They prayed. They worshipped. They witnessed.
Thousands Walk with Christ in unprecedented National Eucharistic Pilgrimage in seven Central Illinois cities
By ANDREW HANSEN
Editor
To see a photo gallery from each location, click on these links:
They brought their rosaries, singing voices, prayer intentions, walking shoes, strollers for the little ones, and love for Jesus. They were a public witness of their Catholic faith on city streets throughout Central Illinois. They experienced the love of Christ in a tangible way.
The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, an unprecedented pilgrimage in which Catholics prayed and publicly followed Jesus in their cities through Eucharistic processions, took place in seven cities in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois July 8-12. Scenes of hundreds of Catholics — bishops, priests, religious, and the lay faithful — participated at the stops, in what was called “our national Emmaus moment,” after the biblical passage in which Jesus walked with two of his disciples along the road to Emmaus.
Besides pilgrims participating in the Eucharistic processions, they also went to Mass, prayed before our Lord in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in churches, grew in fellowship with their neighbors at potluck dinners, and heard powerful witness talks from the national eucharistic procession team as they shared their experiences of taking Jesus across the nation.
The route that came through the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois originated from San Francsico when the national pilgrimage started May 19 (Pentecost). It was one of four routes that all came together in Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress July 17-21.
“The whole idea of the National Eucharistic Revival is to deepen our love for the real presence of our Lord in the Eucharist, and hopefully, deepen the commitment of the lay faithful to go to Mass every Sunday — to really see that as an important part of our Catholic identity as practicing our faith,” Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois said. “This deepening is crucial and key to who we are as Catholics — our belief in the Eucharist.”
In this edition of Catholic Times, we highlight this once-in-a-lifetime experience through stories, quotes, and photographs as God moved and continues to move in our communities.
July 8 — Collinsville
It was a scene that was pure Catholic. Bishop Michael McGovern of the Diocese of Belleville (where the national route had just concluded) entered Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Collinsville, carrying the national Eucharistic Pilgrimage monstrance and processed down the main aisle to where Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois was waiting in front of the altar. The estimated 500 faithful inside the church knelt in adoration of our Lord while a trumpet, organ, and beautiful voices announced the arrival of our Lord. Then, the two bishops — two successors of the Apostles — met together. Bishop McGovern handed the monstrance to Bishop Paprocki, a powerful moment, signifying the national procession officially entering the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Bishop Paprocki then placed the monstrance on the altar where the two bishops and the faithful prayed in adoration for several minutes.
“It was an opportunity to be a part of something that probably won’t happen again in my lifetime,” said Mike McMahon, a parishioner at Ss. Peter and Paul who is also a member of the Knights of Columbus. “It’s something important to my Catholic faith. It’s the source and summit (Eucharist) of our whole beliefs. You can’t miss this.”
“I am excited. That’s all I can say, I am excited. What a blessing,” said Joyce Reyes, a parishioner at Ss. Peter and Paul.
Rose Wascher, a parishioner at St. Paul Church in Highland, came ready to pray and worship. She was on her knees in prayer well before the traveling monstrance arrived inside the church. She also wore a special shirt that read, “Got Eucharist? It’s for real.”
“I have always loved Jesus, and to have Jesus here, is just incredible,” Wascher said. “He is the most important person in my life. To be near Him, I can’t get enough of Him. He is everything to me. I truly believe in His true presence in the Eucharist. Not many people do. I feel Him in my whole heart. Just to see Him arrive, it was like a superstar.”
After the handoff of the monstrance, Bishop Paprocki then led Catholics on a Eucharistic procession on the streets of Collinsville to Ss. Peter and Paul Cemetery and back to the church (one mile) before Father Michael Haag, pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul, did Benediction.
“It’s wonderful that we have the beginning of the Eucharistic procession in our diocese here at Ss. Peter and Paul, the two apostles who began the Church — one apostle to the Gentiles and one apostle to the Jews,” Father Haag said. “It’s a wonderful experience of the community of the Church to have those two bishops be a witness to the Eucharist and the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.”
Later that night, a potluck dinner was hosted at St. Mary Church in Alton followed by Eucharistic adoration inside the church.
July 9 — Alton
In a powerful witness of love and devotion, an estimated 250 faithful were not deterred by the steady rains of Tropical Storm Beryl, following Jesus on the streets of Alton for 3.7 miles. Many were holding umbrellas, while others didn’t mind getting soaked.
