Faith. It is a word so misunderstood and yet so simply defined. Faith is what prompts many to forego the comforts of home, the comfort position of the local parish and seek out the Traditional Latin Mass no matter how far specifically because of Faith. It was faith which brought 5,000 members of the Society of Saint Pius X on a pilgrimage to Rome in August 2000. They say the possible thaw between Rome and the Society began at that time these thousands of traditionalists with the SSPX entered St. Peter's Basilica and stunned cardinals, bishops and everyone else with their unabashed piety and reverence. It was quite a sight, believe me, because I was blessed to be among those on that special pilgrimage to Rome and other religious environs from August 6th to 20th during the Jubilee Year.

    It was not a staged event like so many other things that year. This was an opportunity to obtain abundant graces from the Almighty and those who participated were more focused on how God would receive us, rather than how man - even dignitaries of the Vatican - would perceive it.

    This was not a vacation tour; it was a pilgrimage. It was not a time to sip a cocktail, sun oneself on the Riviera, or play shuffleboard on the cruise ship. Neither was it a 'feel-good' time that might be remembered but proves unproductive in assisting in the spiritual growth of the pilgrim. Rather, a chief objective was to obtain the indulgences granted during the Jubilee year for visiting and praying in the four major basilicas in Rome. That was special, and I think most of us did that, and maybe achieved even more in the sense of enhancing our relationship with God. In this sense it had a better effect than any vacation ever could. Oh, the majesty of God's love for us that He gives us so many abundant opportunities to praise Him! Nowhere does He grant this more than in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Tridentine Rite which we had the august privilege of attending daily. I thank Him for the privilege to glorify Him by a such a pilgrimage.

    I would say the most important thing that we pilgrims learned during that time was the value of fervent prayer and hard penances. This was due in no small part to the bishops, priests, and religious brothers of the SSPX who helped guide us. I can assure you it wasn't easy. Neither was Christ's journey from Olivet to Golgotha. We were on our knees on hard wood, brick, or marble for hours a day reciting the Rosary in various churches. We heard Mass daily, often at 5 or 6 a.m. The schedule was such that we often retired at 11 p.m. or midnight only to arise at 4 or 5 a.m. While we were in Rome there was a 15-mile hike to all four major basilicas - all in one day! Most of those that were able to participated in this prayerful trek including persons in their seventies and perhaps even eighties.

    It was also very hot: for example in Venice the temperature in the afternoon must have surpassed well over 100 degrees F (40 C), and all of us walked a long way to St. Mark's church. The hotels were generally two-star, which means you might get a bed that sags woefully in the middle (I solved the problem on one occasion by pulling the mattress off the spring and sleeping on the floor). Most of the time there was no air-conditioning and the size of the shower was only fit for a thin person. I suppose in part because of the time of the year (August being the major vacation month for Europeans) things often got delayed. The value of all of these little trials was that we could unite them to Christ's suffering, as little penances that we might merit even more graces from the Holy One. And I think most of the pilgrims realized this and therefore these trials were accepted and hopefully even welcomed by most of us. In this sense, as we participated fully and earnestly, I think there was the possibility that the tour was very productive in helping to gain for us God's favor in restoring the Mass, chastity, and the glory of the Church throughout the world. Faith does that, not the 'brotherhood of man.'

    In the face of the many things that can go wrong when dealing with foreign hotels, restaurants, and pilgrimage sites from afar, those handling this pilgrimage from the SSPX to the organizers were total professionals, as were all who rendered assistance in conducting the pilgrimage. There were many fine laymen who took the tour. Some I had already known from the Internet and a few attended who were from my parish. There were many Australian laymen on the tour and they were singularly a very holy people who I was very glad to become acquainted with.

