On January 10, the pilgrimage of the relic of our beloved Saint Francisco Coll will begin. It will be a special moment for the whole congregation, an opportunity to draw closer to his example and renew our charism. Through this pilgrimage, we wish to strengthen communion among the people who are part of the Anunciata family and to live our faith more deeply. In the days leading up to the beginning, some simple reflections will be published to help us understand the meaning of this pilgrimage and its spiritual importance. We invite everyone to take part with joy, prayer, and a fraternal spirit on this shared journey of faith.
The pilgrimage of the relic of Saint Francisco Coll, which we as the Anunciata Family are preparing to experience, is not merely an organizational or devotional event, but a deeply spiritual, ecclesial, and missionary experience. To make pilgrimage with the relic of the founder places us, both symbolically and truly, on a journey, reminding us that our faith is dynamic, incarnate, and oriented toward an encounter with God and with our brothers and sisters.
- God Walks with His People
Pilgrimage is a constant image of the relationship between God and His people. From Abraham, called to leave his land (cf. Gen 12:1), to the people of Israel walking through the desert accompanied by God’s presence (cf. Ex 13:21), biblical faith is lived as a journey of trust. The people do not move forward alone: God goes before them, accompanies them, sustains them, and guides them.
The pilgrimage of the relic also leads us to the experience of the disciples on the road to Emmaus (cf. Lk 24:13–35). The risen Jesus walks with them, enlightens their story, and makes their hearts burn. In the same way, when we welcome the relic of Saint Francisco Coll, we do not venerate an object in itself, but rather recognize the action of God in a concrete life, a life that continues to accompany us and to help us reread our mission in the light of the Gospel.
The Bible also reminds us that we are “strangers and pilgrims” (1 Pet 2:11). Nothing is definitive; everything is a journey toward the Kingdom. The relic that passes from community to community reminds us that faith is not possessed but shared; it does not stop, it is handed on.
- Living Memory and Communion
The pilgrimage of a relic is understood in the light of the Incarnation and the communion of saints. God acts in history through concrete persons. In Saint Francisco Coll, God’s grace took shape in life, word, and mission. The relic is a sign of this living memory, not anchored in the past, but made present and active today.
The communion of saints reminds us that the Church is a living body, in which those who have gone before us in faith continue to accompany us. To make pilgrimage with the relic is to recognize that we do not walk alone, that we are part of a greater history, sustained by God’s fidelity and by the witness of those who lived the Gospel with radical commitment.
Moreover, the pilgrimage expresses a Church that goes forth, as Pope Francis invites us to be. The relic does not remain in a fixed place, but goes out to meet others, visiting communities, schools, parishes, and diverse realities. It is a theological sign of a faith that does not close in on itself, but is offered and shared.
- Proclaiming from Life
For the Anunciata Family, this pilgrimage has a profound charismatic meaning. Saint Francisco Coll was a passionate proclaimer of the Gospel, convinced that preaching must touch the mind, the heart, and life itself. His charism was not static, but itinerant, close to the people, and deeply engaged with the reality of his time.
The pilgrim relic challenges us to ask ourselves: how are we living the proclamation today? From where do we evangelize? What would Father Coll say to us today in the face of current challenges? The pilgrimage invites us to return to our sources, to rekindle our evangelizing passion, and to renew our identity as Anunciata: women and men called to proclaim Jesus through word and life.
This event also strengthens our sense of being a charismatic family. The relic unites us beyond geographical, cultural, or generational boundaries. Wherever it arrives, it reminds us that we share the same spirituality, the same mission, and the same horizon: to make the Kingdom of God present through preaching and service.
- Educating in Faith through Signs
In a world marked by image and experience, signs have great evangelizing power. The relic becomes a pedagogical resource that helps make faith visible, tell the story of Saint Francisco Coll, and show how God acts in people’s lives.
For children, young people, and adults, the pilgrimage can be a privileged opportunity to deepen values such as faith, self-giving, coherence of life, and commitment to those most in need. Through celebrations, moments of prayer, catechesis, and community gatherings, the relic becomes a means of transmitting the faith in a living and meaningful way.
This journey teaches us that holiness is possible, close at hand, and concrete. Saint Francisco Coll was not a distant hero, but a person who listened to God’s call and responded with fidelity. This message is especially valuable for young people today, who are called to discover their vocation and their place in the Church and in the world.
- A Journey That Transforms Us
The pilgrimage of the relic of Saint Francisco Coll does not end when the relic leaves a community. Its true fruit lies in what it awakens within us: deeper faith, stronger communion, and greater commitment to the mission. As the Anunciata Family, we are called to allow ourselves to be transformed by this experience, to walk together, and to renew our “yes” to the Gospel.
May this pilgrimage help us to live our vocation more deeply, to proclaim with joy, and to continue building, from the Anunciata charism, a living, close, and outward-looking Church. Saint Francisco Coll continues to walk with us; now it is up to us to continue walking with him, in service of the Kingdom.
