United in faith: Rome pilgrimage leads to lasting bonds

Surrounded in the Piazza Navona square by

the 80 people who made a pilgrimage with him

to Rome, Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin talks with

Robert Van Note, a member of St. Pius X Parish

in Indianapolis, on June 26. The Piazza Navona

is built on the site of an ancient Roman stadium

from the first century.

(Photo by John Shaughnessy)

The following is a final story submitted by John Shaughnessy, assistant editor of The Criterion. It will be the last post added; this blog will remain up, though, for anyone who wishes to look back over the pallium pilgrimage to Rome.

ROME—On a morning that would distinguish Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin’s connection to Pope Francis and his leadership of the archdiocese, an unexpected sequence of scenes forever defined the archbishop in the hearts of the 80 people who made a pilgrimage to Rome with him.
 
The scenes started shortly before 6:30 on the sun-kissed morning of June 29, the day when Archbishop Tobin would later kneel in front of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica to receive his pallium—a circular band made from lamb’s wool that symbolizes his role as the shepherd of the archdiocese and his communion with the pope.
 
Yet three hours before that historic moment, Archbishop Tobin stood in front of a bus parked in the middle of a street near one of the hotels where he stayed with his fellow pilgrims, and greeted each of them by name, with a smile and with variations of the words, “I’m happy you’re here to celebrate.”
 
As the bus made the short trip to Vatican City, the archbishop used the public address system microphone to tell a joke before turning serious as he led prayers “for the churches of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, especially the Batesville Deanery” where a series of closings and mergers of parishes were announced recently.
 
Just before the bus parked in a compact area between St. Peter’s Basilica and the residence that Pope Francis calls home, the archbishop told the pilgrims, “I hope everyone has a wonderful celebration this morning.” Stepping from the bus, he posed for picture after picture with pilgrims, old friends and family members until he finally had to enter St. Peter’s 30 minutes later.

Read the rest of the story here

Order Photos from the Pilgrimage

You can now order reprints of the photos you've seen on this blog, as well as photos that were taken by a professional in Rome (a group photo as well as photos from one of the dinners):
  

• Order photos taken by John Shaughnessy for this blog
• Order photos taken by a professional photographer in Rome

Pricing for our photo reprints are as follow and include shipping/handling:

• 4" x 6"
  • $4 for first print
  • $2 each additional print
• 5" x 7"
  • $5 for first print
  • $3 each additional print
• 8.5" x 11"
  • $8 for first print
  • $5 each additional print
• 13" x 19"
  • $20 for first print
  • $12 each additional print

   

United in Faith: Criterion Photo Spread

Click on the image below, taken from our July 12 print edition, to see a larger version:

  

  

The Pallium Journey: A Marian Perspective

The following was written by Daniel Conway, senior vice president at Marian University in Indianapolis:
 

On June 28-July 1, 15 pilgrims from Marian University in Indianapolis joined more than 80 pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in Rome at St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pontifical North American College, and the Church of St. Alphonsus Liguori—the official church of the Redemptorist order in Rome and Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin’s home for 18 years.
 
On June 30, the Marian pilgrims also attended Mass in Assisi at the Basilica of St. Francis to pray for the university community, for the Sisters of St. Francis in Oldenburg, Ind.—who founded Marian University—and for the Church in Indiana.
 
Representing Marian University were our chairman of the board of trustees, Bill Eckman, and his wife, Teesa; chairman emeritus, Jack Snyder, and his wife, Jennifer; Greg and Sarah Hempstead; Joe and Jan Clayton, and five members of their family; and me (I currently serve as senior vice president at Marian) and my wife, Sharon.
 
The Marian pilgrims shared many inspiring and joyful experiences, and they often expressed among themselves—and to others—how proud they were to represent Marian University as Archbishop Tobin received the pallium from Pope Francis. It was truly a historic moment for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and for Marian University.
 
As frequently happens with pilgrims, we got to know each other well. Traveling nearly 5,000 miles from Indiana to Rome in close quarters reveals aspects of personality that are not apparent in briefer, more occasional contacts.

 
Read the rest of this reflection
 

A Photo of the Man Responsible for this Blog

In case anyone wondered, another pilgrim captured a photo of John Shaughnessy, assistant editor of The Criterion, while in action on the pallium pilgrimage (you can see him below in the green hat).
  
