By Father Anthony Tran
Special to the Herald
This fall, I had the privilege of leading 60 pilgrims from Hawaii on a grace-filled journey through Europe — visiting Italy, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. What began as a pilgrimage of hope quickly unfolded into a powerful encounter with God’s mercy, the communion of saints and the universality of the church.
One of the most profound moments occurred in Rome, the Eternal City. Our group entered through all four Holy Doors of the major basilicas — St. Peter’s, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside the Walls — a tangible sign of God’s invitation to conversion and renewal.
These Holy Doors, traditionally opened during Jubilee years, offer pilgrims a pathway to spiritual grace and healing. Walking through them together, we prayed for our families, our parishes and our Diocese of Honolulu.
We were also honored to attend the general audience with Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 24 in St. Peter’s Square. Standing among thousands of faithful from around the world, our group joyfully let the Holy Father know that Hawaii was present.
It was a beautiful expression of our unity with the universal church and a reminder of our mission to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth — starting with our own communities.
From Italy, our journey continued to Lourdes, France, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to young Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. In this sacred place of healing and hope, we joined other pilgrims in the candlelight Marian procession, visited the grotto of Massabielle, prayed the stations of the cross and even bathed in the healing waters.
In the stillness of Lourdes, God’s peace flowed into hearts burdened with concerns, loss and gratitude. Many of us were moved to tears, feeling a closeness to Our Lady and to the silent presence of Christ.
As our pilgrimage neared its end, God surprised us with an unexpected blessing. On our way to the Netherlands, we made a last-minute detour to St. Anthony’s Chapel in Leuven, Belgium, home to the tomb of St. Damien of Molokai — apostle to those with Hansen’s disease and beloved minister in Hawaii.
With only minutes before closing, we knelt in prayer before his resting place, overwhelmed by a sense of connection to this humble missionary who gave his life for the outcast. It felt as though Damien was welcoming us home.
Throughout the pilgrimage, our group offered prayers for our clergy, Bishop Larry Silva and the entire Diocese of Honolulu. We carried their intentions with us into every basilica, chapel and sacred site.
As the psalmist writes, “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion” (Ps 84:5). Indeed, this pilgrimage was not just a physical journey across countries — it was a spiritual road toward deeper communion with God. For all of us, the mission continues: to return home and live as pilgrims of hope and messengers of Christ’s love in our local church.
Father Anthony Tran is chaplain of the Vietnamese Holy Martyrs Catholic Community.
At top: Among the highlights of the Vietnamese Holy Martyrs Catholic Community’s fall pilgrimage was a last-minute stop at St. Damien’s tomb in St. Anthony’s Chapel in Leuven, Belgium. (Courtesy Father Anthony Tran)