St. Bonaventure will offer a Franciscan pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi for students this upcoming winter.
Students said the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities offers this trip as a way for students to learn about figures such as St. Francis and St. Clare, who play an important role in Bonaventure’s history.
The trip will run from Dec. 27, 2015 to Jan. 6, 2016, and students will visit a number of locations attributed to the lives of both St. Francis and St. Clare.
Taylor Douglas, a junior biology major who attended the trip last year, said she enjoyed visiting the hometown of people so important to the Bonaventure community.
“We had the opportunity to follow in St. Francis’ and St. Clare’s footsteps and visit places that they had actually been in – such as The Porziuncola, San Damiano and Santa Chiara,” Douglas said. “While in Rome, we had the opportunity to visit the Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Pantheon.”
Douglas added that other fun aspects of the trip included a tour of the underground catacombs of Sebastian (an ancient Christian cemetery), a hike up La Rocca Maggiore (ancient Assisi structures) and a daily mass led by Fr. Francis DiSpigno, O.F.M., her personal favorite part of the trip.
While there is a religious aspect to the trip, Matt Creron, a junior sports studies major and past attendee of the trip, said anyone is welcome to attend.
“If [students] want to learn more about the faith, the Catholic [religion’s] history, just get a better understanding of what they learn in class or if they’ve questioned their faith, this trip is good for them,” Creron said. “With all the Clare (College) courses, we learn a lot about St. Bonaventure, Francis and Clare… [On this trip] you’re learning outside of the textbook and it puts how important these Clare courses are in perspective. It made me understand why we are taking these courses, and St. Francis and Clare had such a huge impact.”
Creron added that his favorite memory from the trip was celebrating New Year’s in Assisi.
“I enjoyed just being a part of their culture and communicating in Italian and dancing in the Piasa,” Creron said. “People who were similar to our age were showing us dance moves. We didn’t know each other, but we were still able to communicate.”
Jason Damon, a senior history major and past attendee of the trip, said he enjoyed strengthening his Catholic faith on the trip.
“I was able to deepen my faith by, quite literally, walking where Saint’s Francis and Clare walked 800 years ago,” Damon said. “And it wasn’t only in a tourist fashion—we went as pilgrims, so we would talk about the historical, spiritual and social importance of different sites significant to Franciscan theology.”
Douglas said that, outside of faith formation, she feels this trip offers students skills they can bring back to Bonaventure to better themselves.
“This trip [showed me] the importance of community and giving back—two ideas that are essential to the Bonaventure campus,” Douglas said. “This trip really allows for students to take a step back and look at all of the simplicities in life that are taken for granted.”
Creron agreed and said that the lessons learned and friends made will stick with him forever.
“I was with 25 new kids, and those people became really close friends of mine,” Creron said. “I learned to always be open to everyone’s ideas and that when you’re in a new situation, to always be yourself.”
Creron added that he believes he has applied these lessons to his daily life at Bonaventure, making sure to always remember it is worth taking the time to get to know new people.
All students who were unable to attend the interest meeting can contact Father Francis at fdispigno@sbu.edu.
mcgurllt14@bonaventure.edu
