Nov. 7, 2025 – From October 14 to 21, 2025, the USA East Province of Jesuits led a weeklong pilgrimage to Rome in celebration of the Jubilee Year of Hope. The trip was organized by the province’s Office of Advancement and guided by the spiritual direction of Fr. Brendan Lally, SJ, and Fr. Philip Florio, SJ, along with Kathleen Margay, the province’s Major Gifts Officer for the Mid-Atlantic. The journey brought together donors for an experience of prayer, fellowship, and renewal in the heart of the Eternal City.
The pilgrimage began on October 14 as participants departed from the United States, arriving in Rome the next day. That afternoon, the group gathered at the Jesuit Curia for Mass with Provincial Fr. Joseph O’Keefe, SJ, marking the start of their spiritual journey. Pilgrims enjoyed a welcome dinner and evening prayer before resting for the days ahead.
On October 16, the group participated in the celebration of Mass in the rooms of St. Ignatius Loyola, which was offered by UEA Jesuit, Fr. Anthony Soo Hoo, a professor of biblical studies in Rome, who also led a guided tour of the Church of the Gesu, the Mother Church of the Society of Jesus. Here our pilgrims viewed the tomb of St. Ignatius, the relics of St. Francis Xavier, and the original image of Our Lady of the Way. The day also included visits to the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva (where St. Catherine of Siena is buried), and Piazza Navona.
The following morning, pilgrims attended Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica and toured its sacred sites, including Michelangelo’s Pietà and the tombs of several popes. Visits to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel followed, before a leisurely afternoon in Trastevere.
Saturday’s itinerary included Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where St. Ignatius celebrated his first Mass and Pope Francis is now entombed, along with visits to the Lateran Basilica and the Holy Stairs (Scala Santa), believed to be the steps Christ climbed before his Passion. On Sunday, the group gathered at San Andrea della Fratte for Mass, attended the Papal Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, and explored ancient Rome, including the Circus Maximus, where many of our early Christian Martyrs were persecuted for the faith.
On October 20, pilgrims celebrated Mass in the Catacombs of St. Domitilla and visited the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, completing their visits to Rome’s four major basilicas with their Holy Doors . That evening, they shared prayers, reflections, and a farewell dinner, grateful for the many graces received throughout the week.
The pilgrimage concluded on October 21 as the group departed for the United States, carrying home the blessings of a transformative journey. United in prayer, companionship, and gratitude, the pilgrims experienced Rome not only as a city of timeless beauty but as a living testament to faith—one that continues to inspire the Jesuit mission of hope and service throughout the world.
