ASTON >> As she lies awake at night because of the pain so anguishing all she can do is pray, Paula Tiller hopes God will transform the agony she endures during her 100-mile walk to Philadelphia to see the pope into grace for her children.
Two years ago, the Maryland resident was in an automobile accident that requires her receiving attention several times a week, but she has not allowed that to prohibit her from joining Father Jack Lombardi and his group of 22 walking from the Archdiocese of Baltimore to attend Pope Francis’ Mass Sunday.
“We have 10 children,” the 50-year-old said of herself and her husband, Paul. “Three are with us. (Some are) married. Some have children. Some can’t have children, some are struggling in other areas. To me, I just feel that God’s grace is pouring into their lives with every sacrifice that I make.”
The itinerary is led by Father Jack, no stranger to the epic walks, having spearheaded other 100-mile walks to Baltimore and Washington from his parish, St. Peter Catholic Church, in Hancock, Md. previously.
“We are walking because pilgrimage is a tradition of the Bible of Christianity and our Catholic Church,” he said, adding, “Of course, the pope is coming.”
On Thursday night, the walkers arrived at Neumann University where Steve Bell, the university’s executive director of marketing & communications, met them outside Community Hall.
“Almost there,” Bell smiled.”Yes, amen,” Father Jack said. “Getting there. Thank you for having us.”
“It’s our pleasure to offer a little Franciscan hospitality,” Bell said.
“Amen,” Lombardi said. “Amen.”A few moments before they arrived, Bell spoke of what he hoped Neumann’s small bit of comfort would offer.
“We’re honored to welcome these pilgrims and they are pilgrims in the true sense who have walked many miles from Baltimore to see Pope Francis,” he said. “We hope our hospitality provides a little bit of encouragement as they near the last leg of their journey.”
Inside Neumann’s Community Hall 100 air mattresses were lined on the floor, some for this group and others for visitors from Iowa and Indiana who were expected to arrive later.
“Oh! Mattresses!” Kevin Brown, a walker and youth minister and confirmation coordinator for St. John Parish in Maryland, said.
He spoke of how the journey had been so far.
“It’s just a great opportunity to come together with the youth and have this unique experience,” Brown said, adding that the flow of generosity to and from the group has been powerful.
The students shared some of their trials and tribulations as they gathered for dinner.
“Well over the majority is uplifting and giving us thumbs up and waving and that’s encouragement, that’s encouragement,” 17-year-old Scott Sainz said.
Sitting with friends, Martin Webbert, 14, Timmy Rubeling, 19 and Stacey Link, 17, Sainz told of how the group came upon a car accident as they walked through Bel Air, Md. So, they walked up to the woman involved and prayed with her.
They had other opportunities to minister.
“We helped the homeless in Baltimore,” he said. “We’d give them water or something we had. You’d be surprised how much you run into just on the side of the street and how you can help and serve in many ways just by walking.”
They spoke of hills challenging to climb and motorists not too kind to see them.
They spoke of the overflowing generosity of others feeding them and housing them and moments they asked themselves, ‘What am I getting myself into?’
They recalled the hundreds of students at St. Ursula Catholic School who lined up to cheer them on their way and the bagpiper sendoff at Archbishop Carroll High School.
Each time someone took a moment to encourage them, they stored it in their hearts.
“When people drive past and honk their horns, we get a lot of people who do that,” Sainz said. “It reminds me of the families and everyone at home that believes in you, that’s praying for you. Every honk is a reminder that there’s people who want you to succeed.”
Dubbed the mother of the group, Tiller herself finds inspiration in the redemptive suffering on the cross.
“For me, the hardest obstacle to overcome has been physically,” she said. “I was in an automobile accident two years ago and … my tailbone is at an angle and it’s stuck. I’ve been seeing a chiropractor… two to three times a week. If he knew I was doing this, he would be very upset with me.
To persevere, Tiller has been wearing a back brace and two knee braces while trying to deal with the blisters.
But, that doesn’t ease the agony in the evening.
“At night, I wake up to some of the pain and I just pray through it,” she said. “By the morning, I’m a little stiff and then (it’s) overcoming that stiffness once we get walking.”
Yet, she expressed gratefulness for all those who have provided for her group and fueled hope for her motivation.
“It’s incredible,” she said. “It really is a great blessing. It’s just really exciting and I just feel the grace the whole way, this great anticipation building. It’s a tremendous blessing because I feel God’s grace on my family. The unity of the group and the beauty of the people lifts you up.”
