From Sept. 22 to Oct. 3, 2025, 96 pilgrims from across New Jersey, as well as guests from Atlanta, Georgia, and Vancouver, Canada, led by Father Emerson Francisco of St. Philip the Apostle in Clifton, and Father Martin Bradtke of St. John Vianney Parish in the Stockholm neighborhood of Hardyston Township, set out on a grace-filled pilgrimage to Italy in celebration of the Jubilee Year. Traveling in two buses and accompanied by experienced tour guides, the group spanned a wide range of ages—from the youngest pilgrim at 17 years old to the oldest at 83 — and included faithful from the Philippines, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Indonesia, the United States, and more. Truly, it was a beautiful group of faith-filled people of God.
The pilgrimage began in Rome, where pilgrims attended the Wednesday audience with Pope Leo and prayed at the four major basilicas. From there, we journeyed south to Naples, visiting the cathedral of San Gennaro (St. Januarius) just days after his feast. We were blessed with the extraordinary grace of witnessing the liquefaction of his blood, a miracle cherished by the faithful for centuries.
A day on the island of Capri followed, where we celebrated Mass and enjoyed the natural beauty of one of Italy’s most stunning landscapes. Then the pilgrimage took us to Monte Sant’Angelo, a sacred site where St. Michael the Archangel is said to have appeared, offering pilgrims a moment of quiet prayer and reflection.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Next, we arrived in San Giovanni Rotondo, the home of Padre Pio. Here, pilgrims celebrated Mass in the old church where he once ministered and heard confessions, experiencing the grace of this holy place.
Sunday brought us to Lanciano, the site of the first recorded Eucharistic miracle. Celebrating Mass at the main altar of the church where the miracle is preserved was one of the most moving highlights of the journey. A lighter day on the Adriatic Sea allowed pilgrims time for rest and fellowship before continuing on.
The next stops carried us deep into Marian and Franciscan devotion: Loreto, with the Holy House; and Assisi, where we prayed in the basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare, and celebrated Mass at the church where Saint Carlo Acutis is buried, inspiring pilgrims with his witness of holiness in the modern world.
Our route then brought us northward: in Florence and Pisa, pilgrims marveled at the beauty of art and faith, celebrating Mass in the Cathedral of Pisa. In Turin, Mass at the main altar of the cathedral was a grace-filled encounter near the relic of the Holy Shroud, and we were privileged to pray at the tomb of Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young saint whose life of faith, charity, and joy continues to inspire the faithful today. The pilgrimage concluded in Milan, where another unexpected blessing awaited: the opportunity to celebrate Mass in the magnificent Duomo, a gift that many considered nothing short of miraculous.
This pilgrimage was not only about sacred places, but also about the people – the friendships formed, the prayers shared, the laughter, and the faith renewed. From teenagers to octogenarians, from local parishioners to international pilgrims from Europe, Asia, and North America, this journey was a living experience of the Church as one family of faith.
As we return home, we give thanks to God for the countless graces of this journey, for the safe travels of all 96 pilgrims, and for the spiritual fruits we hope will continue to bear in our parishes and communities for years to come.
