JOURNEY OF HOPE 2025

JOURNEY OF HOPE 2025

In 2024, we began a tradition in CFL to go on an annual pilgrimage in honor of our blessed Mother every 1^st day of the month of May. After last year’s successful Journey of Love Marian Pilgrimage, this year we embarked on another journey, a Jubilee Pilgrimage, entitled JOURNEY OF HOPE, inspired by the Jubilee Year theme “Pilgrims of Hope” declared by our late beloved Pope Francis.

On May 1, 2025, close to 300 pilgrims visited 5 Jubilee Churches in the Diocese of San Pablo, Laguna. Armed with rosaries, prayer booklets and bags of love offerings, CFL pilgrims marched into the churches praying for their personal intentions and seeking for plenary indulgences. Each of the churches had a beauty and meaningful history of its own. As a reminder of their visit, every pilgrim had their special CFL Pilgrim Passport stamped with each of the churches’ Jubilee Seal.

As expected, the day was sunny and warm. But more than the hot weather and the long day on the road, what remained etched in the heart was the joy and warmth brought about by the profound sense of unity, faith and hope shared among brethren. Hope for the world and our country for all its sufferings, hope for our community and families for all the challenges we face. As long as we journey together, united in faith, hope abounds.

Here are some testimonials from pilgrims who joined:

Bro. Chito Liban

“Glory to God for the wonderful gifts we received during the well-organized pilgrimage yesterday. What a fitting way to kick off the Marian month of May! We thank the Lord for the love, unity, peace, prayers, joy, charity, generosity, protection, good health, food and stories we experienced and shared that have given us spiritual fulfillment as members of a Community and as individual pilgrims in search of God’s divine purpose.”

Bro. Lito Gabriel

“Thank you to all the organizers of this very very very wonderful event! salamat po!maraming po kayong napangiti kahapon. dama sa puso ang kaligayahan nang mga sumama.”

Sis. Tess Garcia

“My experience is a mixture of faith, culture, and history. It also gave me an opportunity to connect with nature. It also fostereda sense of unity and purpose.”

Sis. Yvette Belen

“Ako po ay masaya dahil nakasama ako sa ganung activity.  Yung faith at hope na meron ako ay lalong tumibay.  Nadagdagan din  ang aking kaalaman sa history nang bawat simbahan na ating nabisita.”

Sis. Cora Bongato

Last year, I also joined the pilgrimage and experienced how difficult it is to participate with my situation. It's very challenging for me to sit and walk for long periods. I had a lot of pain during the pilgrimage, but I still joined because I know the blessings and grace God will give me if I participate. It's also an honor to lead the prayer at the first church we visited and to sing for our dear Mama Mary.“

“In this pilgrimage, yes, our faith was strengthened, but what was STRENGTHENED even more was the UNITY among us, that even though we came from different places and hardly knew each other on the pilgrimage, there were smiles, camaraderie, and love for each other because the Lord bound us all together to be united in doing His work. To God be the glory and Thank you my CFL family!”

Sis Aida Chiu

“Last year, I was not able to join the pilgrimage because of my mother’s condition. She was sick and I decided to go home to our province. Now, I am able to join our yearly pilgrimage and I am very happy because God answered my prayer. When we first visited the San Pablo Cathedral, I prayed for my petition. My son will get married in January 2026. One of my prayers is to bless them with a child. At the second church, St. Anthony de Padua, I wrote a letter of prayer for a request, and I prayed for my petitions. We then proceeded to the third church, and I continued praying for my concerns and petition. When I entered the last church, unfortunately, we didn’t hear the homily of the mass. But still, I prayed for my petition. After the mass, the priest accommodated us for some picture taking. He jokingly said to me “magkaka anak kayo”. I was surprised! God answered my prayer. I know this is his message for me. Thank you Lord. Thank you Mama Mary.”

Sis. Rose Segundo

“Salamat po sa inyong lahat.. Subrang na feel ko ng buong puso ang ganitong gawain na minsan di po sumagi sa isip ko na mararanasan kupa ang ganitong gawain.”

Bro. Saylon

“We join other pilgrimages, and my first time to join CFL Pilgrims, pero ito ang pinaka organize na nasamahan ko. Our fellow CFL's ay parang Kilala ka na because of those smiles given to you pag nasasa lubong mo Sila. I was not able to prepare my baon na food for the trip only water but nabusog Ako, food is coming every where, mostly every one share their baon.

That's the essence of Pilgrims to unite, reflect, think, learned let go and forgive. And Apply in our lives what we experienced and learned from it. In His eyes we all equal. We are not weighed according to what we have but rather on what we share and do.”

Bro. Ching Lota

“Marami na ring pilgrimage akong nasamahan at madalas kong napakinggan ang history at kuwento ng mga Santo. Honestly, ngayon ko lang nalaman ang mga magulang ni Mama Mary, Saints Joachim and Anne.”