“Walking with Jesus in the rain was awesome,” said Sister M. Veritas Wilks, FSGM. “It was cleansing and holy. I would walk anywhere with Jesus because He walks anywhere with us. It’s baptismal, it’s sacramental, and it reminds us of His love, and what a witness because it’s easy to walk with Jesus when it’s sunny, but all these people are walking in the rain. It just speaks to the goodness of God and Jesus’ love for us.”
The day started at Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Alton, known as the “Old Cathedral” in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, as it was the seat of the See city until the diocese was transferred from Alton to Springfield in 1923. On this morning, the church had the honor of hosting the first Mass of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage being in the diocese.
“It’s an incredible witness to the world that there are huge amounts of people that find this so important that they take the time to come out and walk for miles and be a witness to people on the streets that we love our Lord in the Eucharist,” said Mary Stirton, a parishioner at St. Mary’s Parish in Alton.
After Mass, the hundreds of pilgrims took to the hilly streets of Alton in a Eucharistic procession from Ss. Peter and Paul Church to St. Francis Convent of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George for Benediction and then to St. Mary’s Church for Benediction.
For the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George, this pilgrimage was divinely timed as 100 years ago, their German Order expanded to the U.S. (Dec. 28, 1923 to St. Louis, and then Alton on April 1, 1925).
“It’s a beautiful, providential correlation between the fact that we have a devotion to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus and celebrating our charism of being present in the United States for 100 years,” said Mother M. Mediatrix Bexten, FSGM. “So, it’s a fitting tribute that God has given us this charism that we worship Him now, and we hope to for another 100 years.”
The Haine family, parishioners at St. Mary’s Parish, brought their six young children to the procession, including their newborn daughter, recognizing this was not only a teachable experience for the children, but for them to grow as a family in their love for the Eucharistic Lord.
“The Eucharist is the most important thing in our faith,” Tom Haine said. “It’s the food for our soul. Then, the historical nature of pilgrimages — they are a beautiful expression of that devotion.”
July 9 – Quincy
The rains stopped in Quincy just in time for an estimated 800 faithful to participate in the one-mile procession from St. Peter Church to the grave of Venerable Father Augustine Tolton, the nation’s first black priest. Providentially, this stop of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage occurred on the anniversary of Father Tolton’s death.
Bishop Paprocki and Bishop Joseph Perry of the Archdiocese of Chicago took turns carrying the monstrance. Since 2010, Bishop Perry has been leading the Cause for Father Tolton’s sainthood.
“The faith is here (in Quincy), the hope is here, and I am sure Father Tolton’s blessing continues as we honor him at his gravesite and ask God for blessings for our families, ministries, and Church,” Bishop Perry said. “I think Father Tolton is looking down on us.”
For Hope Glidewell from St. Anthony Parish in Quincy, this procession was extra special. Not only did she play the organ at St. Peter Church at the beginning of the procession, but Father Roy Bauer, a long-time pastor of St. Peter Church in Quincy and who died in 2017, was her uncle.
“My uncle really helped bring Father Tolton’s story to life,” Glidewell said. “So, it’s really special to be involved in the Tolton procession.”
After the procession, pilgrims were treated to a potluck dinner and witness talks from the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage team at St. Francis Solanus Church. After that, Eucharistic Adoration took place inside the church.
“I am a cradle Catholic, so for many years I am very learned in my faith, but I think for the past five years, I’ve had a deeper relationship with the Eucharist,” said Katie Ippensen from St. Brigid Parish in Liberty. “I listen to a lot of Catholic podcasts and Bishop Robert Barron, and I just think every day I learn more about my faith, and so this is just another step in that journey.”
July 10 – Girard
Tucked away in the silence of corn fields and beautiful woods in rural Macoupin County outside Girard, a sun-splashed afternoon welcomed hundreds of pilgrims to the home of the Monastery of Mary the Queen. This leg of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, hosted by the Dominican Nuns of Mary the Queen, was unique in that the procession went through 38 acres of beautiful and serene woods on the grounds of the monastery, passing large trees, a small lake, and the treasures of nature. This day was also an opportunity for the nuns to showcase their monastery, which opened just two years ago.
“This is truly a blessing for us,” said Sister Anna Marie Pierre OP, the Prioress of the community. “Slowly, little by little, people are coming to understand the purpose of the monastery, and we are getting more familiar with people who are coming here. We pray that this National Eucharistic Pilgrimage touches this monastery and these pilgrims who are pouring out their love for the Lord. We feel that God will use this and prepare us more and more, allowing His grace on this diocese and this country. We are very humbled by this experience.”
The 21,000 square foot monastery is located on the west side of flat pastureland which supports the contemplative life for the 14 nuns who live there.
