Columban Competition: Looking Closer

Aleksandra Niklewska

The writer is a 14-year-old pupil at Loreto Grammar School in Altrincham. She was awarded second prize in the Columban Schools Competition 2025: 'Jubilee: Pilgrims of Hope'.

'Pilgrims of Hope', a phrase many of you will have been hearing for the past few months. But what does that mean to us? According to Cambridge Dictionary a Pilgrim is a "a person who makes a journey, often a long and difficult one, to a special place for religious reasons" This can lead to many probably thinking of great long pilgrimages to places such as the Holy Land, but I think we don't have to go that far. I think 'pilgrims' can be visible in our everyday life because a religious reason doesn't mean visiting a grand cathedral in the centre of Europe or trekking all the way to The Holy Land, but I believe it could be any travel that leads to good and a little more spark of joy in the world, any kind of community or person that helps someone, in public or in private

We see many communities in our day to day lives, whether it's in school for a charity, or an advert on a bus you see when going home, nevertheless we've all seen some kind of group that strives to make the world a better place. However, when was the last time you saw someone closer to home being praised for their actions? As I see it, the aim of this Jubilee Year isn't to raise awareness for those groups and charities who have plenty of it, but rather for those people who bring hope and aren't noticed as much, heroes who don't wear capes, if you will.

Each morning, I travel to school by public transport, which allows me to see over hundreds of people each day. Different colours of blazers merged together among the business ready adults, all ready for another day. Each with their own story, all with their own paths before we all land at the same stop.

According to the carers trust, around 10% of people are young carers. This means that on average I will see 10 young carers just on my way to school, not even counting those already at school that I will see later on in the day. The chances are that I will probably see at least 10, if not more carers within my normal day. Yet, they all have to complete all the same task as the rest of us. All the same homework, all the same travelling in addition to all the other burdens they have at home in helping someone. The way I see it is those people are Pilgrims of Hope themselves, as each day they continue with their day, with smiles on their faces, never giving up hope, although there are definitely many difficulties in their way.

Or maybe look even closer. People you know. Your family, your friends. Each day they go through their own struggles, yet they never refrain from helping you in your hard times and bringing you back on your feet. Who else do you go to if not them? From my point of view, there isn't much more to becoming a Pilgrim of Hope than helping the people around you, after all, isn't that what hope is?

As Pope Francis says 'We must fan the flame of hope', and it is possible to do that without having to give up so much of your time to go to beach clean-ups or charity event. I believe that to 'fan the flame of hope' all we need to do as a society is take care of each other by doing simple acts of kindness. And although that phrase may have been overused in the past, it's valuable to understand what we should do this year to truly bring the community together. After all, Jesus tells us the greatest commandment is to 'Love thy neighbour' and that's emphasised all throughout the scriptures. However, this year it should be brought to attention even more as we enter this year. Why? Because it's that door that you hold open in the morning and the smile to that lady on the way to the bus that can bring us together.

You can think of it as a chain reaction, you will make someone smile in the morning, and they do it to somebody at work. Then that person goes home and spreads it to their family, and this carries on for the rest of the day. Now notice how many people can have a brighter day just because of that small act in the morning. Without doing anything extraordinary, you have become a Pilgrim of Hope.

And that is my message to you all. Don't be bewildered by the phrase 'Pilgrims of Hope'. Don't think that it's something you can't do because it's too hard to do. This year, as Pope Francis writes, is a year for new life. So, begin slowly, and over time all your good deeds and actions that have brought but one smile into the world will grow and become bigger than you could ever imagine. A Pilgrim of Hope. Making the world closer together, one act at a time. "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer" Romans 12:12

LINK

Columban Competitions: www.columbancompetition.com