Assisi Pilgrimage

(Basilica of St. Francis)

We started out from the house this morning at 7:10am to make the train to Assisi. We all knew it would be a hot day, and it was! Although our time in Assisi was very limited it was a good day. And while there is no direct connection, that I know of, between Fr. Colin and St. Francis, Assisi is an important place of pilgrimage. The day included:

• Mass at St Stephano (St. Stephen). Stephen was one of the first deacons and was stoned for preaching the about Christ. Fr. Joel lead us in prayer and gave us some food for thought about whether our hearts are open enough for the Spirit to enter. This was a quiet out of the way little church, and so it was easy to manage a prayerful celebration of Eucharist.
  

(Fr. Joel celebrating Mass at St Stefano's in Assisi.)

• Some time in the Basilica of St. Francis which includes the wonderful Giotto frescoes of the life of St. Francis. The basilica has a lower Church as well, and below it is the actual tomb of St. Francis who is surrounded by the tombs of four of his original companions (no pictures allowed -- sorry!)
  

• We also had a spectacular lunch looking over the Umbrian landscape. The food was excellent and WAY more than we needed.

(Lunch with a view. Apparently we owe Fr. Joe McLaughlin, SM thanks as he found this place on an earlier renewal. Thanks Joe!)

I spent about fifteen minutes praying before the tomb of St. Francis as many, many pilgrims walked by, touching the grate around his tomb, leaving candles to be used for the altar, and praying to this well known and popular Saint. I've been there before, and as before I was left with a real sense of peace. The life of St. Francis also reminds of the beauty of creation and our need to care for the environment as a gift from God.

The heat today got the better of most of us, and we dragged our sweaty bodies back to the train station. But it seems that the heat hit our fearless leader, Fr. Tim, the most. He needed a nap no matter where he was. Or maybe he's had his fill of us renewalists!

(Fr. Tim stretched out on the bench next Kevin Stewart at Assisi train station!)