Hearts are set on Pilgrim Road

Hearts are set on Pilgrim Road

Ps 84:6

We traveled as pilgrims of hope serving in two runs of the CFC Global Conference 2025 on 16-18 May and 23-25 May held at Centro Mariapoli Internazionale in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, where the Apostolic Palace, the summer residence and vacation retreat for the pope is located. We walked around the well-kept Papal Gardens (aka Secret Garden) where popes pray and meditate while vacationing in Castel Gandolfo.  

We attended the first Wednesday General Audience of the newly elected pope, Pope Leo XIV, at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican on 21 May. We passed through the Holy Doors and meditated and prayed the Holy Rosary at the four major basilicas in Rome, namely, St. Peter’s Basilica, St. John Lateran, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and Santa Maria Maggiore. We prayed at the shrine of Our Lady of Revelation at Tre Fontane.  
 
Throughout this pilgrimage, we were reminded of the psalmist’s words:  

“How lovely your dwelling, O Lord of hosts! My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord. My heart and flesh cry out for the living God. As the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest to settle her young, my  home is by your altars, Lord of hosts, my king and my God!  Happy are those who dwell in your house! They never cease to praise you. Happy are those who find refuge in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrim roads.” (Ps 84:2-6).  

We applied early for our Schengen visa at the Italian Embassy but after weeks of waiting, our application was denied due to unacceptable insurance policy submitted by the travel agency. We changed the travel agency and again went through the tedious process of filling up forms, providing supporting documents, and appearing again at the VFS office of the Italian Embassy.  

Our approved visas were released with only a couple of days to prepare for our flight to Rome on 14 May.  

At the CFC Global Conference 

The Centro’s accommodation is simple and spartan, typical of retreat houses. Breakfast is the same everyday consisting of bread, cereal, juice, and coffee/chocolate. Lunch and dinner are a bit better but typically bland with no soup.   

But we were all kept busy.  Jean and the IC wives manned the registration tables, placed number labels on the conference chairs, and assisted in various administrative and physical arrangements. The IC members were assigned at least three conference tasks each, attended to the needs of the invited speakers, cardinals, bishops, and priests, and met with the leaders and members of the various delegations. 

When Cardinal Tagle appeared on the stage as the speaker in the first session of the first run, the roaring applause and standing ovation went for so long the Cardinal remarked, “Do you want to remain standing while I deliver my talk?”  

Cardinal Ambo David delivered the second talk. While the reception was not as boisterous as that for Cardinal Tagle, Cardinal Ambo was given a standing ovation after his exceedingly vibrant and inspiring talk. There is no question it was the best talk of the entire conference. 

Reflections on Hope 

In the first run, Jun led the Closing Prayer of the Prologue Session comprising an exhortation and a worship song, Abide Oh Lord. A part of the exhortation: 

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the message you have shared with us today. May your word be planted deep within our hearts. May we be empowered to live your word in our daily lives. Do not let the learning and conversations of this gathering die, but, instead, may they continue to ruminate within us and bear fruit. 

In the second run, he led the Opening Worship of the Prologue Session, comprising an exhortation, two praise songs (Hosanna; Lord, I Lift Your Name on High) and one worship song (At the Name of Jesus). A slice of the exhortation:  

As pilgrims of hope and living witnesses to the transformative power of hope, we call on Jesus’ name in prayer and praise. We recognize the power and authority that reside in His name. We invoke His name in faith. We believe that through Him, all things are possible. We believe that His name is above every name. 

Jun gave a reaction-reflection on the talk of Cardinal Napier on Serving God and His People. A portion of the reflection: 

Serving God and his people is a deeply rewarding calling that involves both acknowledging God’s authority and actively caring for others. It is about recognizing God’s sovereignty, following his teachings, and expressing love and compassion through actions. We serve God by acknowledging his Lordship, following his teachings, and expressing gratitude. We serve God’s people with love and compassion, by doing acts of kindness, providing spiritual encouragement, and by being a witness, living a life that reflects God’s love and teachings. 

God is full of surprises 

The most liked and applauded parts of his reflection were the vignettes (brief stories) of how Pope Leo XIV, while still a priest and bishop in Peru, served God and his people.  

First example: It was on the dirt floors of Peruvian homes that Pope Leo XIV, then known only as Father Bob, discovered what it meant to be a servant, washing the feet of forgotten elders, hearing confessions from widows in tears, bringing the Eucharist into neighborhoods made of mud and dust.  

During his visit to an isolated community a woman placed her only chair outside her home so he could sit while she remained standing. When he insisted to switch places, she looked at him in the eyes and said, “Today you brought Jesus into my home and when Jesus comes, we offer the best.”  
 
Second example: A story is told that when Pope Leo XIV was a bishop in Peru, he met a 7-year-old boy who was waiting for him holding a rosary. The boy said, “Bishop, my grandma said that if you pray here my mom will get better.” It was pure faith, living faith. Bishop Prevost smiled and prayed as the boy requested. Months later, the boy’s mother was seen in the procession of the town’s patron saint completely healed.  
 
As in the 2000 Jubilee, we once again had a profound spiritual experience passing through the holy doors of the four major basilicas. But God is full of surprises. During the 2000 Jubilee, when Jun visited the shrine of Our Lady of Revelation, Jean got sick and had to stay in the hotel to rest and recover. Since that time, she has yearned to visit the shrine. 

Twenty-five years later, this 2025 Jubilee, by his boundless kindness and generosity, the Lord enabled Jean to visit the very site where on 12 April 1947 Mary appeared declaring herself as the Virgin of the Revelation. As the final site we visited during this pilgrimage, it set our hearts on pilgrim roads.