    In the way of laymen there were a few clunkers too but I shan't talk about them in detail in this letter - I'm saving it for a more detailed discourse (tentatively titled "The good, the bad, and the ugly"). Yes we all have faults, but I would hope we could get beyond the level of tenderfoot. Suffice it to say that I divide these later persons into 1) trinketeers (those who delayed the whole group's schedule by insisting on ignoring Bob and Christine's pleas to move on, so that they could purchase religious trinkets at every site we visited. They even delayed the saying of Mass so they could purchase that special something), and 2) touristias (those who insisted on camcordering and/or photographing every corner of every church in Italy and France. As an example, on one occasion there was a young woman in front of me who insisted on taking a photograph during each stage of the Mass. The whirring of her camera was a signal for me to finish reading the paragraph and get on to the next section in my missal without my having to look up. Sometimes, especially at tombs of a famous saint or at a particularly beautiful altar, there were so many camcorders and digital reflex cameras whirring, clicking, popping, and flashing simultaneously that it seemed as though we were inside a small production factory or discotheque, or on the set of a Star Wars or X-Men filming).

    Yet, distractions are part of the journey, part of the pilgrimage. Our Lord had to be distracted by the mocking and deriding He was subjected to from the time Judas betrayed Him through Pilate's hand-wringing to the bad thief on the cross. Through it all, He kept His composure. Yet, though He was divine, He was like us in every way except sin. Therefore the stings of words and whips hurt Him as much as it would us, possibly even more so because He knew their intent, their frenzy of hate. And yet He did not turn back, did not complain, did not blame. While we can never re-enact His physical Passion and Death, we can spiritually walk with Him. A pilgrimage, one that is not a joy-ride, is a great way to unite our sufferings with Him.

    If we understand this, then we can better perceive how Jesus handled it and realize it takes faith. Faith takes work - effort - commitment. Without it, we will be as Christ accused, "O ye of little faith." Because the faith today is so weak, shallow, it is easy to see see the sorry state of the New Mass or the post-conciliar Church, or the large number of teenagers and young adults who become floozies, engulfed by worldly thing. But there is also a beam in traditionalists' eyes and a pilgrimage, a determination to truly live the Faith as we profess to others is an ideal wake-up call. Traditionalists are not immune from sin, from temptation from falling into secular traps. Even teens brought up traditionally can stray from their roots if they are not firmly planted - adults too. That is why understand the urgency of daily solid prayer and tough penance is so important. You would be surprised at the lack of Traditionalists that do them.

    For those who are considering leading a religious life, but do not yet want to tell anyone, I think these pilgrimages also present a unique opportunity to learn something about how dedicated priests and nuns conduct their lives when they are earnest in imitating Christ. It is a no-pressure way to separate those persons who are merely fans of the religious life from those who might really have the capacity to live it. These pilgrimages would help much better than any psychological test the dioceses could mandate.

    I would also hope that even Indult or Sedevacantist priests and religious might attend some of the future SSPX pilgrimages. Wouldn't that throw the Ecclesia Dei Commission and some of the other Holy See dignitaries into a tizzy - to see a unified front! The next pilgrimage is scheduled for the Holy Lands in May this year, I believe. I will try to attend. The following pilgrimage after that may be to Spain and Portugal. There's also special pilgrimage to Chartres, France and other religious shrines including the cathedrals of Austria in mid-May this year, information of which is most probably in Catholic Family News and The Remnant.

    I truly believe pilgrimages, when conducted properly with the right priests, are such a great source of grace. Also, though they may be expensive, compared to a vacation to the very same areas, it is a bargain that pays dividends for years to come, hopefully forever - as in eternity. And so, as Holy Week and the Paschal Triduum approach, let us be mindful of the Father's gift to us and Christ's love for us and what He left us - Himself in the Holy Eucharist and His Spirit, the Sanctifier and Advocate, the Holy Ghost - and repay God in the only way we can, by seeking to know our Faith ever more by practicing it in every way in body, mind and soul with all our hearts.

Veni, sancte Spiritus, reple tuorum corda fidelium - "Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful."
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