More than three million pilgrims have already crossed the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. This Saturday morning, March 29, 2025, the threshold was also crossed by a group of Consolata missionaries from the communities of Rome and Nepi who wanted to live the experience of the Jubilee as a family.
By Jame C. Patias *
The pilgrimage began at 8:30 in Piazza Pia, the area between Castel Sant’Angelo and Via della Conciliazione, where the group gathered and received the cross in the midst of a crowd of faithful from all over the world. The Jubilee of the Missionaries of Mercy also took place that weekend.
The Superior General, Father James Lengarin, IMC, explains the meaning of this event. “It is an opportunity to be united and walk together as Saint Joseph Allamano wanted. Therefore, a moment to pray in communion, to pass from a place we know in our life and cross the threshold to enter into a mystery that leads us towards hope. We have so many reasons to thank the Lord, especially for the canonization of our Saint Founder.” According to Father James, the Consolata Family wants to “give a true and credible testimony to the people of God in the world and thus, attract young people committed to offer their lives to serve humanity. This is the hope in the heart of each one of us: to serve as God has served us.”
The pilgrimage is a symbol of the journey of life. Prayers, songs, psalms and reflections accompanied the pilgrims along the Via della Conciliazione, crossing St. Peter’s Square until they passed through the Holy Door to experience the love of God who consoles, forgives and gives hope. Inside the Basilica there was another moment of prayer and the final blessing with the possibility of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation with the priests available in the various confessionals.
“As a missionary community we asked ourselves if we concretely live the hope that helps us to read the events of history and pushes us to commit ourselves to justice and peace, consolation, brotherhood and care for Creation” comments Father Ashenafi Yonas Abebe, one of the organizers of the event.
And he added: “the presence of the two General Councils made us feel in communion with the missionaries scattered throughout the world and who follow the same cross, the anchor of hope and sign of donation. Furthermore, we felt accompanied by the celestial host of missionaries who, together with Blessed Irene and Leonella, sowed hope and consolation with the donation of their life”. From heaven, our Saint Founder also accompanied us, exhorting the missionaries: “Let us open our hearts to a living hope. And not only hope, but super-hope, hope against all hope. When we hope little, we do wrong to the Lord, “who wants all men to be saved”. The Lord is so pleased that we believe in his goodness, in his mercy! Therefore, do hope, hope strongly! In You, O Lord, I have hoped, I will not be confused forever!”
The Brazilian missionary, Sister Maria Atilia Colet, MC, was emotional in stating that “It is a very beautiful thing. During the journey from Nepi to Rome, I felt a great emotion just thinking that God’s mercy reaches us in such a powerful way. And this is not only for us, but for the whole world in which we live as missionaries of the Consolata”. For the young Ugandan theology student of the Seminary of Bravetta, Richard Baguma, “the pilgrimage was beautiful and enriched our faith and family spirit to meet and walk together. We are certain that hope does not disappoint. Therefore, we must believe in God and move forward with this certainty that brings us peace, love and unity”.
Sister Celia Cristina, an Argentine Consolata missionary Sister who works in Djibouti, said that “it was a moment of grace to carry in my heart the various realities of the missions in the world. Though I work in Djibouti, I particularly remembered the Middle East so that peace and brotherhood may return as soon as possible as Pope Francis is always asking. This experience can unite us with the Muslim world. We are in Lent, they are in Ramadan and so we feel united in prayer,” she concluded.
The Kenyan missionary, Sister Gladys Duma, MC, who worked in Colombia, experienced the pilgrimage as an opportunity to revive her faith. “I have often heard that the Church in Europe was disappearing, today seeing so many people here crossing the Holy Door, I changed my mind and I thank God for this vitality. It is a call to continue on this path to grow in faith”.
Abdisa Dawit Shifera is an Ethiopian student from the Porta Pia community. “We are from different places and prayer helps us to face many problems in the world, and for this we prayed for peace, for our congregations, for the Church and for the health of Pope Francis. I am happy to be here because I arrived in Rome only ten months ago and to live this Jubilee which for us is a year of much prayer and penance”.
The Jubilee is called the Holy Year because it is intended to manifest the love of God and to promote holiness of life as Saint Joseph Allamano wanted. It is expressed above all through the signs of pilgrimage, indulgence, works of mercy, which can be summarized symbolically by the passage of the Holy Door. The Consolata Family has had this grace.
* Father Jaime C. Patias, IMC, Communications Office.
