Family Jubilee in Rome from April 22-27, 2025, organized by the Chemin Neuf Community.
On Monday, April 21, 2025, Easter Monday, we set off on our family road trip to join the pilgrimage organized by the Chemin Neuf Community for the Jubilee of Families in Rome. The initial plan was to discover the iconic spiritual sites of the Eternal City and attend the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis by the Holy Father on the last day. Just a few miles into our journey, we received the shocking news that Pope Francis had just passed away. Continuing on our way in a state of uncertainty, our emotions on a roller coaster, we waited to see how things would unfold…
Rome welcomed us, not as mere tourists, but as the pilgrims, young and old, that we were about to become. A group of about sixty people, aged 2 to 90, from various backgrounds, gathered in the courtyard of the San Giuseppe di Cluny guest house for this journey. While the adults slowly got to know each other, small groups of children of the same age formed very naturally. Each outing began with a time of praise and prayer.
Our immersion in history began with a visit to the Colosseum. Sister Agnes, with her passionate explanations as a guide, pierced through stone and time to make us feel the vivid emotions of this mythical place. The following days were devoted to walking in the footsteps of the early Christians and immersing ourselves in the heart of the faith. The program included visits to the minor and major basilicas where St. Peter, St. Paul, and others evangelized in the face of persecution. Each stone whispered a prayer, each fresco told a story, each golden mosaic described the signs of hope. The visit to the room of Ignatius of Loyola was also a very memorable moment.
The highlight of this spiritual experience was the miracle of the queue: when the children’s faith opened the doors. The papal mourning had transformed Rome into a huge vigil. The whole world seemed to converge on St. Peter’s Basilica, where his body lay in state, offered up for the homage of the faithful. Part of our group, including a good number of children, decided to join a huge human snake that stretched as far as the eye could see. To pass the time, the little voices of our children sang songs of resurrection interspersed with little prayers to their guardian angels and to Pope Francis, asking him to make the queue move faster! And what a surprise they had when a security guard opened the side gate to give priority to our group, so that we found ourselves right in front of the entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica to pass through the Holy Door! The emotion was immense; a mixture of sorrow, respect, and deep gratitude. This miraculous acceleration truly marked the faith of each of us. Attending the Pope’s funeral two days later was an incredible experience of communion… the universal Church was gathered to celebrate his entry into heaven.
Despite the postponement of the canonization, all these moments of grace helped to cement a beautiful brotherhood within our joyful group of pilgrims. We were no longer traveling companions but new brothers and sisters in Christ who shared more than just tourist exchanges. An experience of faith and discovery that the families will not soon forget!