It was John who not only took photos each day on the pilgrimage, but who also interviewed local Catholics on the trip and put together the daily updates (which were really like mini-news stories).

Our thanks--many thanks--to John for all his hard work and dedication on the trip!

 

Photo Gallery from our Associate Publisher

Greg Otolski, associate publisher of The Criterion, has submitted his photos from the pallium pilgrimage. They can be viewed by clicking on the image below:

 

More Pallium Coverage This Week

John Shaughnessy, assistant editor at The Criterion, is working on follow-up coverage concerning the pallium pilgrimage to Rome. The story will focus on the events and places toured outside of the day of the Pallium Mass.
 
When the story is published later this week it will also be posted here. Stay tuned!
  

Pilgrims reflect on tears, cheers at ‘life-changing’ pallium Mass

By John Shaughnessy
  
VATICAN CITY—Three days after her 22nd birthday, Marianne Holland received a special gift from Pope Francis.
  
After the pallium Mass on June 29 in St. Peter’s Basilica, Marianne began videotaping the procession as the pope and the 34 archbishops who had earlier received their palliums walked along the middle aisle of the church.
  
Standing with her brother, Joe, near the end of their row of chairs, Marianne couldn’t believe what happened as the pope neared her.
  
“When he was walking out, he looked right at me and gave me the sign of the cross,” said Marianne, her excitement radiating in her eyes and her smile. “I could be biased. He could have been looking at the crowd. I just felt very blessed.”

The member of St. Simon the Apostle Parish in Indianapolis paused, smiled brilliantly again and added, “It was the coolest experience of my life.”
  
The experience of Marianne—who was also with her parents, Michael and Dolores Holland—reflected the emotional reactions shared by many of the 80 pilgrims from the archdiocese who made a pilgrimage to Italy with Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin from June 25 to July 2.
  
Click on the link below to read about reactions from other pilgrims about the pallium Mass where Archbishop Tobin received his pallium—symbolizing his leadership of the archdiocese—from Pope Francis.

Read the rest of the story here
   

'Fixed on Christ': Criterion Photo Spread

Click on the image below, taken from our July 5 print edition, to see a larger version:

    

 

Updates to Day Six

Our pilgrims have safely returned to the United States and John Shaughnessy, assistant editor of The Criterion, has been able to send along the full update he prepared for the final day of the pilgrimage.
 
Take the time to read the update here, and look for more updates on this blog on Wednesday, July 3rd.
  

Coming to Criterion Subscribers Soon...

Just sent to the printer this afternoon; in the mail to subscribers tomorrow:

  

 

Pilgrims Flying Home

Today marks the final day of the archdiocesan pallium pilgrimage. Right now, the Catholics from the archdiocese who traveled to Rome with Archbishop Tobin are flying back to the U.S. and will arrive in the late afternoon.
 
There is no prayer intention for the day other than for safe travel.
 
Stay tuned to this blog over the next day or two to get links to our official Criterion news coverage of the pilgrimage and also to see any additional updates that may be filed by our assistant editor John Shaughnessy.
  

Day Six Photos and Update

From John Shaughnessy, assistant editor of our weekly newspaper, The Criterion:
 
It was a day of “returning to roots” at the end of a pilgrimage that took Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin and 80 pilgrims from the Archdiocese back to the deep roots of their Catholic faith.
 
For Archbishop Tobin, the first stop on the bus journey on July 1 was a personally poignant one, returning him to the place that he called home for the longest extension of his life—18 years. In 1991, he left the United States to come to Rome as a leader of his order—the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists.
 
Twenty-two years later, he was back in the Church of St. Alphonsus Liguori—the founder of the order—celebrating the farewell Mass of the pilgrimage for the pilgrims from his new home, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
 
In the church that is also a shrine to Our Lady of Perpetual Hope, the archbishop’s homily focused on the true hope and homecoming awaiting all people of faith. He talked about the power of evangelization, stating “the connection is in the hands of Mary” who leads people to her son, “the Savior of the world.”
 
“As we gather for the last time on this pilgrimage, let us ask Mary to help us to appreciate more the gift we have in Jesus … and to make us disciples of Jesus to bring this message to people in central and southern Indiana.”
 
