Chronicle of Saturday 23 August

Dear parents, grandparents, friends and all the rest of the pilgrims,

With only a few days to go before reaching Rome, the pilgrims are getting up more excited with every day that passes. Today we quickly packed up base camp and, shortly after 3:30, with breakfast already inside us, we pilgrims began our way towards the Eternal City. Today’s destination: Civita Castellana. During the first hour, we were told that the families were starting their journey by van, and we took the opportunity to pray all together that the trip to Rome of these other pilgrims would go very well and without any incident.

Along the way, we passed some caves that looked straight out of an Indiana Jones film. It was fun, and the youngest played at imagining they were intrepid explorers in the Amazon. Today’s pace was impressive, although you can tell the kilometres are starting to take their toll on our pilgrims’ legs, even if their hearts and their smiles remain intact. Today’s stop was especially lovely. We made it in the courtyard of a little church that lay along our way. In that setting, today’s spiritual reading and the start of the Holy Rosary were lived with a special intensity. You can tell that, when you are close to God, everything is much simpler.

On arriving at the parish of St Joseph the Worker, we had a nice glass of cold water and a bite of focaccia in various flavours before going to rest. Some took the opportunity to drop in at an improvised field hospital that Ana Gomar sets up every day, needle in hand, to pass a thread through and drain the blisters of quite a few pilgrims, while others use up the last of the tube of Voltaren.

At lunchtime, we celebrated Emma’s birthday. Garlands and balloons of all colours and shapes, even one that looked like a dinosaur, decorated the room, while some fun party blowers, which went off all through lunch, lay on the seats so the pilgrims could blow them all at once. The kitchen team made special sandwiches cut out in the shape of Emma’s name, which she loved. It is lovely to see how much care some put into the little details to make others happy. We are a family.

This afternoon we had exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and joined the community for the Rosary and Holy Mass. Don Luca, the priest who welcomed us today, spoke a few words to us in Spanish at the beginning of the Eucharist, encouraging us to go through the true door of salvation, which is Jesus, alluding to today’s Gospel. At the end, we all had a photo taken together with him and some pilgrims shared a few warm words with the parishioners, who told us they will pray a lot for us.

Afterwards, we went out for pizza to round off Emma’s birthday celebrations properly. Today’s were cut into rectangular slices and we were able to try different flavours, although the one that won everyone over was mushroom and cheese.

Tonight’s packing up was as quick as this morning’s departure. Compline, van, toilets and bed, knowing we need to rest, as there are only two days left. We keep praying for all the families who are already on their way here and we are counting on their prayers too. We are really looking forward to all being together again in Rome on Monday. For now, united in prayer within this great family that is the Church.