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O Roma felix, quae duorum Principum es consecrata glorioso sanguine!
O happy Rome, which is consecrated by the glorious blood of the two princes!
By Fr. Tony Klein (‘12), O’Gorman High School Chaplain
Many people have it on their bucket list to visit Rome, and rightfully so. After all, Rome is a city with a history like no other and it is a history which has shaped our own. Many are interested in the great stories and films of the Roman Empire even today in the third millennium. For those less interested in history, there is stunning natural beauty, great architecture, world-class museums, and of course, great food. There are many reasons people visit the Eternal City.
Yet as followers of Jesus Christ, there is a particular draw to Rome. Of course we know that Jesus Himself did not go to Rome, and it is certainly worthwhile to visit the Holy Land to walk in the places He walked and to see the holy sites. However, we also know that Jesus, at the Ascension, did not abandon us. “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). We know that Jesus entrusts His authority to Peter, as weak and human as he is: “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). It is this man that draws people to Rome. Of course Peter’s draw is to draw people to the Lord, but the Lord’s promise to remain with us forever is visible in the Church, particularly in Peter. Thus, the mighty Roman Empire, which had risen to tremendous strength and conquered many lands, is conquered by God through a humble fisherman from Galilee. While the Church is preserved by the Blood of the Lamb, Rome has been preserved by the blood of His saints.
This past summer we were able to take 24 high school students on pilgrimage to Rome. Having spent some time there in seminary, I wanted to be able to show students what they were a part of in being Catholic. Oftentimes our understanding of the Church is very local. We know our parish (and now our pastorate), the parish we may go to when we visit grandma and grandpa, the Cathedral that we go to for special occasions, and so on. In some ways that is beautiful, because the grace of the sacraments can be fully received in each of these places. However, the more that I have heard of people leaving the practice of the Church, I have often wondered if they fully know what they’re leaving. Hearing that Jesus gave the keys to Peter is one thing, and in faith we can accept that! Yet, to see the bones of Peter and hear the story of his martyrdom while standing by his tomb is remarkable. It makes us see that we are a part of something so rich, and if it is all true, has a gripping direction for our lives.
We split our time in Rome and Assisi. Starting with Ancient Rome, we toured the Forum and Colosseum. To understand Christian Rome, we must first understand Ancient Rome. We then toured some churches that were originally home churches before Christianity was legalized in the 4th Century. We saw the four major basilicas, including the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul, the two princes who shed their blood, consecrating the happy city of Rome. We also were able to see Pope Francis, the successor of St. Peter.
Fast forwarding 1,000 years, we traveled up to Assisi, a Medieval town blessed by the humble and peaceful spirit of St. Francis. The peace of Assisi was a welcomed gift to all after the bustling of Rome. While seeing the great basilicas and tombs of St. Francis and St. Clare, we also were able to pray at the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a young Italian boy who died at the age of 15 in 2006. After having visited the tombs of saints who died anywhere from 800-2000 years ago, to see the body of this soon-to-be saint was one of the most striking parts of the trip for our students. They could see the reality of sanctity for themselves, because of this boy who loved video games and the internet but loved nothing more than the Lord.
Klaire Oehlke (‘25) was one of the students on the pilgrimage. When asked what has remained with her since being back from the pilgrimage, she said, “We often hear about the Saints and their works, but I was able to truly walk with them in Rome - to see the places where these Saints lived, to see their bodies, to see the places they now rest. Along the same lines, we have grown up with the story of Jesus, but it seemed quite distant until I was crawling up the Holy Stairs - the same stairs that Jesus, fully God and fully man, walked up before sacrificing His life for me. The pilgrimage brought me closer to the faith because I was able to truly see its reality and universality.”
While the pilgrimage has beautiful memories and pictures that make it seem more of a vacation than a pilgrimage, it is worth noting that the days were long and taxing. A pilgrimage is meant to stretch us. It isn’t meant to be comfortable. It is meant to take us out of our normal routine and comforts—not merely for its own sake—but in order to put us into a place to encounter something, or Someone, in a different way. Katy Pellicotte (‘25) understood this reality, saying, “Going on this pilgrimage required us all to step out of our comfort zones. In doing so, we were able to encounter Christ in beautiful ways. After returning home, I have grown in the realization that Christ can be encountered in everything. I’ve become more aware of His presence in my daily life.”
No air conditioning in the June heat, 10+ mile days, and many early mornings all added up to make it a real pilgrimage. In that, however, is precisely where grace can be found. Connor Holt (‘25) said that since returning home from the pilgrimage, the things that have remained with him the most are “the relationships that I have created with others on the trip. Through some of the hardships we endured on pilgrimage in Rome, I was able to grow in friendship and brotherhood with many of the others. Since then, these relationships have pushed me to be a better version of myself and continue to grow in my faith.”
Here lies the beauty of the Church. It is not always easy to follow the Lord. The journey can be arduous and we can easily be discouraged. Connor’s experience of Rome can easily be someone’s experience of being a disciple. There can be real hardships, but we also realize we aren’t alone.
Jesus calls no one to Himself in isolation. Seeing pilgrims from nearly every continent at the Wednesday audience with Pope Francis is a sign that we are united and encouraged by a great cloud of witnesses. As we journeyed back to Sioux Falls, the reality of the call to sanctity has remained, and it is our hope that this pilgrimage changes the way our students see God, the Church, and themselves.
