Images: Top: Frassati Catholic Pilgrims attending the Texas Rally for Life; Below Right: World Youth Day Pilgrims in Panama; Below Left: Ava Romero (right) and Mia Romero (left)
This January, the Frassati Catholic High School community embarked on two pilgrimages, providing formative opportunities. Pilgrimages hold a central role in the faith life of all Catholics, serving as a journey with a purpose; a journey to honor God. In both journeys this January, the Frassati Catholic community was represented, not only physically, but also in the prayers, intentions and petitions of those who participated.
From January 19 – January 28, 25 Frassati Catholic students and five faculty and staff traveled to Panama to participate in World Youth Day (WYD), a once-in-a-lifetime faith experience for young Catholics from around the world. On January 26, 50 students traveled to the state Capitol in Austin to march in the Texas Rally for Life, an opportunity to witness to the dignity of human life.
Both pilgrimages speak to Frassati Catholic’s vision, to build a culture that embodies the truth about the human person who is destined to share in God’s own divine life.
Additionally, students and staff found themselves in the heart of the Church on both journeys. For the WYD pilgrims, they were in communion with Catholics from around the world, where they experienced a profound spiritual journey and celebrated Mass with the Holy Father. For the Rally for Life pilgrims, they were in the heart of the pro-life movement in Texas and joined thousands of other Texans to witness to the power of the culture of life.
For the Frassati Catholic community, the two pilgrimages were also connected by a family who were present in both experiences. Ava and Mia Romero, sisters and students at Frassati Catholic each participated in a pilgrimage. Mia, a senior, attended WYD in Panama, and Ava, a sophomore, attended the Rally for Life in Austin. Both spoke of the impact on their faith lives, becoming witnesses for Christ and the importance of the Church in today’s society.
Of WYD, Mia said, “It’s hard to confine WYD into a few words, but I think if I could describe it in one word it would be unity. Going into WYD, I didn’t have any expectations other than being surrounded by over a million Catholics, worshiping and loving the same God. But to say my expectations were met would be an understatement.
“Christ was physically there in the Eucharist and among His people, among the youth. He was in every smile, every person, every culture and all the welcoming arms of those I met. He was truly present there. And to see His passion and all His sons and daughters, united towards loving Him was indescribable.
“I think spiritually WYD was very different than a retreat. In a retreat, it’s more of an emotional experience where you soak in God’s love. And yes, God’s love at WYD was present and soaked in, but at the same time, it was more of a continual suffering with Christ. This pilgrimage was not a vacation, it was not easy, and there were continual moments to offer up suffering and to unite them with Christ. So I think I have grown spiritually in unity not only with the people He loves, but in unity of the suffering of His Cross.
“So, I think unity and overwhelming love describes WYD.”
Ava described her experience, “the Rally for Life in Austin was a number of things. First of all it was a lot of fun. It was fun to get on a bus and travel with your friends, go to Mass and pray the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet and get to praise and worship. That was everything leading up to [the rally]. But the march itself was getting to walk with both people that you know and people you don’t know, all supporting life. I think it was so amazing to get to defend and be a voice for people who don’t have a voice. To get to defend life that can’t defend itself. All these unborn babies are defenseless and they have no say in what happens to them. And I think that if we have the opportunity to stand up for that and put our own voices in to help save their lives we should. It’s more than us just marching, it’s making a decision to try to save lives. If we can get the chance to change someone’s mind about abortion, or even just to make them think about changing their mind, I think that we should.”
With 75 students participating in the pilgrimages overall, the impact on the school community is pronounced. Student involvement in WYD and the Rally for Life has strengthened the culture at Frassati Catholic through firsthand accounts from those impacted by their spiritual journey and building a deeper appreciation for the role of pilgrimages in Catholic faith life.
On the importance of pilgrimages, Ava summed up a feeling shared by her peers, “Everyone should take a pilgrimage, everyone should be involved in the Church, and everyone should take the steps they need to do the right thing. It’s all about not just being a witness, but defending what’s right, what’s true and what’s beautiful. Supporting the Church and defending life are both so beautiful and so necessary in our society today.”
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About Frassati Catholic High School: Founded in 2013, Frassati Catholic High School serves the families and parishes in the north Houston area of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Administered by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation from Nashville, TN, Frassati Catholic High School prepares students to walk on the path of true happiness through a robust college-preparatory curriculum rooted in the Catholic faith. The school currently serves boys and girls in grades 9-12. For more information about Frassati Catholic High School, contact Tim Lienhard, director of communications and marketing, at 832-616-3221.