“We just want to walk with Jesus today,” said Carol Eickhoff, a parishioner at St. Agnes in Hillsboro. “Like I tell my kids and grandkids, the Eucharist is food for your soul. You have to get that every week. Just like you need nourishment for your body every day, the Eucharist feeds my soul, and you have to keep it fed so you can walk in the spirit of God.”
You can visit the monastery at 15635 Greenridge Road, Girard, IL, 62640. The chapel is open to the public daily from 6:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday Mass is at 8 a.m. and 6:45 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Visit opnunsil.org for more information.
July 10 – Springfield (St. Francis of Assisi Campus and Corpus Christi Priory)
Temperatures this afternoon were more typical of July, but the sweltering heat under the sun didn’t stop Rebecca Dobbs from St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Springfield from walking with the Lord, or really, scooting her way with the Lord at St. Francis Campus, home of the Norbertine Fathers of Corpus Christi Priory. Dobbs broke her foot recently, but she didn’t want to miss this experience.
“I just love the Lord,” Dobbs said. “Me walking on one foot is easier than Him bearing the cross, the sacrifice for us.”
It was just over a year ago when this Norbertine community established a priory on Springfield’s northeast side, naming it Corpus Christi Priory. Corpus Christi means the Body of Christ, so it was spiritually fitting for the Norbertine Fathers to host the national procession on their beautiful grounds.
“We very excited to honor our Lord and His real presence in this way,” said Father Prior Augustine Puchner, O.Praem. “This real revival, this renewal, it needs to continue. Easy recommendations are to go to Mass, even during weekdays. Make the Eucharist more part of your spiritual life. Adoration. A lot of parishes have hours for adoration. Even if it’s not the exposed Blessed Sacrament, just to be there in Jesus’ presence in the tabernacle, it’s a beautiful way to express and continue the zeal of this procession. Also, speak about the Eucharist (to others). We hope this week for the Diocese of Springfield will be a new beginning, a starting point for a renewed devotion in our belief in the Lord’s presence in the Eucharist.”
Hundreds came out this steamy afternoon, staying hydrated with plenty of water stationed around the grounds while wiping away plenty of sweat. The procession made stops at the chapels of St. Francis Convent (Hospital Sisters of St. Francis) and St. James Monastery (of the Franciscan Brothers of the Holy Cross) as well as Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach and St. Francis of Assisi Church.
“I think this procession and experience is a good way to build on grace for our eternal life,” said Ann Midden, a parishioner at St. Katharine Drexel Parish.
After the procession, a dinner and witness talks took place at the St. Francis of Assisi Conference Center before all night Eucharistic adoration took place inside St. Francis of Assisi Church.
Rich Sealy, who drove an hour south from Normal, came with his wife and seven young children.
“We have never really done a pilgrimage before, so being able to come down and spend some time with the Lord was a great opportunity,” Sealy said. “We go to Mass all the time, but we have never spent time walking with Jesus.”
You can pray with the Norbertine Fathers every day and attend Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church (4867 Laverna Road in Springfield). Mass is at 7 a.m. Monday-Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday. Confessions take place in the church confessionals Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. The church opens at 5:30 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m. All are welcome to join the Norbertine Fathers in the liturgies and prayers offered in St. Francis of Assisi Church during those times. Go to corpuschristipriory.com for more information.
July 11 – Springfield (downtown and neighborhoods)
Sean Cook, a parishioner at St. Aloysius Parish in Springfield, served in Iraq in 2009. A protestant then, it was in that foreign land where he met a local priest and fell in love with the Catholic faith. Fast forward to today, and he said he wouldn’t miss a walk with Christ on the streets of Springfield.
“The Eucharist is like no other,” Cook said. “I encourage anyone who believes in Jesus Christ to work their way to taking the Eucharist as much as they can and go to Mass as much as they can.”
The patroness of the United States and the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is Mary. So, in a fitting way to begin this day was Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. More than 300 showed up for the 7 a.m. daily mass., celebrated by Bishop Paprocki. After Mass, a five-mile journey of taking Jesus through Springfield’s downtown and neighborhoods began with Bishop Paprocki and several priests taking turns carrying the monstrance. Stops along the journey for Benediction included the Statehouse (Lincoln statue area), Blessed Sacrament Church, Sacred Heart Convent of the Springfield Dominican Sisters, and then concluding at St. Agnes Church.
Jake Pritchett, a parishioner at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Springfield, credits the Eucharist for his conversion to the faith in 2021.
“Learning that the Eucharist was the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ was so profound, it has become the center of my Christian life,” Pritchett said. “Being here, I hope to honor Jesus and show the faith of the Catholic community to the world that we truly believe what we preach, that the Lord is present in the Eucharist.”
