Christendom College hosted its 4th annual Alumni & Friends Pilgrimage this past month, bringing 48 pilgrims to Poland for a week of prayer, reflection, and encounters with some of the most powerful witnesses of the Catholic faith.
Led by Christendom’s Vice President for Enrollment Tom McFadden, alumnus Fr. Phillip Briggs ’13, and representatives from alumni-owned ProRome Tours, the pilgrimage invited participants to step into the lives of saints and martyrs whose witness continues to shape the Church today.
The journey began in Warsaw, where pilgrims prayed at the tomb of Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko, a priest martyred under communism. For many, the reality of modern persecution set the tone for the rest of the pilgrimage.
In Kraków and nearby Wadowice, pilgrims followed the early life of Saint John Paul II — walking through the parish where he was baptized and the city where his vocation took shape. The visit highlighted how ordinary beginnings can lead to extraordinary holiness, with alumni and friends leaving with a greater appreciation of Pope St. John Paul II, who was a great friend of Christendom College.
Following that stop, pilgrims traveled to the Divine Mercy Shrine in Łagiewniki, where they prayed at the tomb of Saint Faustina, encountering more deeply the message of trust in God’s mercy.
“I’ve said ‘Jesus, I trust in You’ countless times,” one pilgrim shared. “But praying it there made it real. It felt like a call, not just a phrase. Praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet in the presence of Faustina’s tomb was a unique experience I’ll never forget.”
The emotional center of the pilgrimage came at Auschwitz. Moving through the camp in silence, pilgrims confronted the weight of human suffering — yet also encountered profound witness. At the cell where Saint Maximilian Kolbe gave his life for another prisoner, many paused in prayer. The pilgrimage concluded at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, home of the Black Madonna, where participants brought their intentions to Our Lady in prayer after a week of reflection.
Throughout the pilgrimage, daily Mass celebrated by Fr. Briggs and shared travel fostered a strong sense of community among the 48 pilgrims. As they returned home, many spoke less about what they had seen and more about how they had changed.
“I understand my faith differently now,” one said. “It’s not just routine, it’s something meant to be lived, even when it’s hard.”
In the end, the pilgrimage was more than a journey across Poland — it was a journey into the heart of faith, where history, sacrifice, and grace converge, leaving a lasting mark on those who walk its path.
Next year’s Alumni & Friends Pilgrimage will travel to Northern Italy from May 20–30, 2027, where participants will visit sites associated with saints such as St. Charles Borromeo, St. Anthony of Padua, St. John Bosco, and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati. For more information, visit here.
Contributed by Tom McFadden.