Fr. Matthew and St. Isidore youth traveled to Rome last summer to immerse themselves in holy places, become friends with the saints, and grow deeper in faith alongside a million young Catholics from around the world.
One of the most unforgettable parts of the St. Isidore youth pilgrimage to Rome was spending the night on the field where we would celebrate Mass with Pope Leo the next morning. The ground was extremely hard and uncomfortable, making it difficult to sleep.
That night, my very close friend Audrey and I met a teenager from Poland named Damian, who had unfortunately been separated from his group and didn’t have anything to sleep on.
Seeing his situation, Audrey and I decided to give him one of our sleeping bags. From that simple act of kindness, we became very good friends and still keep in touch today. That moment was really impactful for me because of the joy I felt afterwards. It truly felt like I was living out what it means to be like Jesus.
Another part of the pilgrimage that deeply changed me was confession. Before this trip, the last time I had gone to confession was during the St. Isidore youth pilgrimage to Lourdes in 2023, which was a long time ago.
Since then, I had avoided going to confession at my own parish because I was afraid that the priest who actually knows me, either Fr. Matthew, Fr. Wayne or Fr. Mark, might judge me or see me differently.
However, during my confession in Rome, the priest said something that completely changed my perspective. He encouraged me to stop avoiding confession in my home parish and explained that it is actually better to go to confession with a priest who knows me. He said that my own priest can guide me more personally on my journey toward God.
Hearing that felt incredibly comforting and reassuring. I am very grateful for that priest, and from now on, I plan to go to confession in my own church and not in an entirely different country.
Throughout the trip, we also went to Mass every day. I could feel that everything we did was centered around Christ. Whether we were walking through Rome, eating in random Italian restaurants, or simply having fun together, God was always at the heart of it.
Now that we are back home, it feels strange not doing things that revolve so clearly around God. This pilgrimage taught me to be more mindful about inviting God into my daily life, even during simple tasks like chores or homework.
This entire experience, meeting Damian, changing my view on confession, and being immersed in a Christ-centered journey, has shaped me deeply. It reminded me of the kind of person I want to be and the kind of relationship that I want to have with God moving forward.
This pilgrimage taught me to be more mindful about inviting God into my daily life, even during simple tasks like chores or homework.
—Alexis, high school junior