Head of Chaplaincy at Bonus Pastor Catholic College meets Pope Leo XIV
Amy Quinn shares her experience of meeting Pope Leo XIV
A story by Amy Quinn, Called to Teach Pilgrimager and Head of Chaplaincy at Bonus Pastor Catholic College
Hebrews 6:19 “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure”
"During this Jubilee Year of Hope I was privileged to be invited on the Call to Teach Pilgrimage 2025, which was an opportunity for young Catholic Teachers from all across the United Kingdom established by the Catholic Education Service.
"At the start of 2025 I was given the chance to apply to this amazing opportunity as I myself am a RE teacher in a Catholic secondary school in South-East London. Only 15 teachers from each jurisdiction (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) were successful in this application and I was very lucky to be one of them. The whole purpose of this pilgrimage was to strengthen and enhance our faith and our understanding of our vocations as teachers and to follow the footsteps of our ultimate teacher; Jesus Christ.
"We spent 8 days in Rome, Italy exploring the iconic sites where the foundation of our very faith began 2000 years ago. The highlight of this trip for all was the amazing opportunity we had to have a private papal audience with Pope Leo XIV on Saturday 5th July. Pope Leo addressed us teachers and thanked us for our services and asked us to instil in our students the skill of listening. Listening to our hearts, listening to the truth and listening to God in a time where he feels we all hear, but do not listen. This profound moment set up the tone for the rest of the experience. From visiting the 4 Holy Doors, to exploring all of the Basilicas to visiting crucial historical sites such as Pompeii and the WW2 Commonwealth cemetery we all felt such an overwhelming sense of grace and unity knowing that we were all there for the same purpose.
"I myself was privileged enough to altar serve in the church of St Mary Major, which gave me an overwhelming sense of purpose and joy. At the start of the Pilgrimage we were all strangers, but we left creating a community bond that we all believe is unbreakable and will last a lifetime. It truly was an experience of a lifetime that I feel unbelievably grateful for and would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to attend an experience like this, or on a small scale, to do so to enrich your life, your community ties and your own personal relationship with God."
Please pray for Amy and all the staff and pupils in the schools, sixth forms and colleges in our Archdiocese.
Photo credit: Vatican Media
