HOW RYAN TURNS HIS BUSINESS TRIPS INTO PILGRIMAGES
Sorrowful Mother Shrine, Bellevue, Ohio
Basilica of Saint John the Baptist, Canton, Ohio
Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, Cleveland, Ohio
Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe, Dallas, Texas
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, New Jersey
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden, New Jersey
Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit, Michigan
High Cathedral of Saint Peter, Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
O
HOW RYAN TURNS HIS BUSINESS TRIPS INTO PILGRIMAGES
22
TOM GENNARA
THE JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY COMMENCED WHEN POPE FRANCIS OPENED THE HOLY DOOR OF ST. PETER’S BASILICA ON DEC. 8, 2015. THE FOLLOWING WEEK, ALL THE HOLY DOORS IN CATHEDRALS AND DESIGNATED CHURCHES AROUND THE WORLD OPENED TO PILGRIMS.
Holy Doors of Mercy across the world BY EMILY LENHARD
R
yan Schweitzer, a recent convert and parishioner of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Flushing, walked through a Holy Door in Switzerland last spring on a pilgrimage with Father Gordon Rei-
gle, pastor of St. Robert and Good Shepherd Parish in Montrose. That gave him an idea. Ryan travels often for his job as a quality analyst for General Motors. He decided this presented an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. He set a goal of visiting 79 Holy Doors, equal to the age of Pope Francis, before the Year of Mercy comes to a close on Nov. 20. As of print time, Ryan had visited 56 Holy Doors, and is still on schedule to be able to visit at least 79 by Nov. 20. Ryan has kept a journal of his travels and shared his experiences on social media. He shared some of his photos of the Holy Doors he has visited with FAITH.
FAITH Magazine | NOVEMBER 2016 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM
HOLY DOOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN SCHWEITZER
Sa Ca
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Peter, ate,
Our Mother of Mercy, Fort Worth, Texas
Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Basilica of the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Emmitsburg, Maryland
Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, Frederick, Maryland
Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, Carey, Ohio
Cathedral of Saint Andrew, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Basilica of Saint Mary of the Assumption, Marietta, Ohio
Historic Saint Mary’s Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
WHAT ARE HOLY DOORS?
These doors are not just for you. There’s been so many instances – almost all these churches that I’ve gone to – where something has happened, where I’ve been reminded that this is more than just a checklist. This is a spiritual development.” – Ryan Schweitzer
DON QUILLAN
Holy Doors throughout the world were opened during this Jubilee Year of Mercy. When they opened at the beginning of the year, "The Holy Door (became) a Door of Mercy through which anyone who enters will experience the love of God who consoles, pardons and instills hope.” Since each diocese opened a Door of Mercy, all members of the faithful have the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to their local Holy Door during the Jubilee. This pilgrimage is to be a journey of walking closer with God and discovering "moment[s] of grace and spiritual renewal." These doors are symbols of God's mercy, open to welcome everyone into the compassion of God's love that Christ proclaimed. (USCCB)
In December of 2015, Bishop Boyea opened the Year of Mercy Holy Door, the Porta Sancta, at St. Mary Cathedral in Lansing. Bishop said, “Let us pray this will be an opportunity for many graces and blessings on our diocese.”
It’s not like a checklist of just marking off these visitation sites, and I don’t want to confuse the reason of why I go to the churches. When I visit, I try to attend Mass. If I can’t attend Mass, I try to at least walk the Stations of the Cross, or take an opportunity to meditate and pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. I want to make it more than treating it as a tourist site.” – Ryan Schweitzer 23
Basilica of Saint John the Baptist, Canton, Ohio
Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, Cleveland, Ohio
Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe, Dallas, Texas
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, New Jersey
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden, New Jersey
Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit, Michigan
High Cathedral of Saint Peter, Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
O
HOW RYAN TURNS HIS BUSINESS TRIPS INTO PILGRIMAGES
22
TOM GENNARA
THE JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY COMMENCED WHEN POPE FRANCIS OPENED THE HOLY DOOR OF ST. PETER’S BASILICA ON DEC. 8, 2015. THE FOLLOWING WEEK, ALL THE HOLY DOORS IN CATHEDRALS AND DESIGNATED CHURCHES AROUND THE WORLD OPENED TO PILGRIMS.
Holy Doors of Mercy across the world BY EMILY LENHARD
R
yan Schweitzer, a recent convert and parishioner of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Flushing, walked through a Holy Door in Switzerland last spring on a pilgrimage with Father Gordon Rei-
gle, pastor of St. Robert and Good Shepherd Parish in Montrose. That gave him an idea. Ryan travels often for his job as a quality analyst for General Motors. He decided this presented an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. He set a goal of visiting 79 Holy Doors, equal to the age of Pope Francis, before the Year of Mercy comes to a close on Nov. 20. As of print time, Ryan had visited 56 Holy Doors, and is still on schedule to be able to visit at least 79 by Nov. 20. Ryan has kept a journal of his travels and shared his experiences on social media. He shared some of his photos of the Holy Doors he has visited with FAITH.
FAITH Magazine | NOVEMBER 2016 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM
HOLY DOOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN SCHWEITZER
Sa Ca
o
Peter, ate,
Our Mother of Mercy, Fort Worth, Texas
Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Basilica of the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Emmitsburg, Maryland
Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, Frederick, Maryland
Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, Carey, Ohio
Cathedral of Saint Andrew, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Basilica of Saint Mary of the Assumption, Marietta, Ohio
Historic Saint Mary’s Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
WHAT ARE HOLY DOORS?
These doors are not just for you. There’s been so many instances – almost all these churches that I’ve gone to – where something has happened, where I’ve been reminded that this is more than just a checklist. This is a spiritual development.” – Ryan Schweitzer
DON QUILLAN
Holy Doors throughout the world were opened during this Jubilee Year of Mercy. When they opened at the beginning of the year, "The Holy Door (became) a Door of Mercy through which anyone who enters will experience the love of God who consoles, pardons and instills hope.” Since each diocese opened a Door of Mercy, all members of the faithful have the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to their local Holy Door during the Jubilee. This pilgrimage is to be a journey of walking closer with God and discovering "moment[s] of grace and spiritual renewal." These doors are symbols of God's mercy, open to welcome everyone into the compassion of God's love that Christ proclaimed. (USCCB)
In December of 2015, Bishop Boyea opened the Year of Mercy Holy Door, the Porta Sancta, at St. Mary Cathedral in Lansing. Bishop said, “Let us pray this will be an opportunity for many graces and blessings on our diocese.”
It’s not like a checklist of just marking off these visitation sites, and I don’t want to confuse the reason of why I go to the churches. When I visit, I try to attend Mass. If I can’t attend Mass, I try to at least walk the Stations of the Cross, or take an opportunity to meditate and pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. I want to make it more than treating it as a tourist site.” – Ryan Schweitzer 23
