Pilgrims of Hope – Memories of Participating in the World Jubilee of Consecrated Life
When Pope Francis announced the Jubilee Year 2025, I felt a desire to make a pilgrimage to the Eternal City, to the tombs of the Apostles. I planned to go to Rome with my family, but in the end, it was an invitation from Mother General that motivated me to participate in the Jubilee of Consecrated Life. I didn’t make any arrangements with any of the sisters, I found a convenient connection, and my superior bought my tickets for the trip back in February. A lot had changed by the time of departure. I changed my place of work and took on new responsibilities. But in the end, everything worked out. As it turned out, God made sure that I would not be traveling alone. Sisters from the Generalate accompanied us on the trip. They were like the angel Raphael to Tobias for me, especially Sister Róża. Staying at the Generalate was an experience of the internationality of the Congregation and of how differences can be enriching.
I participated in the program prepared by the Dicastery for Consecrated Life and Secular Institutes together with Sister Klara Trzęsowska. On the very first day, I was deeply moved by the prayer vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica and the reflections on hope, especially the words: Hope is a little girl walking through the world… We often expect great things, but pay little attention to what is small. Today, hope seems to barely smolder in the world, in families, and sometimes even in the hearts of those consecrated to God. But it cannot fail, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Rom 5:5). For me, this hope was the prayer of consecrated persons from all over the world gathered together. The meetings with Leo XIV were extremely encouraging. During the Wednesday audience in St. Peter’s Square, I was touched by his words: Christian joy does not exclude suffering. For me, these words had a very personal meaning in the context of my experiences over the last few years. Indeed, I feel in my heart love, joy, peace… (Gal 5:22) and I try even more to share it.
I am grateful to Sister Klara for the fact that, despite my oversight, I was able to participate in conferences and workshops for consecrated persons in the Paul VI Hall. I listened to the testimonies of sisters working in different parts of the world, in different cultures, often in difficult conditions. What united us was the joy of the Gospel and a passion for life for Jesus, the Church, and people. During these meetings, the Pope also came to us. The long wait for the Holy Father was accompanied by singing and general excitement, which intensified when Leo XIV finally appeared. This time, he reminded us that we, the consecrated, are a sign of hope for the world and for our communities.
The last day of the Jubilee of Consecrated Life was combined with the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality, which was attended by many lay people who came to pray with the Pope for peace in the world in the presence of a statue of the Mother of God brought from Fatima at the express request of the Holy Father. This prayerful evening rosary service took place in silence and concentration. The thought arose in my heart that Our Lady had come here for me… And the words from the Pope’s Sunday homily to be a womb
for the Word of God, like Mary, and to be a person of peace with gentle firmness, like her, continue to work
in me to this day.
In addition to my experiences participating in organized services, I joyfully passed through the Holy Door, asking for the gift of the jubilee indulgence and visiting the other great Roman basilicas. A powerful experience, where I was touched by the atmosphere of the place and God’s light, was praying at the tomb of St. John Paul II and Pope Francis. The latter in particular impressed me with his simplicity and humility, often misunderstood by Europeans.
Our last outing with Sister Klara to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and the trip to the mother of churches, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, led us, as a result of a mistake, to another interesting place—
the Basilica of St. Clement, where St. Ignatius of Antioch and St. Clement, the fourth pope in the history of the Church, are buried.
The pilgrimage passed quickly, and I happily returned to Poland with Sister Róża. What remains are not only memories. What remains is a message, experiences, an invitation to share
with love and faith, giving hope to those with whom I spend my daily life. I am grateful to Mother General for the invitation and to all those who helped me fulfill a desire that I am convinced was inspired in me by God Himself.
s. M. Michaela Musiał
