Experiencing the Eucharistic Pilgrimage

Kate Taliaferro reflects on her family’s experience with the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and the lessons they learned about following Jesus.

Our family was so blessed to be able to participate in the Eucharistic Pilgrimage that journeyed through the United States these past weeks. Our diocese fell along the Western (Serra) Route and we hosted the Eucharist for two Emmaus Days. Just as the disciples walked with Jesus, so too we had the opportunity to walk with Jesus in procession with our community.

A Long History

The Church has a long history of pilgrimages and processions. The practice of processions, be they within the context of the Mass or for other liturgical moments, has been a part of worship from the beginning. We can think about the processions detailed in the Old Testament with the Ark of the Covenant and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem as foundational for processions as they evolved throughout the centuries. Pilgrimages, too, have been a part of Christian life from a very early point. There are surviving descriptions from the fourth century documenting pilgrimages to the Holy Land.

This year, the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage was the first of its kind in the United States. The website put together by National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is full of fabulous information about the routes taken, the nature of the pilgrimage and processions, and the importance of the Eucharist. From the website:

A pilgrimage is the simultaneous movement of the feet and the soul — a journey mad both externally and internally … The value of a pilgrimage is not the distance traveled but in the disposition of our own hearts and the zeal with which we seek God.

From the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry, He called His followers to pilgrimage. “Come follow me” had both physical and spiritual implications. This call hasn’t changed, and there are some people who still radically live out both aspects of it. Missionaries and certain religious orders come to mind: men and women who leave everything behind to go and follow God’s calling in vast and various places. For many of the laity, however, there may appear to be less opportunities to live this physical sense of following Jesus.

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(July 16, 2024) The final approach of the Seton (Eastern) Pilgrimage to the site of the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, IN.

Walking With Jesus

This Eucharistic Pilgrimage provided the US faithful an incredible opportunity to concretely live the experience of walking with Jesus and following where He led. There were pilgrims who traveled the entire duration of their route with the Eucharist. They are called Perpetual Pilgrims, and there is a blog page dedicated to their stories and experiences. While we were at our Emmaus Days, we were able to hear from one such pilgrim and how she was experiencing God’s love while making this journey.

Our family was able to participate in a procession with the Eucharist around our cathedral after Mass before the pilgrimage traveled to the next diocese. It was a powerful moment. Our family, walking with dozens of other families, all following Jesus. Physically and spiritually following Jesus. Together, as a family — but also together as a diocesan family.

After the procession concluded and we went home, we spoke about what a unique experience this was. We had had the opportunity to walk with Jesus just as His first disciples were able to walk with Him. Jesus came to earth to be with His people in every sense. In the Eucharist, Jesus continues to be physically present with us every single day.

I am so thankful we were able to participate in this experience. It highlighted in a very tangible way the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and how we can follow Him as a family.

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