This spring, students, alumni, and friends of Catholic International University embarked on an extraordinary pilgrimage through THEO 599: Italy: Crossroads of Christendom, an immersive course led by Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio. The experience was historic due to the incredible timing!
Serving as chaplain for the group was Fr. Brian Ray, a priest currently studying at Catholic International and enrolled in the graduate course THEO 510. Though eligible, Fr. Ray chose not to take the pilgrimage for academic credit, instead focusing on his pastoral role throughout the journey. Meanwhile, Joseph Costello (pictured below), an undergraduate student, enrolled in the course and fully embraced the academic and spiritual opportunities it offered. In a particularly moving moment, he carried the processional cross as the group entered St. Peter’s Basilica.
What made this year’s pilgrimage even more memorable was its timing. The group was in Rome on the very day Pope Leo XIV was elected. After prayerfully processing through all four Holy Doors, the final basilica visit brought the pilgrims to St. Peter’s. Entering together around 10am, the group spent time in prayer and awe. Later that afternoon, while enjoying free time in Vatican City, many found themselves in St. Peter’s Square when white smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel. Cheers erupted as the announcement was made and the new Pope stepped out onto the balcony to give his first apostolic blessing. It was an exhilarating moment of unity and joy shared by the Church around the world—and by this group of 53 pilgrims standing in the heart of it all.
THEO 599 is a three-credit interdisciplinary course that explores central Italy as the historic crossroads of Christendom. Students engage with the lives and legacies of apostles, saints, missionaries, and artists—including Peter, Paul, Benedict, Clare, Francis, Ignatius of Loyola, Cyril and Methodius, Michelangelo, and Raphael. The course involves preparatory reading and online discussion, culminating in a ten-day onsite experience in Rome, Assisi, Florence, and Orvieto. A term paper submitted after the trip allows students to synthesize their academic and spiritual insights.
Also among the pilgrims was Kevin McIntyre (pictured below), a graduate of Catholic International’s MA in Theology program, who participated in the pilgrimage with his wife. Their presence served as a reminder that Catholic International’s formation bears fruit long after graduation.
More than a course, THEO 599 is a living pilgrimage—an encounter with the people, places, and spiritual legacy that have shaped the Catholic Church across centuries. It’s an opportunity to experience history where it happened and to deepen one’s faith through the beauty and richness of Catholic culture.
Gaudium de Veritate—Joy from the Truth!
