Pilgrims a step closer to Vatican

Nearly 300 people came to St. Pius X Church in Loudonville Oct. 1 for a Mass, question-and-answer session and social gathering prior to their departure on a Jubilee pilgrimage to Rome that begins Oct. 20.

A year ago, The Evangelist first announced that it was sponsoring a Holy Year trip to the Eternal City, led by Bishop Howard J. Hubbard. The slots for the trip were almost immediately filled, and the past several months have been occupied with preparations for the journey, such as six meetings over the summer for those going on the pilgrimage.

At the Loudonville event, the pilgrims received their airline tickets and flight bags filled with information. They also heard final details of the trip through a question-and-answer session with Jim Adair of Ohio-based Regina Tours, which is coordinating the pilgrimage for dozens of dioceses throughout the U.S.

During the Mass, Bishop Hubbard told the pilgrims and their guests that he was looking forward to be going with them "because this is truly a spiritual journey. I've been to Rome on many occasions. I studied for the priesthood and was ordained there; I went in the Holy Year of 1975; as bishop, I have been there for the beatification of Kateri Tekakwitha, the consistory at which John O'Connor was made a cardinal and the episcopal ordination of Bishop Matthew Clark of Rochester, who was a priest of the Albany Diocese."

Bishop Hubbard has also gone to Rome for his quinquennial "ad limina" visits at which he reports to the Pope on the status of the Diocese and for meetings of the Vatican Commission on Non-Believers, of which he was a member.

"But I look forward with a special eagerness to this trip," the Bishop explained, "because it is a spiritual journey, and we are going as pilgrims who have the opportunity to ask how faithfully we are following Jesus, to seek reconciliation, to recommit ourselves to the core values of our faith and to walk anew our journey of discipleship."

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