A Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi: April 13-24, 2026
Guided by Amy Kulesa and Linda Mastro
We invite you to join members of the Bon Secours, Trinitarian and Franciscan families on this pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi.
As pilgrims, we will traverse historical, cultural, and spiritual landscapes in which early Christianity took root. We will reflect on the growth of the early Church’s apostolic community and the Franciscan movement, pondering our role in the ongoing spiritual renewal of the Church and the urgent needs of the world. As St. Francis of Assisi said, “Let us begin again, for up to now we have done nothing.”
IMPORTANT NOTE: This pilgrimage entails active days with early mornings, walking, standing, and navigating steps. Please assess your fitness and stamina as you consider joining us.
Pilgrimage testimonials
Sister Elaine Davia, CBS, Leader, Sisters of Bon Secours, USA
When this invite (to go on pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi) came across my computer again a couple of weeks ago, I thought “Why don’t I go?” I went through the proper channels to make it possible, signed up and began reading The Art of Pilgrimage by Phil Cousineau as suggested by Linda. I made a “pilgrimage” to Rome with my mother when I was 10 as well as a couple of other trips for meetings and a community Chapter. I thought how might this trip to Italy be different?
Cousineau says “The art of pilgrimage ... is a practice of slowing down and lingering, savoring and absorbing each of the stages.” What matters most on your journey is how deeply you see, how attentively you hear, how rich the encounters are felt in your heart and soul. … We only discover the real thing through deep observation, by the slow accretion of details.” This pilgrimage is an opportunity to go deeper into the country of my father’s roots and the roots of our Church, and I look forward to what we pilgrims will experience together in April.
The pilgrims who (went on pilgrimage) to the Holy Land with Amy and Linda (in 2023) returned with wonderful experiences representing a deepening of their connection to the land of Jesus’ roots here on earth. With Amy and Linda’s genuine spirituality, I anticipate this trip to Rome and Assisi will be just as meaningful and influential as that one was for them.
Sr. Elaine Davia, hiking in Arizona
Father Kurt Klismet, O.SS.T, Treasurer Provincial, Director of Advancement and President of S.I.T.,
"What drew me to the Rome-Assisi pilgrimage is a yearning to deepen my prayer life and witness the rich history of the Church in person. My experience on the Holy Land pilgrimage with Amy and Linda was nothing short of life-changing. They have a remarkable ability to foster community and create space for the Holy Spirit to move. Their guidance is both expert and gentle, and I trust them completely to lead a pilgrimage that will be spiritually enriching, filled with new discoveries of faith and history, and provide opportunities to relax and enjoy the places we are blessed to visit." ~ Father Kurt Klismet, O.SS.T., Chaplain, 2026 Rome-Assisi Pilgrimage
Fr. Kurt Klismet, O.SS.T. in St. Peter's Square, Rome, 2009
Betty Norman, Bon Secours Associate
"In 2023, I went on my first pilgrimage ever, a highly anticipated trip to the Holy Land that was planned by Linda Mastro and Amy Kulesa. Amy and Linda had the great idea to introduce us to one another ahead of time via Zoom, so we gathered together monthly for over a year. By the time we all met up in Tel Aviv, it felt like we had known each other for a very long time. Their detailed planning was well worth it and the trip was amazing, prayer-filled and also full of laughter and lighter moments. I was also so impressed with our tour company, Educational Opportunities. Our tour guide took us to off the beaten track, knew exactly when the peak times at popular pilgrim stops would be and got us there before or after, and was knowledgeable about each and every location. I had no preconceptions about what I would encounter and loved every moment. I have registered for the April 2026 pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi led by Linda and Amy. I am greatly looking forward to another faith-filled journey with fellow pilgrims, exploring more in-depth the rich history of Christianity, in a way that inspires the way I live my own faith today."
~ Betty Norman, Bon Secours Associate
Betty Norman, Bon Secours Associate, Holy Land pilgrimage, 2023
Sister Pat Dowling, CBS, International Vocations Director
"The reason I signed up to go with the Associates on the Rome and Assisi pilgrimage is twofold, one is to support the Bon Secours Associates, and two, is the theme. Having been to Rome numerous times it’s always interesting to see and hear and learn about places I’ve been to, and perhaps seen and experiencing things that I missed previously. Amy and Linda were the perfect leaders for our 10-day Holy Land pilgrimage in February 2023. They planned and coordinated every detail with care and kept us informed throughout. Their personable leadership gave us confidence and allowed us to be fully present to the grace of the experience."
Sister Pat Dowling on the Sea of Galiliee, Holy Land pilgrimage, 2023