Fr. Looney describes his first-ever trip to the center of the Catholic Church
By Fr. Edward Looney | For On Mission
Our Lady has a way of surprising us when we least expect it. As someone who has long studied and written about Mary, I thought I knew what to expect on a pilgrimage. Yet during my first visit to Rome, she had several surprises waiting for me.
Those who are familiar with my writings or speaking know that I am a strong devotee of Our Lady. I have studied and written about her extensively and visited many shrines dedicated to her. Those travels have taken me all over the world, including Spain, Portugal, France, England, Ireland, and Mexico, to name only a few places. One place absent from this list until September was Italy.
For at least two years, I had the first two weeks of September 2025 blocked out on my calendar to attend the meeting of the Pontifical International Marian Academy (PAMI). Since it was a jubilee year, it seemed like an appropriate time to make my first trip to Rome and attend with other Marian scholars from the United States. The meeting focused on Synodality and Jubilee. Each day, there were morning conferences translated into multiple languages and, in the afternoon, language sessions with presentations from various individuals. The PAMI meeting included a special evening Rosary service at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, held after hours. Participants had full access to the basilica for prayer and exploration.
My interest in Marian theology began while I was in the seminary. It was during that time that the Champion apparition was approved by Bishop David Ricken in 2010. Since high school, I have kept tabs on the Mariological Society of America (MSA), an academic association that promotes Marian studies. I remember looking at the MSA website when I was in high school and had to look up what certain words like exegesis meant.
As I went off to college and seminary at Conception Seminary College, I remember discovering the MSA’s journal, “Marian Studies,” in the library. I started checking the volumes out, one by one, perusing, reading and attempting to understand the highly academic language. An essay by Dr. Virginia Kimball on the eschatological dimension of the Assumption stands out in my mind to this day.
In 2010, when I looked at the MSA website, I noticed the topic was “Mary in the United States and Canada, up until 1900.” I thought a perfect topic would be the Champion apparition. I wrote my first proposal, and to my surprise, it was accepted. With the help of Br. Thomas Sullivan, OSB, at Conception Seminary College, I began writing my first academic paper presentation. I have gone on to deliver four more papers since 2011. I maintained an interest after my first meeting and returned for my second in 2014, when it was held at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, and I have attended every year since. I was soon elected to a leadership role in 2016. In 2020, I became the vice president of MSA, and in 2022, I became the president.
I was quite surprised during the last day of the PAMI meeting when I was informed that I would become a corresponding member of PAMI. One has to be nominated for membership, and I still consider myself quite young as a scholar, with much more to research, learn, study and write.
The meeting took place September 3-6. I was made aware of another surprise in the summer, when it was announced that the postponed canonizations of St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati would be rescheduled for September 7. I didn’t have a strong personal devotion to either. I was aware of them and appreciated their lives and contributions. As the saying goes, when in Rome… so, I made plans to attend the canonization Mass and registered for a concelebration ticket.
I was surprised to run into a priest from seminary that I had not seen since those days. We ended up sitting next to each other, catching up on life and ministry before Mass. As Pope Leo pronounced the two blesseds as saints, tears began to roll down my face. It was an incredibly profound moment of earth reaching up to heaven. Even after the canonization Mass, I would tear up when I talked about it. I pray for and hope for the canonization of several individuals, such as Fr. Willie Doyle, Blessed Solanus Casey and Adele Brice. If I am blessed enough to be in Rome on their canonization days, I cannot even imagine what that will be like, given this experience.
While at the canonization Mass, I came to understand why we needed St. Carlo. Personally, I believed his cause was rushed, but as I stood there, I realized we need a saint like him today to speak to the hearts of young people. Here’s a young guy who prayed at Church, went to adoration, recited the Rosary and lived a holy life. He reminds us that we can be holy and choose to be a saint in the ordinariness of our own lives. Lest we forget St. Pier Giorgio, the same is true of him and his incredible love and outreach to the poor.
My love for the Blessed Mother and my involvement in associations that study her brought me to Italy. I received many graces during my pilgrimage. I visited Mary’s house in Loreto. I had the tremendous gift of praying at the tombs of St. Gaspar del Bufalo, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, and St. Carlo, among so many others. I am grateful for all the surprises that I received and experienced. Through it all, I can appreciate even more the title “Queen of All Saints” from The Litany of Loreto. My Queen brought me to Rome to fall more in love with our Catholic faith and new saints. For this, I am truly grateful.