with people eager to renew faith and spirituality. ” —Paula Vorisek
Encountering the Saints
From the coast we journeyed inland, following the path of Saint Padre Pio. In Pietrelcina, his humble birthplace, we saw the beginnings of a man who bore Christ’s wounds. At San Giovanni Rotondo, we prayed in his sanctuary among countless pilgrims seeking healing thought his intercession.
Our pilgrimage continued to Lanciano’s Church of St. Francis, site of the first Eucharistic Miracle, where a doubting monk witnessed the Host become flesh and the wine become blood. Before these relics, mystery felt alive, not distant. After celebrating Mass, we traveled to Subiaco, to Saint Benedict’s monastery, where ancient walls still whisper the strength of prayer and discipline.
“Peace, healing and grace are what I am taking to my people following this adventure. Reflecting on the Eucharistic Miracle at Lanciano and being blessed by Padre Pio’s relic was beyond explanation.” — Lisa Witherite-Rieg
Finding God’s Path
Rome crowned our pilgrimage. It was a special blessing to join the audience with Pope Leo XIV, to see him in person and to feel the unity of the universal church gathered in prayer and hope.
At St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, we crossed the Holy Door, embracing the Jubilee graces of this holy year and carrying with us the prayers of home. At St. Paul Outside the Walls, we prayed before the Apostle’s tomb, reflecting on the faith that built the church and at St. Mary Major, we honored Our Lady, whose protection accompanies every pilgrim’s journey.
The Vatican revealed its treasures—the Sistine Chapel’s soaring beauty and St. Peter’s Basilica at the heart of our faith. Celebrating Mass in the Hungarian Chapel, near the tomb of the first pope, was profoundly moving.
“The most impactful moment for me was to be in St. Peter Square for the audience and seeing all the nationalities and hearing different languages all sharing one faith.” — Dr. David Strasser
Uniting in Faith
Beyond the sacred sites, what unfolded was something deeply human. Pilgrims looked after one another on cobblestone streets and steep steps. A familiar flag waved above the crowd each day, ensuring no one was left behind. Families and new friends shared quiet laughter, while sisters in San Giovanni reminisced late into the night about their youth. Couples walked side by side as best friends; others carried private prayers for healing, for loved ones or for the strength to forgive what God already had.
“We all have our earthly passports, but our true citizenship is in heaven,” preached Father DeMartinis during one of his homilies. “When that hand reaches out for you, make sure it’s the one with the hole in it. That is the only hand that can lead you home.”
By the time the group returned home, their hearts were lighter, their bonds stronger and their hope renewed. What began as a journey across Italy had become a lesson in walking with purpose—seeing every step, even the uneven ones, as part of God’s path. When fatigue followed long days or steep climbs, laughter broke through, with the cheerful refrain, “Are we having fun yet?” reminding everyone that joy, too, is a form of grace and God walks with us through it all.
>> View photos of the pilgrimage
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