Magis Immersion Seminar: Walking in the Footsteps Of St. Ignatius

By Yasin Khan (SFS’26)

This was one of the first pictures that I took while on the pilgrimage. I felt going to the Guggenheim was a very fitting first destination because of how tired we all were. We had just landed in Bilbao, and everyone was heavily jet-lagged, yet still we all pushed through it for the experience of going to the Guggenheim. This embodied much of our experience during the trip, especially for me. I would be on little sleep every day, but would still push through for the sake of the experience. This picture further represents the weather that we encountered while on the pilgrimage. The forecast said it would be cloudy and rainy, but we still had glimpses of sunny, warm days.

This was a very personal picture for me. As a graduating senior, it was a very surreal moment seeing these books. These were the stories that Ignatius would read while he was convalescing in Loyola. I think when I saw these for the first time, I felt my Jesuit Education was finally coming to an end by going to the actual place that was the basis of my entire college education. Hearing about all the Jesuit stories all these years has really put into perspective how important these books are for my life. Had Ignatius not encountered those books, his path—and mine—might have unfolded very differently. In many ways, they helped set in motion the journey that eventually led me to Georgetown and shaped who I am today.

Montserrat was really a one-of-a-kind experience for our entire class during the trip. It was by far the quietest two days during spring break as we stayed entirely in Santa Maria de Montserrat Benedictine abbey, a monastery in the mountains. This was definitely my favorite part of the pilgrimage. 

When we first arrived, I was a bit confused about how we would spend two days here because there was really not much to do. The unexpected turn in the weather altered our plans, making the hike we had intended no longer possible. Despite this, there was a distinct beauty in the quiet and in the fog. The low visibility reshaped the surroundings, creating an atmosphere marked by stillness and a surprising sense of peace. In the image, the fog diffuses the streetlights, leaving only one clearly defined. What at first appears limiting begins to offer a different kind of beauty, once the moment is accepted.

It would feel incomplete to present this pilgrimage without including the Sagrada Familia. This church stands not only as the most striking sacred space I have encountered, but also as one of the most remarkable architectural works I have experienced.

This picture represents exactly what I saw when I first looked up at the Church. It was so grand and unique that it took me a solid five seconds to fully process everything that was going on in the church. The tall tree-like beams and the canopy roof emulate how the architect, Antonini Gaudí was able to use nature to guide his artistic design. 

At the same time, the presence of so many visitors made visible a quiet tension within the space. Though it is a consecrated church, it is also experienced by many as a destination. This raises a lingering question about how such a place continues to hold its identity as a sacred space, even as it welcomes the attention of the wider world.

This final image from the pilgrimage captures a group of people who became a meaningful part of my experience. Mark, my roommate and close friend prior to the trip.  Getting to spend our last spring break together in Spain made this a genuinely special experience. 

I got to know Fr. Greg and Abby during the pilgrimage. Over the course of our time together, what began as shared travel grew into genuine friendship. Fr. Greg often joined Mark and me in long conversations about music and movies. Who knew a Jesuit could be so cool! Abby was so much fun to hang out with during the trip. She is Jewish, and we were able to have many long conversations about what our identities meant to us while on a Catholic trip. In fact, everyone in this picture is of a different faith background. Mark is Hindu, I am Muslim, Fr. Greg is Catholic, and Abby is Jewish.

Yasin Khan SFS’26 is studying international economics and psychology.