Showing emotions at times during the Mass, the archbishop led a tour of the peaceful, beautiful gardens of the community where he used to live. He shook hands with and called out to old friends while he also posed for photos and shared memories with the pilgrims of the archdiocese.
 

Later on the bus journey, two Benedictine sisters on the pilgrimage displayed their emotions during a visit to the mountain community of Subiaco, the site of St. Benedict’s Abbey. Although they were a world away from their home at Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, Sister Juliann Babcock and Sister Rebecca Fitterer experienced a homecoming of the heart and the soul at the abbey.
 
“This is one of the main highlights of the whole trip for me,” said Sister Juliann, as she stood near an image of St. Benedict. “This is like coming home. This is the family’s roots. To stand where Benedict stood and to be able to pray for our community is a very holy thing for me. It’s very sacred space. I told all of the sisters I would be praying for them. ”
 
Sister Rebecca rejoiced in the spiritual homecoming, too.
 
“We started this pilgrimage with the archbishop talking about connections,” Sister Rebecca said. “For me, this is a very emotional connection with our roots.”
 
The connection between parents and children was also a part of the pilgrimage as Dolores and Michael Holland shared the journey with their daughter, Marianne, and their son, Joe. Their daughter, Dolores, who wasn’t able to make the trip because of work, was also in their thoughts as the pilgrimage traveled to places at the heart of the Catholic faith—to the Catacombs San Sebastian where early Christians were buried, to a chapel for Mass near the tomb of St. Peter in St. Peter’s Basilica, and to the hometown of St. Catherine of Siena, who always put her faith first.
Dolores Holland followed that path, too, in scheduling the pilgrimage for her family.
 
“I originally meant for this to be a healing trip,” said Dolores about a health concern in her family. “Now, it’s a thanksgiving trip.
 
“After all we’ve been through, it’s been good to be with holy people at holy places. We have been surrounded by goodness. It’s going to be life-changing for my kids, too. I’ve been lifted up by everybody’s spirit and faith.”
 
On a day of “returning to roots,” the pilgrimage offered even more stunning views of how deep the connections can grow when Catholics live their faith.
   
See a photo gallery from Day Six of the pilgrimage
  
See a group photo here
 

Group Photo from the Pilgrimage

Click on the image below to see a much larger version:

  

  

More from Pope Francis' Pallium Mass Homily

Via the Vatican Information Service:
 

 In his homily, Pope Francis spoke of the meaning of the verb “to confirm” in the context of the Petrine ministry, in response to the question, “What has the Bishop of Rome been called to confirm?”.

“First, to confirm in faith”, he said. “The Gospel speaks of the confession of Peter: 'You are Christ, the Son of the living God', a confession which does not come from him but from our Father in heaven. Because of this confession, Jesus replies: 'You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church'. The role, the ecclesial service of Peter, is founded upon his confession of faith in Jesus, the Son of the living God, made possible by a grace granted from on high. In the second part of today’s Gospel we see the peril of thinking in worldly terms. When Jesus speaks of his death and resurrection, of the path of God which does not correspond to the human path of power, flesh and blood re-emerge in Peter: 'He took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him ... This must never happen to you'. Jesus’ response is harsh: 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me'. Whenever we let our thoughts, our feelings or the logic of human power prevail, and we do not let ourselves be taught and guided by faith, by God, we become stumbling blocks. Faith in Christ is the light of our life as Christians and as ministers in the Church!”

“To confirm in love” is the second answer. “In the second reading we heard the moving words of Saint Paul: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith'”, continued the Holy Father. “But what is this fight? It is not one of those fights fought with human weapons which sadly continue to cause bloodshed throughout the world; rather, it is the fight of martyrdom. Saint Paul has but one weapon: the message of Christ and the gift of his entire life for Christ and for others. It is precisely this readiness to lay himself open, personally, to be consumed for the sake of the Gospel, to make himself all things to all people, unstintingly, that gives him credibility and builds up the Church. The Bishop of Rome is called himself to live and to confirm his brothers and sisters in this love for Christ and for all others, without distinction, limits or barriers. And not only the Bishop of Rome: each of you, new archbishops and bishops, have the same task: to let yourselves be consumed by the Gospel, to become all things to everyone. It is your task to hold nothing back, to go outside of yourselves in the service of the faithful and holy people of God”.

