Assisi holds a special place for Faith and Light, for many reasons. First and foremost, because there you breathe the spiritual air of Francis—a man who chose to entrust his life to God in humility and poverty, who chose to make himself "small," and that is why we feel so close to him in our Faith and Light community.
But for me personally, Assisi is also where I feel my own roots run deep. My vocation and the journey with Faith and Light are woven together. My first pilgrimage to Assisi with Faith and Light was in 1985, when we invited Cardinal Martini to speak to the parents. I was still in seminary then—and what an extraordinary experience it was. In every pilgrimage since, we have found a unique chance to share the path, the struggles, and the hopes.
And then came the 2015 pilgrimage, which took us through Rome before we returned once more to the city of Francis. Someone suggested we see it as a spiritual journey from Francis of Rome—the Pope—to Francis of Assisi, the saint. And it truly was a pilgrimage of the soul.
Rome meant walking with the whole Church, thanks to a Pope who has shown such special closeness and care for our young people. Assisi helped us in countless ways to recover strength and trust in our own journey and in our communities—especially through the theme we chose: "It is I; do not be afraid," the words Jesus speaks to his disciples in the storm on the Sea of Galilee, terrified they are seeing a ghost.
What has stayed in my heart, even months later, are two moments among the many we shared. First, the words and smile of the Bishop of Assisi, Domenico, who welcomed us, prayed with us through the vigil, and celebrated our final Mass. A man who made us feel at home and who felt at home with us.
The other moment that remains with me is the prayer vigil in the Basilica of Saint Francis, where through images, mime, and song, we recognized our fears and, most importantly, placed them into the hands of Jesus—so that he could free our hearts and our lives. Jesus repeats his invitation: take heart, do not let difficulties knock you down, recognize his presence. "It is I; do not be afraid."
Now that daily life has resumed its pace, what we lived in Assisi feels more precious than ever. We want to hold it close. The presence of so many friends and the joy of those days are meant to be a well we can draw from when we grow tired and lonely—carrying in our hearts the smile and blessing of Pope Francis, who met so many of us in Saint Peter's Square, and the simplicity and beauty of the places of Saint Francis, which always inspire such peace and such calm.