History is being made right now, as I type this!
The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, which started on May 18th is on the move and the momentum is undeniable.
Four routes are making a literal cross across the United States, all coming together on July 17th in Indianapolis for the first National Eucharistic Congress in 83 years! This event is the culmination of the three year Eucharistic Revival, which started in 2022, called for by the bishops of the U.S.
The Marian Route from the North started from the Mississippi Headwaters, Lake Itasca, MN and are currently in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee (our home Archdiocese!!). This route notably gathered 7,000+ pilgrims in downtown Minneapolis and 2,000+ pilgrims at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion, in Champion, WI. The pictures of these Eucharistic processions are phenomenal! (Check out Instagram!)
The St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Route from the East started in New Haven, CT and are currently in the Diocese of Steubenville, OH (Wowza, WHAT an event THAT would be!) They notably processed across the Brooklyn Bridge and through Central Park to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan.
The St. Juan Diego Route from the South started in Brownsville, TX, and soon after passed through Corpus Christi. They are currently in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, GA.
And last but not least the longest route, the St. Junipero Serra Route from the West, which started in San Francisco, CA, traveling across the Golden Gate Bridge then up to the city of Sacramento, named after the Blessed Sacrament. They are currently in the Diocese of Lincoln, NE. On this route Jesus crossed beautiful Lake Tahoe on a three hour boat ride!
The kids and I had the amazing privilege of spending Thursday morning with the pilgrims at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Kewaskum.
The church was packed! It was a rainy morning and the Fr. Patrick warned us that they would have to make a game-time decision whether or not we would have the Eucharistic procession after Mass as planned or if the rain would lead us to having Adoration in the church instead.
Upon hearing this, I’m sure I’m not the only one who prayed that God would miraculously move the clouds around Kewaskum, opening the skies for our holy procession. If God can part the Red Sea, surely he can part the skies for 45 minutes, right?
It was a beautiful Mass! Those of us attending at 7:45am on a Thursday were thrilled to be there praising God for this moment in history together. The excitement and anticipation was phenomenal!
At the end of Mass, whispers were happening on the altar, and then without any official announcement the priests just started preparing their vestments for the Eucharistic procession. You could feel the collective appreciation for this opportunity. The clouds were being held back for us! Praise Jesus!!
We filed out following sweet Jesus in the monstrance, singing and praying in adoration around the streets of Kewaskum. We passed businesses and homes, as do most Eucharistic processions. People stopped and prayed as we passed by. We even waved at a young girl watching curiously from her window.
I couldn’t help but savor this moment. We were witnessing and participating in a historical moment, this National Eucharistic Pilgrimage.
Jesus is alive! He is here, in our midst!
It’s undeniable that our culture has been actively working to remove Christ from our society for decades (centuries!). It’s obvious and sneaky all at the same time. And yet, that doesn’t change the fact that He is alive and on the move.
Tears came easy as we walked around this small Wisconsin village.
We shared the experience with our dear friends, the Schneider family, who are parishioners of Holy Trinity. Their daughter Isla were among the girls who led the procession, lining the sidewalks and streets with flower petals. Simply beautiful!
Nikki Scheider shared with me afterwards,
“Anyone who’s read John 6 can’t deny Jesus’ true presence in the Eucharist. It’s evident in how when he told His disciples this truth, many left Him… many no longer followed Him. Instead of re-explaining, perhaps changing His teaching to bring them back, Jesus doubled down on this truth. He lost many because of it, He grieved many…. just as He grieves today over the many Catholics and other religions who can’t and won’t accept Him in the Blessed Sacrament.
This revival and all of these processions are our chance to make up for what the early disciples didn’t do. It’s our chance to follow Jesus, not just to Indianapolis where thousands of Catholics will study and worship Him, but also to our true home in Heaven. Jesus is alive and well; not only in every tabernacle of every Catholic church across the world, but He is now processing with His people all across our country.
I couldn’t help but feel the enormity of this moment in history, as my family and I followed Jesus, with tears of joy flowing from my eyes. I kept praying in my heart, ‘Lord, I love you, I’ll follow you anywhere.’ I pray every Christian will come to know Him and love Him in the Eucharist, and we’ll experience the unity that Jesus wanted for His church as we journey towards our true home in eternity.”
So beautifully articulated! 💛
Our twelve-year-old son Ben commented, “I like how the pilgrimage has incorporated the small parishes on their journey, not just the large cathedrals. Everyone is included!”
Our ten-year-old daughter Virginia shared, “I like how we got to see Jesus in a seatbelt in a van.”
Yes, this was fascinating. At the end of the Eucharistic procession around the village, the pilgrims (a combination of 5-6 lay young adults and a few priests who are making the entire two month pilgrimage together) systematically packed their trailer being pulled by their van, locked the monstrance in it’s designated spot, filed into their spots reverently, and drove off to their next spot, as we all kneeled and prayed.
We were all left changed. As the van pulled off, a woman whom I’ve never met before and I made eye contact. We both shook our heads in disbelief of what we can just experienced and she said the only word that seemed appropriate… “WOW!”
Jesus changes us and He will continue to with each Eucharistic experience we have.
Case in point… I have been struggling with some heavy fear, so much so that it’s been affecting my day-to-day, absorbing my thoughts when I wake and stealing my peace. It’s been pretty constant for a while, to be honest.
I am no longer feeling this fear!
It went away THAT morning.
It is explainable.
There are special graces being poured out in these experiences on this pilgrimage -thousands and thousands of people receiving graces and love beyond our human understanding!
Praise Jesus forever and ever. You are on the move – today and always!
💛 Amen!
