Excitement is building among Saint Mary’s junior high students as they prepare for the school’s summer pilgrimage to Rome, a tradition offered every three years to deepen students’ understanding of Catholic history and global faith. This year, 22 seventh and eighth graders will travel with teachers and chaperones to visit major basilicas, historical sites, and the Vatican.
Religion teacher Mrs. Angela Carver, who has led the pilgrimage twice before, said the trip is designed to be spiritually formative.
“This isn’t a vacation — it’s a pilgrimage,” she said. “We want students to walk where the saints walked, to see the early Church with their own eyes, and to understand that our faith is part of a living, global community.”
Students have been preparing for months through weekly meetings, fundraising events, and lessons on Church history. They have studied the lives of Saints Peter and Paul, learned about the early Christian martyrs, and practiced basic Italian phrases.
Eighth grader Sophie Delgado said she is most excited to visit St. Peter’s Basilica.
“We learned about Michelangelo in art class,” she said. “Seeing the Pietà in person is going to feel unreal.”
Her classmate Leo Martinez is looking forward to the Scavi Tour beneath the basilica.
“We get to see the tomb of Saint Peter,” he said. “It’s kind of amazing that we’ll be standing where the Church began.”
The itinerary includes visits to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, the Catacombs of San Callisto, and several major basilicas. Students will also attend a Wednesday audience with the Pope, a highlight for many.
Fundraising has been a major part of the preparation. Students organized bake sales, pancake breakfasts, and a parish talent show that drew more than 300 attendees. Parishioner Tom Riley, who donated to the trip, said supporting the pilgrimage is an investment in the students’ faith.
“Experiences like this stay with young people for life,” he said. “It’s something they’ll remember long after they graduate.”
Father Thomas, who will accompany the group, blessed the students at a recent school Mass.
“Travel with open hearts,” he told them. “Let every church, every street, every moment remind you that God’s story is bigger than any one place.”
Parents say the trip offers a rare opportunity for students to see the universality of the Church. Emily Russo, whose daughter Ava is attending, said she hopes the experience strengthens her daughter’s faith.
“It’s one thing to read about saints and basilicas,” she said. “It’s another to stand in the places where history happened.”
As the departure date approaches, students continue to prepare spiritually and academically. Mrs. Carver said the goal is for each student to return changed.
“Pilgrimages are about transformation,” she said. “I hope they come home with deeper faith, new friendships, and a sense of belonging to something ancient and beautiful.”