The following story appeared in the October 6 Idaho Catholic Register.
By Tish Thornton
for the ICR
In May 2024, the Diocese of Boise will take part in the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. From May 27 to May 31, the Diocese will host a dozen young adults, processing with the Blessed Sacrament as they make their way to the National Eucharistic Congress
in Indianapolis. Along the way, they will stop at parishes to pray, process, and gather, unified with the Blessed Sacrament. This unprecedented opportunity allows the faithful in Idaho to join, in a very real way, with one of the largest Eucharistic pilgrimages in history, and to be a part of the national Eucharistic Revival sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
THE NATIONAL ROUTE
Beginning on Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2024, four teams of young people, together with priest chaplains, sisters, and seminarians, will embark on a pilgrimage, processing across the country with the Blessed Sacrament, each from a different starting point. Each route is named for a regional saint, and the routes converge in Indianapolis in time for the National Eucharistic Congress on July 17.
THE SERRA ROUTE
Idaho is on the “Serra” Route, which begins in California. The Serra route is named after the “Apostle of California,” St. Junipero Serra, a missionary priest who dedicated his life to administering the sacraments to indigenous people and Spanish settlers across the west coast of our continent. He traveled approximately 24,000 miles throughout his ministry, mostly on foot.
THE LOCAL ROUTE
On May 27, Bishop Peter Christensen will meet Bishop Liam Cary of the Diocese of Baker on the border between Oregon and Idaho. There, the Blessed Sacrament will be solemnly transferred to our Diocese. The Sacrament will then be processed across the southern portion of the state before crossing the Utah border. The national team will make four major stops in our Diocese: Corpus Christi in Fruitland; the Cathedral of St. John in Boise; St. Edward’s in Twin Falls; and Holy Spirit Catholic Community in Pocatello. The team will move in solemn procession with the Blessed Sacrament for at least a portion of the journey between the main stops.
At each location, the local community is invited to join in the Eucharistic procession, and gather at the church for its holy hour, a period of Exposition and Adoration, Mass, and more (details to come). At each main stop, there will be a gathering of temporary altars in a single location where all the parishes in the region can be represented. The pilgrims will also stop for a brief time in as many smaller communities as possible. “This is such a wonderful way to celebrate our faith, especially our faith in the Eucharist, expressing the beauty of our faith in the public realm,” said Bishop Peter Christensen. “We hope that many Catholics in Idaho come to be part of this pilgrimage —‘the simultaneous movement of the feet and the soul.’”
THE NATIONAL ROUTES:
• Serra Route in California
• Marian Route in Minnesota
• Seton Route in Connecticut
• Juan Diego Route in Texas
THE LOCAL ROUTE:
• Corpus Christi in Fruitland
• Cathedral of St. John in Boise
• St. Edward’s in Twin Falls
• Holy Spirit Catholic Community in Pocatello
• with stops in between!
Some statistics from the national procession:
• Four routes
• 48 Perpetual Pilgrims traveling across the country
• 60 days on the road
• 1,000 hosts
• 6,500 miles traveled
• 100,000 + total participants
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