Dr. Christabel Quigley ’75 and Sue Mulderrig
In the Footsteps of St. Francis
Pilgrimage to Assisi
By Meghan Lewitt
M
ichele Hirsch recalls a day during
themselves,” said Dr. Macchiarola.
her 2002 pilgrimage to the
“Assisi is a holy city. The entire spirit
medieval town of Assisi, Italy,
of love and God permeates the place.
when she discovered a small chapel on a
Learning about the Franciscan way
hill overlooking the Basilica of St. Francis.
of life, right from the source, produces
“It was a quiet time to sit and think
an enormous positive result.”
about life, and everything that we had
The diversity and welcoming nature
learned. It was really a life-changer
of the city also reflect the values of the
for me,” said St. Francis’ Assistant
College, he noted.
Dean of Academic Affairs.
“It doesn’t matter what faith you’re
coming from as long as you’re open
to a different experience,” said Hirsch,
who is Jewish. “Franciscanism can be
for everybody… it’s a way of being and
interacting with the world.”
Pilgrimages for members of the
“Assisi is a holy city. The entire spirit of
love and God permeates the place. Learning
about the Franciscan way of life, right
from the source, produces an enormous
positive result.” — Frank J. Macchiarola ’62
The College was founded on the
teachings of St. Francis and the
St. Francis College community began the
following fall. And in 2002, a separate
trip that spans Christmas and New Year’s
was added, this one for students. So far,
31 students have made the pilgrimage
including 10 during the College’s 150th
Anniversary celebration in 2008.
Lauren Ventrone ’12 went on a
Franciscan values of hospitality, tolerance, and service. When
pilgrimage last December. She said the opportunity to walk in the
Brendan J. Dugan ’68 became President of St. Francis in 2008,
footsteps of St. Francis with other students who were facin r