Young adults embark on diocesan pilgrimage to Rome during Jubilee Year of Hope

A young adult pilgrimage group from Saskatoon has travelled to Italy on a Jubilee Year pilgrimage, led by Sr. Marta Piano of the Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity and Evangelization and Mission Leader John Hickey — who co-cordinate young adult ministry in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon — accompanied by Fr. Bassim Shoni, pastor of Sacred Heart Ch attaldean Catholic Church in Saskatoon. The pilgrimage from May 19-29 includes visiting sacred sites and holy doors in Vatican City, touring Rome, and also time in Cascia, Assisi, Florence, and Venice.

Diocesan Pilgrims attend Pope Leo XIV’s first weekly audience – Article

By Sr. Marta Piano, Pilgrimage Leader

[VATICAN CITY – Wednesday, May 21 2025] – This morning we woke up early as pilgrims of hope, blessed to attend the first papal audience of Pope Leo XIV. There were flows of pilgrims!

“We went to the papal audience this morning. This was Pope Leo’s first, and we were delighted when ‘the pilgrims of the diocese of Saskatoon,’ were welcomed.” – John Hickey, Pilgrimage Leader

 

At 11.00 am May 21, Fr. Bassim celebrated Mass for our pilgrim group at Saint Anna, inside Vatican City. He invited us to renew our relationship with Jesus, living our faith not just externally, but living, loving like Jesus, as an intimate part of our lives.

A family from Saskatoon that was also on pilgrimage joined us for Mass.

We all prayed in gratitude for Bishop Mark Hagemoen, and united our prayers to each one of you:, as our presence here in Rome is representing our entire diocese.

 

Carrying the Jubilee Cross

After lunch we walked with the Jubilee Cross…each one of us carried the cross and prayed together with reverence and awe.

Today we are deepening the reality that Jesus is our brother.

Praying the Our Father was healing and powerful, leading us to embrace the certainty that we have a Father that loves and cares about us, and that is why we can love one another…

“We made our pilgrimage to the holy doors, while taking turns carrying the pilgrimage cross. We started this walk from Castel St Angelo, made our way through the doors of mercy at St Peter’s Basilica, and ended at the tomb of St Peter.”  – John Hickey, Pilgrimage Leader

 

 

 

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