 
Read the rest of the extended quotes here
 

Day Six -- Itinerary and Prayer Intention

Today's Itinerary: pilgrims will celebrate Mass in Rome at the Church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, the founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, more commonly known as the Redemptorists. This is the order which Archbishop Tobin joined in 1972 and served as the superior general for from 1997 to 2009. A day trip to the town of Subiaco will follow. Not far from Rome, Subiaco is where St. Benedict, considered the founding father of western monasticism, first lived as a hermit and later established his first monastery. A visit to St. Scholastica Abbey and the sacred grotto Sacro Speco in St. Benedict Abbey are included in the day trip.
 
Today's Prayer Intention: For the priests, deacons and religious of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
  

Day Five Photos and Update

From John Shaughnessy, assistant editor of our weekly newspaper, The Criterion:
 
SIENA--The emotional moment occurred at the end of the mid-day Sunday Mass on June 30 that Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin celebrated entirely in Italian at the cathedral of Siena.
 
As the archbishop processed from the altar, a boy ran toward him, put his arms around him and hugged him--a hug that Archbishop Tobin returned with a smile.
 
"The archbishop must have said something during the Mass that really connected with the boy, and the boy just reacted," said Carolyn Noone, the director of special events for the archdiocese who is coordinating the archdiocesan pilgrimage that Archbishop Tobin has led to Italy since June 25. "This is the first time on the trip that I really got emotional. It wasn't planned. It just choked me up. It was wonderful."
 
That moment between an American archbishop and an Italian boy seemed to represent the unity between the Italians who attended the Mass and the 80 pilgrims from Indianapolis who made the cathedral their home for Sunday Mass. It also reflected the unity at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome on June 29 when Archbishop Tobin and 33 other archbishops from 19 countries received their palliums--a symbol of their leadership of their archdiocese--from Pope Francis.
 

The archbishop also shared a message on Sunday that bonded the two groups.
 
"He told us on the bus (to Siena) what he would be talking about," noted Ralph Nowak, a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Indianapolis. "He said we need to make sure there are things in life that don't get in the way of following Christ."
 
That message--and the archbishop's example of reaching across cultures to unite people--resonated with Tony Hollowell, who is preparing for the priesthood in the archdiocese at the North American College in Rome. Hollowell, who grew up in Nativity Parish in Indianapolis, joined the pilgrims on the trip to Siena and was the server for the archbishop during the Mass. He was impressed by the archbishop's command of the Italian language.
 
"It was impressive to see his ability to connect with the Italian people," Hollowell said about Archbishop Tobin, who served the Church for more than 20 years in Rome before becoming archbishop of the archdiocese in late 2012. "It's given me an example of how to use different languages to spread the Gospel in some way."
 
The 2000 graduate of Roncalli High School in Indianapolis paused before he added, "You see that people are hungry for that message of salvation, that forgiveness of sins, in any language. So many people are looking for the same things that we're looking for in Indianapolis--to be loved, to know the love of the Father, to be forgiven by him, and to receive the body and blood of Christ."
 
Sometimes, the fulfillment of that longing happens on a pilgrimage. And sometimes it's expressed in a hug.
 
See a photo gallery from Day Five of the pilgrimage
 

Day Five -- Itinerary and Prayer Intention

Today's Itinerary: The pilgrims will take a day trip to Siena. Siena was the home of the famed saint and doctor of the Church, St. Catherine of Siena. The day includes Mass, a visit to the city’s cathedral and a guided tour of the city.
 
Today's Prayer Intention: For lay ministers in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
 

Day Four Photos and Update

Catholic News Service photo / Paul Haring

From John Shaughnessy, assistant editor of our weekly newspaper, The Criterion: 

ROME--Behind the main altar of St. Peter's Basilica, the brilliant stained glass image of the Holy Spirit as a dove glowed down as Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin knelt in front of Pope Francis to receive his pallium on June 29.

Flashing a warm smile, the pope placed the pallium--a circular band made from lamb's wool--around the shoulders of Archbishop Tobin. In that special moment which established his role as the shepherd of the archdiocese and his communion with the pope, Archbishop Tobin listened as the pope told him, "May the cross bear good fruit." In response, the archbishop said, "You can count on us."
 
