By Fr. Brent Durschmidt
Rising before dawn once again to start our last day of our pilgrimage in Poland, we packed our things and checked out of the Airbnb. It was a cold, but clear morning heading to Wawel Cathedral. We were met by one of the cathedral priests and a sacristan to help us prepare to celebrate the normal 8:30 Sunday parish Latin Mass at the relics of St. Stansilaus. They were incredibly welcoming and grateful to have Archbishop as the main celebrant.
Fortunately, they did not expect him or any of us to read the gospel or preach, as our Polish consists of the ability to say, “good day,” “thank you,” and “yes.” They provided the Archbishop and the priests with beautiful old vestments. I found myself wondering if any of us was wearing one that Karol Wojtyła had used at any point in his early priest days. The train of eight eager teenage boys who served as acolytes were more than prepared. They did not miss a beat, showing their impressive level of training and allowing the rest of us to pray the Mass without having to worry about anything else.
After Mass, some pictures, and multiple goodbyes, we set off for the airport where we experienced a smooth check in. We had fortunately given ourselves enough time to chill, eat a leisurely breakfast, and knock back a few cups of coffee before the flight.
One thing that Archbishop Sample and the Vocations Director, Fr. Peter Julia, do on their trips to Rome, is set aside time for one-on-one meetings with each seminarian and student priest. Because of the distance of the North American College from home, we truly value the time to relate in-person. It is always a privileged opportunity to have a heart-to-heart conversation with our archbishop and spiritual father.
We went out to our last dinner together at a favorite spot called Ristorante Scarpone, which translates to ‘The Big Shoe,’ where we got our Italian multiple course dinner. It was a good time recounting the numerous blessings we had received during the trip amidst the banter and many inside jokes. I’d say it was a pretty darn good way to wrap up the beautiful pilgrimage that served to deepen our relationship with the Lord and each other as we walked together in the steps of our spiritual friend, Pope John Paul II.