Alongside the “ad limina” visit to Rome of the bishops from the region, a small group of laypeople from the 10 dioceses in North and South Dakota and Minnesota were given the opportunity to travel there on a pilgrimage. The trip was organized by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Representing the Bismarck Diocese were Anne Storick of Bismarck and Mary Evinger of Williston. Both women had been to Rome before, but say this time was different in its focus and impact. Both are grateful for the opportunity to be in the Eternal City at the same time as this historic visit with the region’s bishops.
“Being immersed so deeply into the heart and history of the Catholic Church and literally walking where the saints walked and being so close to their tombs and incorruptible bodies makes our Faith come alive in a whole new way and brings you to a deeper appreciation and zeal for it,” Anne noted.
“I knew accompanying an ad limina pilgrimage would be a once in a life time opportunity that would allow me to gain a close-up experience of communication within Church hierarchy and Church workings, inspiring me to pray for the pope, bishops, clergy and members of the church on a deeper level. Simultaneously, I would be able to take in more of Church history and all its beauty,” added Mary.
The pair, along with other pilgrims from the region, were guided for part of the trip by Dr. Elizabeth Lev, an American-born art historian who lives and works in Rome. “Dr. Lev has a gift for connecting history with the present and making it come alive through storytelling and relating it to our modern-day lives,” explained Anne. “She gave us the tour (and history) of Ancient Rome and some of the Churches in the city, and the way she presented and explained the relationship between ancient Roman history and Catholicism brought us to a new understanding and appreciation of the early Christians and Catholicism.”
While it was difficult for the women to choose just one highlight of the pilgrimage, both were keenly aware that it’s easy to become a tourist in pure awe of the surroundings. “We all came in with the ‘pilgrimage mindset’ that this is not a vacation, but an opportunity to deepen our faith and encounter God in a new and deeper way. This set the tone for practically everything we did: the conversations we had, the way we handled hardships that came up, the intentionality in how we interacted, served and pursued friendship with each other, and the ways we took advantage of the spiritual opportunities available to us. It was truly a pilgrimage and a time of much spiritual growth.”
A major highlight that both women pointed toward was the papal audience. The group from Region 8 had the privilege of meeting Pope Francis, shaking his hand as he asked them to pray for him. Certainly, meeting the Holy Father was an incredible experience.
However, sometimes the most profound moments happen with much less splendor. Mary described one of the last days of the pilgrimage when the group visited the Basilica of Santa Croce, which houses prized relics from Christ's passion: a nail, a thorn, the inscription from the cross, part of the cross, part of the scourging pillar and a full-sized, replica of the Shroud of Turin.
“Although a pilgrim, it is easy to become a tourist amidst so much to see. Recognizing this, I stayed behind (something I was not able to do in my previous pilgrimage in 2012) to pray in the chapel underneath the room where the relics are kept as the Blessed Sacrament is right below the relics.
“It was a powerful moment centered on a really crucial mystery of life: sin, redemption and sacrifice. Being in the presence of the instruments of Christ's passion used centuries ago as a means to our salvation, and being with the One who made the sacrifice and continually offers the Sacrifice in an unbloody manner at every Mass, felt like an ultimate encapsulation of time and space. It was the best experience, a practical application, I could bring back to my normal life.”