I was so fortunate to have made a pilgrimage to Rome during this Holy Year. I traveled with a group of 14 people from Texas, all of whom were new acquaintances, under the guidance of a spiritual director, a priest from Mexico. The trip was marked by significant spiritual moments and impressive travel. We celebrated Mass in Assisi at a chapel in the San Damiano convent, the birthplace of the Franciscan order. I noticed the chapel pews had unusual, half-sized backrests—a detail that made me smile, thinking they were cleverly "designed so no one falls asleep during Mass!"

It was a good trip with consistently fine weather, though we covered vast distances. On one memorable day, we traveled 380 miles from Assisi all the way to San Giovanni Rotondo, the place where St. Padre Pio served. A highlight was visiting three sites of Eucharistic miracles I had never seen before: Orvieto, Cascia, and Lanciano. This journey gave me the chance to be near not only St. Peter and St. Paul in Rome, but also St. Francis of Assisi and, for the first time, St. Padre Pio. While in Assisi, I also visited the tomb of St. Carlo Acutis.

I visited two of the Basilicas with Holy Doors—St. Peter's and St. Paul's—and especially appreciated the chance to pray near the tombs of these great Apostles. Ultimately, this pilgrimage was a time of special grace for me. Being near the holy lives of St. Francis and St. Padre Pio was a profound example and encouragement.

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls' Day) is a celebration of God's grace and mercy at work in the blessed souls in Purgatory. While the doctrine of Purgatory can be controversial, understanding it reveals a beautiful hope: A soul in Purgatory is saved and is guaranteed to enter Heaven. That is the good news.

The not-so-good news is that this purification involves unimaginable suffering, needed to atone for past sins before final entry into God's presence. This is where the Church Militant (we who are still on Earth) enters the doctrine of the Communion of Saints. We are called to help the blessed souls (the Church Suffering) through our solidarity. They desperately need our prayers and sacrifices for their release. The most efficacious help is the Holy Mass, as nothing is more beneficial to them than the sacrifice of the Lord's redeeming Blood.

Once purified and in Heaven these souls are immensely grateful and can, in turn, intercede for us. Accounts from the life of Padre Pio—who frequently encountered and conversed with these souls asking for prayers—affirm this reality, with grateful souls even shouting, "Long live Padre Pio!"

Padre Pio, having offered himself as a victim for poor sinners and the souls in Purgatory early in his priesthood, had a unique grace. God allowed him direct contact with the blessed souls, who came to him to ask for prayers. It became normal for him to see and speak with them. This contact allowed him to reassure the living about the state of their deceased loved ones.

The Christian life is anchored by hope. The ancient symbol of the anchor, seen on the tombs in the Catacombs in Rome, illustrates this perfectly. Drawing from the Letter to the Hebrews, this image represents our hope that has reached Heaven, where the Lord awaits. We, the pilgrim Church, cling to the rope that carries us safely there. As the Lord says, "Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me" (John 6:37).

On this Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, we pray fervently for the liberation of the blessed souls and commit ourselves to our own conversion—to stop sinning and atone for our past. May the blessed souls intercede for us, so that we may do the necessary penance in this world and avoid leaving it for after death.