February 13, 2025 // Bishop

Seminarians Journey to ‘City of Churches’ for Jubilee Year

Clare Hildebrandt

Reporter

On Saturday, February 1, nearly 30 young men studying to become priests for the Congregation of Holy Cross travelled to Fort Wayne for a Jubilee Year pilgrimage.

“This was my first trip to Fort Wayne,” said Lane Poche, who, along with his fellow seminarians, studies at the congregation’s Moreau Seminary, which is located on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. “The whole day was filled with hope. It’s not often that we take a whole seminary pilgrimage, so it was special to see all of the cars filled with people going somewhere to pray together.”

Beginning at the Oratory of Mary Magdalene at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, the seminarians prayed a Holy Hour before meeting Bishop Rhoades at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for a detailed tour. They finished with lunch at the Archbishop Noll Catholic Center, where they ate pizza and chips.

Bishop Rhoades, giving many of the men their first taste of Fort Wayne history, showed off the historical elements of the cathedral, including the original crucifix that stands on the altar. At almost 200 years old, the cross was certainly venerated by first settlers of Fort Wayne, including converts from the Miami Nation of Indians. 

In the sacristy hangs the portraits of the nine bishops of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, beginning with Bishop John Henry Luers and ending with Bishop Rhoades himself, who shared detailed descriptions of each bishop and his legacy in the diocese. The seminarians were invited to go down to their graves in the crypt below the cathedral.

Afterwards, Bishop Rhoades celebrated Mass for the young men, urging them to “seek God’s love and mercy this Jubilee Year.”

Poche told Today’s Catholic that he loved the historical insights and took advantage of the opportunity to pray.

“I thought the cathedral was magnificent!” he said. “From the intricate woodwork behind the sanctuary to the Marian windows, I really enjoyed being there and taking it in. It was very special to be there with my community and pray with the bishop.”

“The city as a whole reminded me of South Bend, which I was not quite expecting,” Poche said. “Before going to the cathedral, we stopped at the Oratory of St. Mary Magdalene, and that little chapel blew me away. The stained-glass windows and extensive Song of Songs imagery were particularly moving.”

Plus, Poche added, “Me and the guys really had a blast … in the car for a couple hours.”

“We had some good conversations and listened to some good music. On the way back, I played my ‘optimal oldies’ playlist for a time which we had some fun with.”

In the end, Poche said the day helped him to feel more connected with the diocese in which Moreau Seminary resides.

“The pilgrimage helped me feel more a part of this great diocese,” Poche said. “It was nice to meet my bishop on a more personal level.”

Holy Cross Brother John Draves, who has professed temporary vows with the congregation, also made the trip down with his peers.

“My specific carpool was quite the group,” he said. “We had a finally professed Holy Cross priest, one of my novitiate classmates, and a postulant from France. Though it was early and cold when we left South Bend, we had a lively conversation all the way to Fort Wayne.”

The long drive led the brothers to have intimate conversations that may have not happened in normal social settings.

“Being trapped in a car with your Holy Cross brothers for two hours each way was a great time to have intentional conversations about what we have and are still committing ourselves to through our life in Holy Cross,” he said. 

“We talked about how the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception should hold a privileged place in the hearts and minds of the faithful as the symbol and manifestation of the local Church.”

Brother Draves, reflecting on Bishop Rhoades’ homily on the Jubilee Year of Hope, found the virtue of hope to be one of the most important in his life.

“Hope is huge in my life, precisely because I am a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross with the motto, Ave Crux Spes Unica, ‘Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope.’”

While the term “hope” is used frequently in modern culture, Brother Draves suggested there needs to be more meditation on its true meaning in relation to God.

“Hope is a confidence that ours is a God who has kept, does keep, and will keep His promises. Hope acknowledges that our God hears our pleas and responds to them even if we struggle to recognize those facts,” he said.

In the end, the pilgrimage filled with prayer, new insights, and a pizza lunch reinvigorated Brother Draves’ call to discipleship.

“Also, the sense of being a pilgrim of hope reinvigorates Pope Francis’ longstanding call to be missionary disciples,” Brother Draves said. “As pilgrims of hope, we are able to recognize the spiritual quest or journey that we are to make in confidence.”

Clare Hildebrandt is a staff reporter for Today’s Catholic.