City of Saints | Reflections Post-Rome 2025

Every night before I go to bed, I recite a short litany of Saints to whom I have a particular devotion. St. Philip Neri, St. John Paul II, St. Augustine, and St. Maximilian Kolbe to name some of them. A few days into our time in Rome, I realized the proximity I had with these intercessors which enlivened my prayer. Rome is truly the city of Saints – the place where many martyrs’ blood was shed for the faith, where many were taught and formed in the faith, where they landed to begin their religious congregation, or even as simple as walking around doing their day to day routine. It is now the place where their canonization was declared, where many of their bodies are entombed, and in many cases where a basilica or church was built in their memory.

From where I was praying my nightly litany, across the street St. Philip Neri lived, celebrated his daily Masses, and founded his congregation. He then went on to build Chiesa Nuova where his body is resting which is less than a mile from where I was. The altar where St. Maximilian Kolbe celebrated his first Mass was just down the road from us. St. Augustine’s mother, St. Monica, is entombed in a beautiful church right next to the university where we were studying. And Pope St. John Paul II’s body is in a magnificent altar in St. Peter’s Basilica, which is probably the most frequented altar by the faithful and just about a mile away. This reality enlivened my prayer, and gave me a peace of mind that these Saints are truly among us and aiding me in my life, my discernment, and are safeguarding me always. Knowing their physical proximity truly emphasized their spiritual proximity to me.

And even more exciting is that these are just four of so many Saints who bless the hallowed city of Rome. Many times, I would just walk down the street and the open door of a church would catch my eye, and so I would pop in and see what was in there. Each church was even more beautiful than the previous, and typically had the body or major relics of a Saint. Stumbling into the tomb of an apostle was a welcomed frequent surprise.

Being surrounded by such a physical sense of holiness gave me such a peace of mind while on The Rome Experience and was such a surprising spiritual highlight for me. May these holy men and women continue to intercede for us, for Rome, and for Holy Mother Church!

Max Rettler
Archdiocese of Milwaukee