The warm exchange between the pope and the archbishop occurred in Spanish, the language that first connected the two men when they served together as part of a Spanish-speaking work group at the Synod of Bishops in 2005.
 
In fact, before the Pallium Mass, Pope Francis greeted Archbishop Tobin, and their conversation soon turned to a comment that Archbishop Tobin had long ago shared during the synod--a comment in which Archbishop Tobin told then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio that his mother wanted him as pope in 2005 because of his simplicity and his care for people.
 

Photo by Peggy Fowley

"He said, 'I've been praying intensely for you, and I hope your mother is praying for me,' " Archbishop Tobin recalled after the Pallium Mass. "He also had a few personal comments for me that I'd like to keep in my heart."
 
The archbishop shared his exchange with the pope during an interview at a reception following the Pallium Mass. As part of the Mass, 34 archbishops from 19 countries, including three other archbishops from the United States, received their palliums from Pope Francis. (See Catholic News Service coverage of the Mass here)
 
Noting that he was a "little dazed" from the events of the morning, Archbishop Tobin said he drew strength from thinking about the life of St. Peter.

"I was thinking of Peter who was buried there (in St. Peter's Basilica), and whose feast day we were celebrating today. He was someone who could speak easily and whose deeds didn't always measure up." The archbishop then made a reference to St. Peter leaving a boat to walk to Jesus in a stormy sea, losing faith momentarily and sinking before Jesus reached out to save him.
 
"I feel at times that I'm out of the boat," the archbishop noted. "But if I'm fixed on Christ, I can do it."

Archbishop Tobin also drew strength from the wealth of support he received at St. Peter's Basilica which overflowed with people from around the world, including his family members, friends, a group from Marian University in Indianapolis, and the 80 pilgrims who are making a pilgrimage to Rome with him this week.
 
"Part of the prayer is 'the yoke is easy, and the burden is light,' " the archbishop said. "The yoke is easy knowing I'm where I'm meant to be--with the Church in central and southern Indiana."
 
See a photo gallery from Day Four of the pilgrimage
 

News Stories from Today's Pallium Mass

Catholic News Service photo / Paul Haring

Catholic News Service has put together the following two stories:

At pallium Mass, pope encourages archbishops to be ministers of unity

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Every bishop is called to be "a servant of communion," working tirelessly to overcome divisions so that differences become a treasure and not a source of conflict, Pope Francis said. 

The Christian community should be "like a great mosaic in which every small piece joins with others as part of God's one great plan," the pope said June 29 as he celebrated the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul and bestowed the pallium on 34 archbishops from 19 countries. 

Wearing red vestments to mark the feast of the martyred Sts. Peter and Paul, Pope Francis said the role he and the bishops have in the church must be founded on faith in Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit. 

Read more of this story here   

 
Archbishops reflect on the meaning of the pallium

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Making a pilgrimage to Rome with members of their flock, 34 archbishops named in the past year knelt before Pope Francis and received woolen bands symbolizing both their unity with him and their charge as shepherds of a local church. 

- - - - - - - 

Archbishop Tobin said he was "a little dazed" kneeling in front of the pope; "all I could stammer out in Spanish was, 'You can count on us.'" 

As archbishop of Indianapolis, he said he tries to help the pope in his mission of unity by "trying to keep our people connected" to one another, but especially to the needs of Catholics around the world. 

"A disturbing thing I find returning to the United States," after years of service as the head of the Redemptorists and then as secretary of the Vatican congregation for religious, "is just how forgetful the news media is of the world beyond America's shores or beyond the latest scandal of a movie star, politician or priest." 

"By keeping our people connected with the Holy Father and with the center of the Catholic Church, we're also being connected with the world," he said. 

Read more of this story here 

 

Day Four -- Itinerary and Prayer Intention

Today's Itinerary: Today is the highlight of the pilgrimage. Archbishop Tobin—and all archbishops appointed in the past year to lead an archdiocese—will receive their palliums from the pope prior to a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. A reception will follow at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.

Today's Prayer Intention: For the intentions of Pope Francis.
 

