2013 was a year of invitation, listening, trusting and seeking. For months, before this trip, I kept feeling like I was to go to Assisi to be there to experience and photograph Pope Francis’ first visit to Assisi. My husband, Ken was unable to go due to work commitments. We discussed it again 10 days before Pope Francis was to be there for the Feast of St. Francis. The deep desire would not leave me alone.

After prayer and reflection, my husband said “I think you should go to Assisi. Margo might go with you.” That’s Margo in the red shirt holding the Papal Flags in Assisi.

I planned our trip in a couple of days. We got the best flight prices we have ever had, we were only a few feet away from Pope Francis as he gave us a blessing, and I found a private driver to take us to the many places I want to photograph that were important in the life of St. Francis. Little did I know that after visiting and photographing all of these places, they were to be our pilgrimage sites in two and a half years.