Parishioners of the Mary, Mother of the Church Area Catholic Community will make a pilgrimage to Rome and other Italian cities this coming March 1-10. Father Aaron Kuhn will lead the pilgrimage with his brother, Father Matthew Kuhn.
“The purpose of a pilgrimage is to grow in our Catholic faith by experiencing the sights, smells, sounds, and feel of the places where saints have gone before us,” Father Aaron said. “It is the meeting ground of faith and history through the lived experience of the saints, of which we are able to learn about their lives and how the faith has been lived throughout the history of the sites we visit.”
Rome is the home of Vatican City, the pope’s official residence, and more than 400 churches. Pilgrims will also visit Assisi, home to St. Francis and St. Claire, and Orvieto, where the linen of the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena is kept.
This pilgrimage, through Verso Ministries, includes private Mass, prayer, places of Eucharistic miracles, religious architecture and authentic Italian food and wine. Participants may purchase an optional three-day extension package to visit Siena, the birthplace of St. Catherine, and Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance.
This will be Father Aaron’s third time to lead a pilgrimage to Rome; he has previously led two pilgrimages to the Holy Land. He explained that a pilgrimage is not like a vacation — it’s more like a retreat.
“People should attend the pilgrimage because it will help change their perspective on the closeness of the Church to our personal lives,” he said. “It provides insights into the life of God and the Church for us to reflect upon in our lived experience. It ties us together across generations and locations. It brings us close to those things we might otherwise feel are far away from us.”
About 30 to 40 people may participate on this pilgrimage. Signups will end Dec. 31, with the final payment due then.
For more information, including the full itinerary or to register, contact the parish office at 218-631-1593 or visit www.versoministries.com/departures/fr-kuhn-italy-pilgrimage-march-2024.
(This has been excerpted from “Upcoming Rome pilgrimage brings parishioners to intersection of faith and history,” ©2023, Catholic Stewardship Consultants.)