Principal Pilgrimage

What an extraordinary honour it has been to join Fr Gallacher, Fr Michael Buck and sixteen other principals from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools for the Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope. Over the first few days of our eight day pilgrimage, we have been profoundly immersed in rich faith experiences, living the story of our faith and walking sacred paths that shape our hearts, minds and leadership.

Our first day began with an early morning Mass in the chapel, celebrated by Fr Gallacher. The Mass was a wonderful opportunity to pray together as a group, and to reflect on the purpose of this pilgrimage.

St Peter's Basilica and the Holy Door

This was followed by a visit to the magnificent St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. St. Peter's Basilica is fundamentally connected to Jesus' apostle Peter, who was the first Pope and a founder of the Catholic Church. Commissioned by Emperor Constantine I, the basilica was built over the burial site of St. Peter, and has since become a major pilgrimage destination, drawing people from around the world. St. Peter's Basilica, is central to the 2025 Jubilee because its Holy Door will be symbolically opened to signify a spiritual journey of hope and conversion.

I had the great honour of carrying the Jubilee Cross through the Holy Door into St Peter's Basilica. This was a deeply moving faith experience, during which our school community was very much in my thoughts.

Beneath the grand dome of St Peter’s Basilica, we were blessed to visit one of the most sacred places in all of Christianity, the burial site of St Peter himself. Fr Gallacher and Fr Michael Buck reminded us to take a moment to reflect on the significance of this sacred place and led us in prayer. This humble place, hidden beneath the splendour above, is the true heart of the Basilica. It reminds us that the Church was built not only on Peter’s faith, but also on his sacrifice. We were invited into a moment of deep reverence and connection, to touch, in spirit, the very foundation of our faith and to give thanks for the courage of the first shepherd who followed Christ to the end. As pilgrims of hope, we journeyed together recognising that we, too, shared in Peter’s legacy - to live with faith, to build unity, and to bring hope into the world. Our time in that holy place strengthened our hearts, reminding us that the same Lord who called Peter by name had also called each of us to follow Him with courage and trust. No photos were permitted inside this sacred site, however you can see below the place where St Peter was killed, the entrance to the tomb and the shrine inside the main basilica.

Pope Leo XIV and the Celebration at Domus Australia

A most unforgettable and grace-filled moment came as we were blessed to participate in a private prayer service and receive a personal blessing from Pope Leo- an experience beyond words and one we will carry forever. We had the privilege of being invited to Domus Australia, on the eve of the Feast of the Blessed Virgin, and we were humbled to be in the presence Pope Leo XIV, as he presided over the celebration of the first vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary In his homily, Pope Leo XIV presented us with an invitation as faithful pilgrims during the Jubilee Year of Hope, to take Mary as a model to "always be confident and grateful" He spoke about Mary having hope and in turn giving her strength and courage to spend her life willingly for the sake of the Gospel and give herself tirelessly to God’s will. She opened her heart to God and Pope Leo asked us to do the same. It was an extraordinary faith experience to be present with Fr Gallacher, fellow principals, and approximately 200 others, in such close proximity to the Holy Father. I had also purchased St Joseph medallions for each of the children in our school, and rosary beads for our staff and classrooms, all blessed by Pope Leo XIV on this evening. It was a profoundly moving experience, and I offered a prayer for you all. I look forward to sharing some of the live videos from this special celebration, as they capture the Holy Father's homily as well as the beautiful voices of youth choir from the UK.

You can watch the highlights from this event via the Vatican News instagram page by accessing this link:

The Holy Door at Santa Maria Maggiore- Pope Francis' Resting Place

During our pilgrimage, we had the extraordinary privilege of visiting the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. This was Pope Francis' favourite church and his final resting place and one of Rome’s four papal basilicas with a Holy Door. This Holy Door depicts images of Mary and Jesus and symbolises the passage from sin to grace and the invitation to a new beginning in faith. Walking through this door was a moving experience, reminding us of the journey of faith we share within our school communities. We also had the special honour of visiting the tomb of the recently departed Pope Francis. It was incredibly moving to see the thousands of pilgrims in this Papal Basilica and to hear the choir sing in Pope Francis' favourite chapel known as the Pauline Chapel which honours Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

The Basilica of San Clemente

We visited the Basilica of St Clement which is one of the most important in Rome, not only from an artistic point of view, but also a historical point of view The Basilica of St. Clement is important for being a layered archaeological site revealing Rome's history, with the current 12th-century church built over a 4th-century basilica which is underground. It rests on 1st-century Roman buildings and is also significant for its art, including early Christian frescos.

Daily Mass

Each day our group has celebrated Mass in extraordinary chapels and basilicas with Fr Gallacher and Fr Michael Buck. Each of the masses have been incredibly meaningful as both Fr Gallacher and Fr Michael have delivered homily's that have had significance and meaning for each of us and our location. At one of the daily masses, I had the privilege or writing and reading the Prayers of Intercession for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin, in the very beautiful church - Chiesa di Santa Maria ai Monti which was a mass for not only us pilgrims but open to the the public attending mass as well. I have attached the prayers of the faithful that I had written, for you to share with your families.

Papal Audience in St Peter's Square

One of the other significant highlights of the week was being part of the Papal audience at St Peter's Square. We stood amongst thousands of other pilgrims and visitors waiting to get a glimpse of Pope Leo XIV. It was very special to have the opportunity to see the Holy Father again in such close proximity. There was so much joy and celebration with people calling out "Papa, Papa" and cheering as he made his way through the crowd. Pope Leo XIV spoke in English to the general public, and he acknowledged the Australian pilgrims in attendance. It was especially moving to hear him lead us in praying the Our Father in Italian with the entire crowd. You can view more from Pope Leo XIV speaking to the crowd in this link below:

I look forward to sharing the videos with our school community when I return.

The Remainder of the Pilgrimage

I look forward to sharing an update on the remainder of our pilgrimage in next week’s newsletter. Tomorrow, we will depart from Rome and travel to Loreto and Assisi. So far, our pilgrimage has been a deeply meaningful and enriching faith formation experience, and I’m grateful for all that we have encountered on this journey. I am inspired to bring back not only a deeper understanding of the historical foundations of the Catholic Church but, more importantly, a renewed and strengthened faith that has deepened my relationship with God. This pilgrimage continues to inspire renewal, connection, and gratitude in ways that feel nothing short of spiritually miraculous. It has been truly transformative, and I will return with a profound sense of purpose and commitment to leading our school community with faith, wisdom, and compassion.

Annabelle Marinelli

Principal

annabelle.marinelli@sjmalvern.catholic.edu.au

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