By Christina Bagaglio Slentz
Advent calls us to a faith journey like no other. Mary’s “yes” put her and all of humanity on a new path toward salvation.
Much like this preparatory season, the concept of pilgrimage is rooted in journey and conversion. Over the course of this Jubilee Year, we have embraced the theme of “Pilgrims of Hope” that emphasizes life as a journey of faith, seeking the renewal of our suffering world and an ever-deeper relationship with God. As Pope Francis wrote in “Spes Non Confundit,” announcing the Jubilee Year, “A pilgrimage on foot is a great aid for rediscovering the value of silence, effort and simplicity of life.”
This year, “Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation” across the country have provided local opportunities to “pray for the grace to encounter Christ in Creation and renew our relationships with God, the Earth and one another.”
Two Diocese of San Diego “Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation” recently offered such opportunities.
Urban pilgrimage through Midway District
Inspired by the “Laudato Si” 10th Anniversary Dinner, Rachel Ireland of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Rita McIntyre of St. Pius X Parish in Chula Vista, and Lynn Kaufield of Immaculate Conception Parish decided to collaborate on a pilgrimage from St. Charles Borromeo to Immaculate Conception Church in Old Town.
On Oct. 18, at 8:30 a.m., 27 pilgrims met at St. Charles Borromeo. They journeyed about 2.5 miles, providing food and water to those in need along the way.
They also reflected on their relationship with creation, contemplating St. Francis’ “Canticle of the Creatures” in the Goodwill parking lot. At the Behavioral Health Services building, they prayed with an excerpt from Pope Francis’ 2016 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation:
“O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, who are so precious in your eyes … God of love, show us our place in this world as channels of your love for all the creatures of this earth; God of mercy, may we receive your forgiveness and convey your mercy throughout our common home. Praise be to you! Amen.”
Passing the San Diego River, they observed nature winding through the urban landscape before arriving at Immaculate Conception, where Father Vince Mesi, OFM, led the group in “A Prayer for Our Earth.”
Pilgrimage to Salton Sea
After more than a year of planning, our diocesan “Pilgrimage to the Salton Sea” gathered 50 pilgrims from Nov. 14 to 16 in the Imperial Valley.
Focusing each day on a Person of the Trinity, the event began contemplating God, the Creator, starting with a visit to the El Centro Catholic Charities Day Center and finishing with a Night Sky presentation in Heber with seminarian Rob Lorenz, SJ, from the Vatican Observatory. There, pilgrims encountered the greatness of God, Father of all, making us brothers and sisters and therefore obliged to care for one another.
On the second day, journeying 11.5 miles from Imperial to Brawley, the pilgrims contemplated God, the Incarnate Word, examining the history of modern development in the Valley at the Pioneers’ Museum and the current challenges impacting local ecology.
Following dinner, they heard a reflection on “Laudato Si” from seminarian John Murcko, who had previously served two summers in the Valley. Adoration at St. Margaret Mary, the Valley’s Jubilee church, concluded the evening.
On the third day, Sunday, the Diocese of San Diego pilgrims made their way to Christ the King Church in Desert Shores. Reflecting on the Holy Spirit in their gathering, they met pilgrims from the Diocese of San Bernardino, who had been traveling down as San Diego pilgrimaged “up.” Together, they processed about a mile to the seashore to bless the waters with San Diego’s Sister Kathleen Warren, OSF, leading the group. They returned to Christ the King for noon Mass and enjoyed a potluck reception hosted by the local Catholic community to conclude the event.
Undoubtedly, our pilgrimages of hope did not disappoint.
