By Caridad Namoca
Special to the Herald
Dreams come true. For them to become a reality, one must work hard to accomplish and achieve those dreams. Patience, sacrifice and determination are necessary along the way. One must have hope, for hope does not disappoint. It will give us the strength to continue moving forward until we reach the fulfillment of our dreams.
The same is true with prayers. We must keep praying and do so with perseverance. We should be faithful and sincere in our prayers. The sincerity in our hearts becomes the pathway for the Lord to hear us, show mercy and answer our intentions.
When I joined the New 2024 Marian Pilgrimage in October of that year, I carried three heartfelt prayers and intentions with me: that my family would grow closer to God; that my son would find the right woman to be his partner in this life; and that I may be blessed with the opportunity to attend Mass officiated by his holiness, Pope Francis.
We visited, explored and enjoyed many historical and biblical sites, and attended several Mass celebrations during our trip to Portugal, Spain, France and Italy.
One particular meaningful moment struck me early in the pilgrimage, when we visited the Convento Santuario di San Pio da Pietrelcina in Italy. Inside the sanctuary was a room where a large cabinet showcased tiny, folded papers — the intentions of pilgrims from all over the world.
I took a piece of paper from my bag, wrote down my three heartfelt prayers and folded it, then prayed to the Lord asking that he may grant my intentions.
It has now been almost a year and a half since that meaningful moment. The Lord is truly good and full of grace: I have witnessed the transformation that has taken placed in my family, and his guidance continues.
The bond within my family has grown stronger, and our faith has become deeper. My daughter and her husband have been more active in church activities; the whole family attends Mass regularly; and my grandchildren participate in Bible classes and learning Scripture verses.
I also prayed that my son would find the right woman to become his wife. Not only did he find the right person, they got married last year and I will soon become a grandmother. It truly feels like a double blessing from the Lord.
Finally, my third prayer was to see and attend a Mass officiated by the pope. On Oct. 20, 2024, we went to Vatican City to join thousands of pilgrims from all over the world to attend Mass in St. Peter’s Square. A canonization also took place that day.
The crowd was enormous — larger than any gathering I had ever witnessed in my life. Even though we were seated at a distance, simply seeing Pope Francis in person was a priceless experience
We were also fortunate because our chaplain during the pilgrimage — Father Paul Li, pastor of St. Philomena Church in Salt Lake — was one of the concelebrants of the Mass. Our group felt a great sense of pride and excitement knowing that our very own from the Diocese of Honolulu was representing us during such a historic and sacred event.
As we approach the one-year anniversary of Pope Francis’ passing, we are reminded of the many contributions, acts of compassion and spiritual leadership he offered during his 12 years of faithfully serving the people of God.
Looking back, I can say that my dreams came true; my prayers were answered by the Lord. The spiritual experiences were unforgettable, and they remind me of the power of sincere prayer. Through this pilgrimage, I felt closer to God and strengthened my faith. It helped bring about the fulfillment of the prayers I carried in my heart.
Above: A large cabinet in a room at the Convento Santuario di San Pio da Pietrelcina features pilgrims’ prayers written on small pieces of paper. (Courtesy Caridad Namoca)