Archbishop Tobin Receiving his Pallium

(Screen capture provided by Catholic News Service)

 

   

When and Where You Can Watch the Pallium Mass

If you're interested in watching the Pallium Mass live, you'll have to get up early: it starts at 9:30 a.m. Rome time, which is 3:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

The following sites should have a live-stream of the Mass available:

• CatholicTV
• The Vatican

Click on either of those links to be taken straight to the page of the media players.
 

Learn More About the American Archbishops Receiving Their Pallium

The blog of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops has a great resource page up which tells you a little more about each of the four archbishops who will be among the first to receive a pallium from Pope Francis.

Read more about them here
 

Day Three Photos and Update

From John Shaughnessy, assistant editor of our weekly newspaper, The Criterion:

ROME--Mary Ann Kent wiped away tears from her eyes just moments after she participated in a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin in the chapel above the tomb of St. Peter in St. Peter's Basilica.

Kent couldn't think of a better way to celebrate her 66th birthday on June 28 than this special part of the archdiocesan pilgrimage to Rome.

"It's beyond words," said Kent, a former member of Annunciation Parish in Brazil who moved to St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Mount Vernon, Ohio, after marrying her husband Pat five years ago. "Peter gave his life for us so we continue to have his Church, and we're here. The Church is truly blessed."

Pat Kent also showed his emotions after the Mass in the chapel where the front of the altar displayed an image of St. Peter being killed for his faith.

"We dreamed of coming to Rome five years ago," Pat said, recalling when they were married after the deaths of their spouses. "To come and to be able to be at this Mass and the Pallium Mass on Saturday is beyond my dreams. This didn't even make my bucket list because it was too improbable."



Archbishop Tobin with the archbishop
of San Francisco speaking briefly
at a reception hosted by the office
of the  U.S. ambassador to the Vatican for U.S.
 archbishops on the eve of the pallium Mass.

Having the Mass in the chapel near St. Peter's tomb was arranged in connection with Archbishop Tobin receiving his pallium from Pope Francis during a special Mass at St. Peter's Basilica on the morning of June 29--the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul. The pallium--a circular band made from lamb's wool--is a symbol of an archbishop's communion with the pope and his role as the shepherd of an archdiocese.

In that role as shepherd, Archbishop Tobin used his homily to caution the people in the packed chapel about keeping their focus on their faith instead of the site where they practice it.

"And here we are, most of us from central and southern Indiana. We might miss the point," the archbishop said to family members, friends and the 80 pilgrims from the archdiocese who are making the pilgrimage to Rome that began on June 25 and ends on July 2. "Because what we're doing here is allowing the Lord to revive our faith, to reconnect us in the ever more profound way of his Church, to recognize him in the sacraments.

"We're asking the Lord as we represent the Archdiocese of Indianapolis that he open our eyes and our hearts to where he is most opening a door for us today. So we return to our Church with great renewed energy for insight into our mission in southern and central Indiana."

That renewed energy flowed through the pilgrims after the Mass. Benedictine Sister Juliann Babcock expressed the feelings of many of her fellow pilgrims when she said, "I thought it was a holy experience. Just very beautiful."

Archbishop Tobin reflected on that early morning celebration of the Mass later in the evening of June 28--a time when the pallia that will be given to first-year archbishops are placed on an altar near St. Peter's tomb, where they will remain through the night.

"I was conscious of being a pilgrim, renewing the eternal covenant with my people, standing just a few feet from the tomb of St. Peter and a few hundred feet from his successor," the archbishop said. "I realize in all the churches of central and southern Indiana that we are united in the same way through the body and blood of Christ."

See a photo gallery from Day Three of the pilgrimage
 

Day Three -- Itinerary and Prayer Intention

Today's Itinerary: The day will be spent in Rome. Pilgrims will celebrate Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, and have the rest of the day for personal sightseeing and shopping.

Today's Prayer Intention: For all the faithful of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
 

Day Two Photos and Update

From John Shaughnessy, assistant editor of our weekly newspaper, The Criterion:

There have been moments of humor, including the comment that Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin made during the Mass he celebrated at the North American College in Rome on June 26.

