This pilgrimage stems from a desire expressed directly by the final-year secondary school students: to be able to undertake a journey together with their Bishop in order to rediscover a sense of purpose in their student lives and face the time of making choices with greater awareness.The theme that guided the entire experience, ‘Returning to the Sources’, accompanied every moment of the journey, becoming a key to a deeper understanding of the experience.

Right from the very start, we sensed in the young people a need to return to the essentials, to pause and rediscover what gives meaning to their studies, their relationships and their future. As nuns, we shared the journey with them, offering a listening ear, companionship and prayer.
It was wonderful to see how, along the way, a genuine space for dialogue was created. The young people opened up sincerely, sharing their struggles, expectations and the desire not to feel alone in the choices that lie ahead.

Particularly moving were the moments of reflection led by Bishop Gerardo, during which the theme of ‘sources’ invited everyone to rediscover their own faith, their roots and what truly sustains life.

This pilgrimage was not merely a spiritual experience, but a shared journey that brought together different generations. We return home with gratitude, confident that what we have experienced will continue to bear fruit in the hearts of young people and in their daily lives.

Sister Malia Mikaele, Smf