Participants on the four routes started the journey the weekend of Pentecost
SAN FRANCISCO — Eight young adults embarked on the journey of a lifetime Pentecost Sunday, led by San Francisco’s archbishop holding Jesus in the Eucharist. They crossed the Golden Gate Bridge to start a 2,200-mile evangelizing pilgrimage across the United States to Indianapolis.
At Mass before the procession on May 19, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone called for the pilgrims in this public act of faith to follow Jesus Christ in His “way of love.”
“If we are public about our faith, displaying it by righteous living,” Archbishop Cordileone said, “then others will perceive in us something different: a better way to live. And this is the most important meaning of the power of faith to change history. The power to change the history of individual lives, bringing them into the saving encounter with Jesus Christ and knowing His love, grace, truth and freedom.”
The Mass and procession started the St. Junipero Serra Route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, an eight-week journey with the Eucharist from four directions across the U.S. All routes started May 18-19, Pentecost weekend. The other three routes started in Brownsville, Texas; New Haven, Connecticut; and Lake Itasca, Minnesota.
The pilgrimage is part of the National Eucharistic Revival, a three-year initiative launched in 2022 by the U.S. bishops to inspire a deeper love and reverence for Jesus in the Eucharist.
The pilgrimage routes trace what organizers call “a sign of the cross over the nation,” over a combined 6,500 miles across 27 states and 65 dioceses through the countryside, small towns and large cities — often on foot, always with the Eucharist — until they converge in Indianapolis for the July 17-21 National Eucharistic Congress.
After leading about 1,000 pilgrims across the Golden Gate Bridge, Archbishop Cordeleone raised the monstrance and blessed the city with the Eucharist from a vista point across from the city.
He blessed the faithful who had crossed the bridge with him and the perpetual pilgrims who would continue to journey with the Eucharist to Indianapolis.
Marian Route: A call to holiness and an intimate walk in the woods with Jesus
Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minn., blessed pilgrims with the Eucharist at the headwaters of the Mississippi River May 19 for the launch of the Marian Route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage.
LAKE ITASCA, Minn. — At an unassuming stream 18 feet wide, Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens held high a monstrance on the afternoon of May 19 and made the sign of the cross over the people gathered at the headwater of the Mississippi River.
Here at the start of the Mississippi River, the bishop of Crookston, Minnesota, carrying Jesus in the Eucharist, turned onto a trail into the woods of Itasca State Park, followed by pilgrims whose hymns and psalms were punctuated by long periods of meditative silence — and short bursts of rain from the cloudy gray sky.
“Brothers and sisters, the revival has to begin with you and me, and has to begin with our repentance, humbling ourselves, turning from our sin,” Bishop Cozzens told an estimated 2,500 people gathered for the outdoor Mass.
As the pilgrims meandered with the Eucharist through the woods, cyclists and hikers respectfully stopped and waited for the procession to pass. Some, like Tom and Jeanne Young, dropped to their knees.
“You recognize that Jesus is really present, and here He is right with us,” Jeanne Young said.
St. Juan Diego Route: ‘The Spirit moves us to join Christ’
Pilgrims followed Bishop Daniel E. Flores as he carried the monstrance through the streets of Brownsville, Texas, May 19 from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception to Sacred Heart Mission. The procession kicked off the St. Juan Diego Route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage.
Pilgrims and other faithful gathered under blue skies in the south Texas heat for the launch of the St. Juan Diego Route.
A Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Brownsville marked the start of the pilgrimage route named for St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, the Indigenous Catholic visionary who saw Our Lady of Guadalupe and had a deep devotion to the Eucharist.
About 350-500 people joined the day’s observances, according to a diocesan official.
Jaime Reyna, part of the National Eucharistic Congress’ planning team, said that organizers had not expected “to have hundreds of people walk in the Texas heat, and yet people did, and people were just wanting to keep walking, and keep walking.”
“It was just amazing to see that,” he said.
Seton Route: Hearts burning for the Eucharist
Father Roger Landry carried the monstrance as a Eucharistic procession arrived at the harbor in Bridgeport, Conn., from New Haven, Conn., May 19. The procession was a part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage’s eastern St. Elizbeth Ann Seton Route.
On the day of the pilgrimage’s eastern route launch in New Haven, Connecticut, perpetual pilgrim Natalie Garza said her heart was burning.
At a May 18 presentation at the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center, she shared her desire to “witness with my body the truth that I have professed with my words many times, that Jesus Christ is really present in the Eucharist.”
Under a gray sky and occasional cold drizzle, scores of Catholics in New Haven, Connecticut, sang and prayed while processing the Eucharistic, held by Father Roger Landry, a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, and chaplain at Columbia University.
Eucharistic pilgrimage events in St. Louis
The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage’s Junipero Serra Route will pass through the Archdiocese of St. Louis July 5-7. Local events include:
July 5: Pilgrims will pray a Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 p.m. at St. Charles Borromeo Church in St. Charles, followed by a walk to the Shrine of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne and then processing with the Blessed Sacrament to St. Peter Church in St. Charles for a meal. The evening will include praise and worship, eucharistic adoration and Benediction, and testimony from the pilgrims.
July 6: The pilgrims will do a day of service with the Missionaries of Charity. They will serve food, followed by a 1 p.m. Holy Hour presided by Auxiliary Bishop Mark S. Rivituso and a blessing and delivery of Boxes of Mercy assembled by parishes to refugee families. Bishop Rivituso will celebrate a 5 p.m. Mass at St. Matthew the Apostle Church, with a reception to follow.
July 7: The pilgrims will attend 10 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, presided by Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski. They will then process with the Blessed Sacrament to St. Stephen Protomartyr Church for adoration and a reception before crossing into Illinois.
Registration is requested for some of the events. For more information, see stlreview.com/3vgZwy3.
