Charlotte, FCJ postulant, writes about the recent FCJ pilgrimage for young adults to Assisi
From the 1–6 July, Sisters Mary Anne and Lynne fcJ and myself took a group of young adults from the FCJ Young Adult Network on pilgrimage to Assisi. This year marks the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis (1181-1226). As Francis is the patron saint of ecology, we thought it a special moment in history to help us reflect on how we can “live the call to ecojustice in all areas of life and mission” (FCJ General Chapter 2025) for both our young adult network and us as FCJs.
I believe that Saint Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically.
Pope Francis, Laudato Si’
In his Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, Pope Francis calls upon all Christians to undertake an “ecological conversion” in light of the contemporary climate crisis. As part of this conversion, the Pope asks us to develop an “ecological spirituality grounded in the convictions of our faith” which can “motivate us to a more passionate concern for the protection of our world”, including our brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering. The Pope movingly writes that Saint Francis is the “example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically.”
On our pilgrimage, we followed in the footsteps of the Saints of Assisi who put Jesus at the center of their lives in a radical way: Saint Francis, Saint Clare, and Saint Carlo Acutis. Their love of Jesus completely shaped their lives and how they interacted with their fellow humans, other creatures, and the rest of the created world. As St Clare famously said: “We become what we love, and who we love shapes who we become.” Each day of our pilgrimage had a theme drawn from the lives of these Saints which we thought could help us grow deeper into the ecological spirituality that Pope Francis calls us to:
Day 1: Becoming a Pilgrim
Day 2: Simplicity
Day 3: Beauty
Day 4: Unity
Day 5: Eucharist
Day 6: Being Sent
Each day we visited sites in Assisi connected to the lives of these Saints which could help us to reflect and pray on these particular themes. Having grown up as a Franciscan in the Maltfriscan community, it was particularly special for me to bring an FCJ pilgrim group to Assisi to share with them the little pearls of wisdom from a spirituality and tradition which had helped to shape my own faith, a faith journey which has ultimately led me to the FCJs. I was doubly blessed on this pilgrimage to be both a young adult pilgrim and one of the organizing team of FCJs.
Personally, a particularly special moment for me happened when we visited the Basilica di Santa Chiara and prayed before the original San Damiano Cross from which St Francis had first heard the call from Jesus to rebuild His Church. The San Damiano cross is thought to have been painted by a Syrian monk who arrived in Umbria after fleeing persecution. On the wall behind it is a mural of Jesus being taken down from the cross. Whilst I was sat praying before the San Damiano cross, I suddenly realized that from where I was sat (and only from that particular spot – I did in fact try out different seats upon a revisit at a later date with no luck!) I could see the Holy Women from the wall mural standing directly underneath the foot of the San Damiano cross. The Holy Women were standing at the foot of the San Damiano cross! As an FCJ postulant, this was a profoundly moving and emotionally charged moment for me. (If anyone happens to visit Assisi and wants to experience this view, I recommend sitting as far right as you can on the second pew back from the front of the chapel which hosts the San Damiano cross!)
Another profoundly moving day was when we visited the Eremo Delle Carceri, the hermitage in the mountains where Francis and his companions would frequently withdraw to pray in isolated caves surrounded by the beauty of creation. Here there is a chapel dedicated to St Mary Magdalene, for whom Francis had a special dedication, and several outdoor altars. Together we prayed the ‘Mass on the World’ by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and were able to experience together how, in the words of Gerard Manley Hopkins, “the world is charged with the grandeur of God”!
We were truly lavished with blessings on this pilgrimage and I know that the graces I received will stay with me for a long time to come.
From pilgrim Jyllene Pielago (FCJ Young Adult Network)
From pilgrim Jyllene Pielago (FCJ Young Adult Network)It has been such a privilege to be able to join this pilgrimage to Assisi organised by the FCJ Sisters.
I came not knowing anyone and with the expectation of spiritual nourishment, and I surely made meaningful friendships after the whole journey and came out with a fulfilled heart.
This was such a beautiful, meaningful and memorable pilgrimage experience. I learned more about St. Francis and St. Clare and how they lived the gospels through their lives.
It was truly inspirational and the journey of communal living, doing things together was really grounding. Everybody was in sync and cooperative and easy to get on with.
The FCJ Sisters did a fantastic job organising everything. They not only looked after the pilgrims’ spiritual health, but also everything from logistics to physical nourishment! I am definitely recommending this journey of pilgrimage to everyone!
From pilgrim Emily Gorton (FCJ Young Adult Network)
The fcJ Assisi pilgrimage was a real gift. It was so wonderful to spend a few days away from my everyday life, with a fantastic, prayerful group, surrounded by the Umbrian hills.
Each day, we shared simple food together, and visited the key pilgrimage sites of Assisi. Seeing the places the saints lived and worked – not to mention the stones they built into churches, and the clothes they wore – grounded their lives in our everyday world. The reflections carefully prepared by the fcJs for each site helped us to bring all these experiences to prayer, trying to listen to what God is saying to me today.
Although many of us did not know each other before, the conversations on our walks, the meals and ice creams we shared together and our daily prayer brought us together as a little pilgrim group. A highlight of each day for me was praying the examen. Most evenings, we went and sat outside the Basilica of St Francis, under the stars, and shared with each other what the gifts of the day had been. It was beautiful to hear a snapshot of how God was working in each of us.