Beginning his homily for the 80 pilgrims he is leading on this week's archdiocesan pilgrimage to Rome, the archbishop noted about the group's arrival, "Standing at the airport talking to a number of you, I asked how the flight was for you. So many of you said, 'It was okay, but I couldn't really sleep.' I thought, 'Darn, I should have brought a few of my sermons along.' "

There have also been ever-increasing times of camaraderie and friendship as a group of strangers, friends and family members bond closer as they share adventures, meals, bus trips and discoveries of a city and a country rich in culture, history, architecture and scenic beauty.

Still, at its heart, a pilgrimage is a journey of faith together. So it has been on the second day of the pilgrimage as the pilgrims prayed the rosary on a day trip to Orvieto--a trip, on the way there, during which a tour guide on one of the two buses recounted the story of St. Francis of Assisi as the bus passed fields of golden sunflowers.

The emphasis on faith came dramatically into focus in Orvieto--a town about 75 miles north of Rome that is home to the awe-inspiring Cathedral of Orvieto and the "Miracle of the Eucharist."

The story of the Miracle of the Eucharist is shared in an Orvieto guidebook: "In 1263, a Bohemian priest--a certain Peter of Prague--said to doubt the dogma of the transubstantiation of the body and blood of Christ in the host and the wine, went on a pilgrimage to Rome to pray at the tomb of St. Peter that his strength might be strengthened. On the return journey from Rome, he stopped at Bolsemo, near Orvieto, where, on celebrating the Mass in the Crypt of Santa Cristina, he saw blood dripping from the host. The flow was so copious that the corporal--the Eucharistic altar cloth--was quite soaked with it."

After the miracle, residents of Orvieto devoted their work, their talents and their lives to creating the cathedral, which took three centuries to build, according to a cathedral information pamphlet.

The pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis toured the Cathedral of Orvieto on the morning of June 27 and then participated in a Mass celebrated in the chapel where the relic of the Eucharistic miracle is displayed. Three archdiocesan priests--Father Frank Eckstein, Father Larry Richardt and Father Rick Ginther--concelebrated the Mass which was offered for "the sanctity of life."

In his homily, Father Ginther focused on "the essence of what it means to be a disciple." He told the pilgrims, "How should we be judged? By how we care about one another." He also encouraged the group to "Do what is difficult. Love the one who is difficult. Nurture what you can."

In a city graced by a magnificent cathedral that rose from a countryside through the combination of a miracle and a people's determination to praise and honor God, Father Ginther's words offered a different kind of blueprint--a blueprint for how all Christians should build the foundation of their lives.

See a photo gallery from Day Two of the pilgrimage
 

‘Now, Indiana is home’

Archbishop Tobin views pallium trip to Rome as a journey of humility and faith

Taken from the June 28, 2013 issue of The Criterion:

For most Catholics, a visit to Rome would be the trip of a lifetime.

For Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin, his pilgrimage to the Eternal City this week symbolically marks a dramatic change in his life—and another historic moment in the life of the Church in central and southern Indiana.

As he kneels before Pope Francis during a special Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on June 29, the archbishop will receive one of the most special, humbling and uplifting symbols of the Church.

Yet while Archbishop Tobin’s return to Rome is part homecoming, he views his journey there this time as a faith-filled celebration of his new home—the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

“Rome is the longest address I’ve had in my life,” said Archbishop Tobin, who is 61. “For 20 years, I’d always be going home to Rome. But not this time. Now, Indiana is home.”

The archbishop shared those comments during an extensive interview before his trip to Rome—an interview in which he talked about the pilgrimage he is leading there this week, his thoughts on receiving the pallium from Pope Francis, and his first seven months as the leader of the archdiocese.

Read part one of our two-part Q&A with Archbishop Tobin
 

Day Two -- Itinerary and Prayer Intention

Today's Itinerary: The pilgrims will journey to Orvieto, an Italian town that sits atop a 1,000-foot high rock formation. The day-trip includes Mass at San Brizio Chapel.

Today's Prayer Intention: For the sick, the homebound and the dying.
 

Day One Photos and Update

From John Shaughnessy, assistant editor of our weekly newspaper, The Criterion:

Before he led this week's archdiocesan pilgrimage to Rome, Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin hoped the journey would include a visit to the Catacombs for his fellow pilgrims.

