Dear Friends,
In the Middle Ages, the Church encouraged people to make journeys to the holy shrines, often places of healing. These were called pilgrimages. In our times, many so called “pilgrimages” are actually “tours.” What is the difference between a pilgrimage and a tour? The destination and its effect on the traveler. A pilgrim undertakes a spiritual journey to grow in relationship with God, to encounter God and to be transformed. As Psalm 46 so aptly states, “when will I come to the end of my pilgrimage and enter the presence of God?”
I recently watched (again) the movie For Greater Glory. This epic film describes the persecution of the Catholic Church in Mexico during the 1920’s – the Cristeros Rebellion. This uprising was in response to the anticlerical policies of Mexican President Plutarco Calles who sought to crush religious freedom. A young teenager, Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio, emerges as a modern-day Saint Tarcisius, the third century teenage martyr who, while bringing the Blessed Sacrament to a group of prisoners, was beaten by a group of boys intent on stealing the Eucharist. Saint Tarcisius defended the Eucharist with his life.
St. Jose had a deep devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, prayed the rosary daily and encouraged other children to join him in making holy hours before the Blessed Sacrament. Joining the Cristeros at the age of 14, he was captured by the federal troops in 1928. He was put to death for refusing to renounce his faith. After the soles were sliced from his feet (a common method of torture imposed on the Cristeros), St. Jose was forced to walk to his execution where he was bayonneted and shot. His last words were “Long live Our Lady of Guadalupe! Long live Christ the King!” He was beatified in 2005 and canonized in 2016. His final moments, in fact his entire life, were a pilgrimage, a journey with the Lord who was waiting for him with the martyr’s crown at the end of the journey.
Love for Jesus in the Blessed spans all nationalities, ages and time periods. In a few short months, pilgrims from across the United States will gather for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, July 17-21. This will be preceded by the largest Eucharistic pilgrimage in history, taking place from Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2024, to the eve of the Eucharistic Congress, July 16, 2024. From four corners of the country pilgrims and our Eucharistic Lord will stop in numerous cities and at important shrines along the way.
Last week the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage website listed the stops which pilgrims will make on their respective routes as they trek to Indianapolis. Complete information on these four routes can be found at https://www.eucharisticpilgrimage.org/ EWTN, a partner with the National Eucharistic Revival, will provide up to date coverage of the pilgrimage as well as coverage of the Eucharistic Congress.
Depending on your circumstances, you may want to consider making a pilgrimage as a family without venturing too far! You can visit the website https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/post/eucharistic-processions-and-pilgrimages-for-children to obtain free resources such as a Summer Bucket List, a Pilgrimage Passport, and a Eucharistic Procession Model Set. On the website you can also find discussion questions and ideas for pilgrimage-themed family activities.
Enjoy a fruitful Lenten Season! Enrich this experience by subscribing to the Heart of the Revival Newsletter and Lenten Prayer Companions. Wishing you God’s abundant blessings as we strive to deepen our relationship with our Eucharistic Lord. He is our journey! He is our destination!
Prayerfully in the Holy Family,
Sr. M. Marcella Louise Wallowicz, CSFN
