St. Greg’s pilgrims able to witness Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome
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A planned pilgrimage to Italy took a detour when Pope Francis passed away, but it didn’t stop a local group from witnessing the physical and spiritual beauty of the Church.
A group from St. Gregory the Great Parish in Williamsville planned a pilgrimage to Italy to witness the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, scheduled to take place April 27 during the Jubilee for teenagers. Canonization plans were paused when Pope Francis died on April 21. Only a pope can perform the canonization rite.
Mass at the Basilica of St. Praxedes in Rome. (Photo courtesy of the Quebral family) 
Father Leon Biernat surfs a wave of the faithful in Rome. (Photo courtesy of the Quebral family) 
The Sistine Chapel in Rome. (Photo courtesy of the Quebral family) 
Agnes and Steve Quebral. (Photo courtesy of the Quebral family) 
St. Peter’s Square in Rome. (Photo courtesy of the Quebral family) 
From Williamsville to Italy, the St. Gregory the Great pilgrims gather outside St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome. (Photo courtesy of the Quebral family) 
A marker lets guests know they are entering the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis in Sanctuario Della Spongliaziaone in Assisi, Italy. (Photo courtesy of the Quebral family) 
Pilgrims pass through the Holy Doors of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. (Photo courtesy of the Quebral family) 
A private Mass at the chapel of St. Francis Assisi Basilica in Assisi, Italy. (Photo courtesy of the Quebral family) 
The Tomb of St. John Paul II in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. (Photo courtesy of the Quebral Family)
“Days before we left, of course with the news of the Holy Father’s death, pretty much immediately we were told that the canonization was put on hold,” explained Father Leon Biernat, pastor of Family of Parish #19.
The St. Greg’s trip, however, went forward, with none of the 44 pilgrims backing out.
Instead of seeing canonization, they witnessed the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26. Some of the younger members of the group braved the crowds gathering at 5 a.m. at St. Peter’s Square to witness the funeral in person. Others watched it on television, from their hotel, just down the road from the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major where Pope Francis was buried.
“So, we saw the whole procession coming with his body to bury him there,” Father Biernat said.
As Steve Quebral, who traveled with his family, watched his television screen, he was struck by the estimated 125,000 Catholics from across the world gathered together. Many who were there for the jubilee.
“Just the sense of seeing all those people from countries all over the world, the togetherness, the universality of the Church; just such a touching thing to see all the people, all different languages and countries carrying the flags of their countries. It was a very touching scene and it was great to be a part of it,” he said.
Although a sad occasion, Quebral found it to be an “uplifting and spiritual experience as well.”
“It was kind of a mixture between sorrow over the death of the holy father, but there was also actually a joy in people gathering from throughout the world,” Father Biernat added. “You saw a lot of teenagers. You saw the youth of the Church at the same time. That was an unexpected bonus.”
While touring Rome, they crossed through the Holy Doors of St. Paul Outside the Wall, visited St. Peter’s Basilica, and were one of the last groups to go through the Sistine Chapel before it closed for the election of the next pope.
“Even though you go through the Sistine Chapel, you know what goes on there. Knowing you’re among the last people to go through before the conclave brought a whole new reality and prayer as you go in there. These walls are going to be filled with the cardinals discerning the Holy Spirit. It really brought a different understanding. It honestly did.”
Some of the pilgrims were not strangers to seeing large international crowds. Father Biernat has been to three World Youth Days – international gatherings with the pope. The Quebral family has taken several pilgrimages to Holy Land, Lourdes and Fatima.
“It was a similar experience in seeing people from all over the world praying together, singing together,” said Quebral. “The thing that kind of struck me when we got home was that seeing all the beauty of Rome – beautiful basilicas, artwork, architecture – when you come home, the Mass is still the same Mass. It’s still the same miracle on the altar that happens whether it’s at St. Peter’s Basilica or whether it’s at St. Gregory the Great or wherever you are at home. So, that really struck me when I got home. Then seeing the pope’s election on TV, we still felt that same togetherness, that connection. We were just there in the square where all the people are cheering and the white smoke and everything. It was a beautiful thing.”
The group was still able to visit everything on their itinerary, including Blessed Carlo’s body in Assisi, his home parish, his school, and the convent where he made his first Communion in Milan. They also saw sites in Rome, Loreto, Remini and Orvieto.
“It was still a wonderful trip and we took home a lot of blessings from it,” said Agnes Quebral.
