One of the elements of a Holy Year in the Catholic Church is pilgrimage. The pope opens the doors of Rome’s great basilicas. From across the world people travel to pass through those doors—to gain the indulgence of the holy year, a particular expression of God’s mercy.

But, every pilgrimage is more than a trip or a vacation. Lovely though it may be to see Rome or Jerusalem, Canterbury or Compostela, a good pilgrimage points to something deeper than holy places or sacred shrines. It tells us we’re pilgrims—from the moment of our baptism until the day we finally see God face to face.

Even the pilgrim who has passed the doors of St Peter’s or walked the long Camino to Santiago has more travels ahead.

That’s where we’re all pilgrims of hope this year. Maybe some of us will be blessed to see one or more of the world’s great churches. But, maybe our pilgrimage will take us more frequently to our own parish churches. Maybe it will lead to the confessional door. Maybe we’ll seek out shrines closer to home (Think of St. Elizabeth Seton in Emmitsburg or St. John Neumann in Philadelphia.).

Don’t forget that Pope Francis opened the doors of St Peter’s, St Mary Major, St Paul’s and St John Lateran—and then opened the door to a prison. Perhaps our pilgrimage draws to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, minister to the sick or the imprisoned. These opportunities are often closer than we can imagine.

Make it a truly holy year. Make it a good pilgrim way. Let it be a step closer to our home in God’s kingdom.