Graduate Students from Loyola University Pilgrimage to Vatican for Global Synod Participation

Loyola graduate students recently embarked on a pilgrimage to Rome, gaining a unique insight into the Catholic Church’s global Synod. The trip, led by assistant professor of pastoral studies Emily Jendzejec, included six students and one faculty member. The Synod, a council of Catholic leaders and invitees, convenes to address spiritual and doctrinal matters facing the Church. Members are chosen by Pope Francis, and the event serves as a platform for discussing pressing issues within the Catholic community.

Jendzejec, who teaches a course on Synodality, emphasized the educational and spiritual value of the experience for both students and herself. She described the trip as a rare opportunity to engage with the Church’s leadership and participate in its decision-making processes. The journey was part of a broader effort to foster understanding of Synodality, a concept central to Catholic faith and practice.

The pilgrimage was planned over the course of a year, with the group collaborating with 14 other Jesuit institutions. The initiative aimed to create a space for students to engage with the Synod through communion, participation, and mission. Jendzejec highlighted the significance of the collaboration, noting that it provided a unique platform for inter-institutional dialogue and shared learning.

For Milissa Else, a student in Jendzejec’s class, the experience was deeply spiritual and transformative. She described the trip as a pilgrimage to sacred sites in Rome, including the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica. These locations held personal significance for her as a Catholic, and the opportunity to visit them in person deepened her connection to her faith.

Else and Jendzejec had the chance to meet with Synod delegates, engaging in conversations that left a lasting impression. They noted the importance of these interactions in broadening their understanding of the Church’s current challenges and priorities. Else expressed excitement about the chance to step beyond the familiar and engage with the Synod’s iconic spaces, such as the Senate hall.

The trip offered students a chance to witness firsthand the Church’s global leadership and its commitment to dialogue and mission. Through participation in the Synod and visits to Rome’s sacred sites, the group gained a deeper appreciation for the Church’s role in fostering spiritual growth and communal engagement. The experience underscored the value of Synodality as a model for collaborative leadership and shared responsibility within the Catholic community.

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