So it seems fitting that the first stop on the first full day of the pilgrimage--June 26--would be to the Catacombe San Sebastian, the site of some of the earliest images of Christ.

One of those images depicts Christ as a shepherd with a lost sheep on his shoulders--an image that Archbishop Tobin embraces as the leader of the Church in central and southern Indiana.

"Seeing those first images of Christ has always been an emotional experience," the archbishop says.
That sentiment was shared by pilgrims traveling with the archbishop, who will receive his pallium from Pope Francis on June 29.

"There's such history," said Benedictine Sister Rebecca Fitterer. "Just knowing that our faith goes back so many centuries--what a tradition to stand on."

Nancy Rasmussen, a member of St. Monica and Holy Trinity parishes in Indianapolis agreed: "I find it very inspiring to think what the early Christians did to continue their faith practices, respect the dead and hold onto their traditions with such persecution."

See a photo gallery from the first half of Day One of the pilgrimage
  

Day One -- Itinerary and Prayer Intention

This morning our archdiocesan pilgrims arrived in Rome. We hope to have some photos and news to post later today when our Criterion staff members are able to do so.

Today's Itinerary: During the day, pilgrims will visit the Catacomb of St. Sebastian, one of the oldest and largest series of Christian catacombs, or underground tombs, in Rome. The day will end with Mass and a welcome reception at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.

Today's Prayer Intention: For the pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
 

List of U.S. Archbishops Receiving the Pallium

The following was amended from the Vatican Information Service news bulletin for June 25, 2013:

Pope Francis will impose the pallium upon the following United States metropolitan archbishops in this year's ceremony on 29 June, the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul:
 

• Archbishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone of San Francisco, California, USA
• Archbishop Joseph William Tobin, C.Ss.R., of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
• Archbishop Alexander King Sample of Portland in Oregon, USA
• Archbishop Michael Owen Jackels of Dubuque, Iowa, USA

 
See all the archbishops from around the world who will be receiving the pallium

Prayer Intentions for Archdiocesan Pilgrimage

Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin will join Catholics from across central and southern Indiana on a pilgrimage to Italy from June 25 through July 2. The highlight will be a Mass with Pope Francis where Archbishop Tobin will receive his pallium.

Mass will be celebrated each day during the pilgrimage with each liturgy having a special intention connected to it.

All Catholics in the archdiocese are invited to pray for those intentions, which are listed below, during the time of the pilgrimage.

• June 26—5 p.m., Rome, North American College chapel. For the pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
• June 27—11:30 a.m., Orvieto Cathedral, with Father Rick Ginther as the celebrant and Fathers Frank Eckstein and Larry Richardt as concelebrants. For the sick, the homebound and the dying.
• June 28—7:15 a.m., Rome, St. Peter’s Basilica, at the tomb of St. Peter—for all the faithful of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
• June 29—9:30 a.m., Rome, St. Peter’s Basilica, pallium Mass with Pope Francis.
• June 30—12:15 p.m., Siena Cathedral. For lay ministers in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
• July 1—7:30 a.m., Rome, St. Alphonsus Liguori Church. For the priests, deacons and religious of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

 

Background on the Pallium

Our archdiocesan newspaper, The Criterion, recently put together an article that provides some great details about what a pallium is and the process each goes through in being made. It was written by John Shaughnessy:

As he kneels before Pope Francis at the Vatican on June 29, Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin will receive one of the most special, humbling and uplifting symbols of the Church.

The pope will place a pallium—a circular band made from lamb’s wool—around the shoulders of Archbishop Tobin, who was installed as the leader of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis on Dec. 3, 2012.

The ritual will take place in St. Peter’s Basilica, during a special Mass when the pope gives a pallium to new archbishops from around the world—just as the pope does every June on the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul.

For Archbishop Tobin, the pallium will symbolize his role as the shepherd of the Church in central and southern Indiana, the leader who is entrusted to care for his people including, and especially, those who have slipped away or become lost.

The placement of the pallium on Archbishop Tobin will also mark one of the intriguing, ancient traditions of the Church—a tradition that involves two lambs, Trappist monks, religious sisters, an early Christian martyr and the burial place of St. Peter.

To describe that tradition, one good way to start is with the creatures who literally give a part of themselves to create the pallium—the lambs.

 
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