Sarah Wieber, a parishioner at the Cathedral and carrying her young baby, admitted she wasn’t going to make it the entire route, but couldn’t miss this procession experience.
“I am interested in seeing the reactions on the streets that Jesus gets and all of us walking in the world with Him,” Wieber said. “It’s just an interesting concept that isn’t often done.”
Monique Sullivan of St. Peter Parish in Petersburg was another mother bringing her young children on the walk. She says eucharistic adoration is one of her favorite things to go to. Pointing to her belly, she says the very first time she felt her baby move was kneeling in front of the Eucharist at adoration a couple months ago.
“I just felt God spoke to me and gave me a lot of peace on this pregnancy and the health of the baby,” Sullivan said.
One of the longer moments of prayer during the route occurred at Sacred Heart Convent, home of the Springfield Dominican Sisters. Sister Mary Paul McCaughey, OP, the new Prioress General of the community, called it “a day to celebrate with the pilgrims and the meaning and beauty of the Eucharist.”
“Our community has had a long theological grounding in the Eucharist as a meal, as a sacrifice, and as (Jesus’) real presence,” Sister Paul said. “Today, we celebrate that real presence.”
After Springfield, the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage team traveled to Effingham for Evening Prayer at Sacred Heart Church followed by a potluck dinner and witness talks and then Eucharistic adoration.
July 12 – Effingham
It was 9:30 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Effingham. The procession just completed the nearly one mile walk from HSHS St. Anthony Hospital to the church for Mass. The scene inside felt more like a Christmas or Easter Mass than a weekday Mass. About 700 people filled the church with people having to stand in the back and in the choir loft.
“The way the world is today, we thought it was very important to come out and experience this,” said Carl Ballinger, a parishioner at St. Anthony. “Jesus does everything for us. He takes care of our families, and we need to appreciate that.”
For Paige Hussey, she and her husband, Sean, brought their three young children for the start of the procession at 8:30 a.m. because she says she wanted her children to experience the faith in more ways than just the Mass. “Bringing them out to adoration and a procession allows them to see the Eucharist in a different light than just the Mass,” Paige said.
Despite the heat and early morning, what was striking about the procession in Effingham was the number of young families like the Husseys. The Jansen family was another one. A beautiful image of Mallory holding her young son’s hand while walking down Virginia Avenue was cute as it was holy. “It’s overwhelming. All these people have come out to celebrate Eucharist,” Mallory said. “We wanted our family to experience this and see how amazing God is.”
Gissella Gonzalez and her husband, Cristobal, from St. John the Baptist in Arcola, made sure they were right in the front when the procession started at the hospital. “It is very important to me because I love Jesus, and I decided to follow Him, and that is why I am here. He has blessed me in too many ways, and so I am grateful, and I am here to follow Him,” Gissella said.
July 12 – Teutopolis
Paula Mattix-Wand from Alton didn’t want to miss the final procession in our diocese. Her family is from Teutopolis — six generations and counting. On the one-mile walk, Mattix-Wand was using a special walking stick made by her brother. He burned the names of her great-grandparents into the stick.
“This is the procession we were looking forward to the most,” she said. “Just bringing and celebrating the faith where my ancestors came from. It’s because of them that we are the faithful people we are now. We stand on the backs of our ancestors who landed here, and they have kept the faith. Our prayer this week has been to continue the faith for this generation and inspire the next generation to continue to celebrate Jesus in the Eucharist.”
The final procession in our diocese started at the bell tower at the Teutopolis Knights of Columbus Hall, then went through neighborhoods before returning to the bell tower for the final blessing. This location was chosen for a specific reason as the grounds of the Knights of Columbus used to be the site of St. Joseph’s College and Seminary, built in 1862. The bell tower stands today as a reminder of this Catholic past.
“It’s a privilege for this to be the last stop, and we are honored,” said Rex Borries, a parishioner at St. Aloysius in Bishop Creek. “It’s heartwarming. I feel it right now in my heart.”
As the national procession van set off for Terra Haute, Ind., Father Joe Carlos, OFM, pastor of St. Francis of Assis Church in Teutopolis left the faithful with this final message: “Believe. That is what it is all about,” he said. “If you don’t have the faith, what do you have?”
“I hope this experience will touch people’s hearts and move them profoundly to a greater depth of appreciation for the Eucharist and the practice of their faith,” Bishop Paprocki said. “ I pray and I do believe there will be great spiritual fruits that will come from this procession. I am praying for vocations to the priesthood, the religious life, the sacrament of matrimony, and family life.
“The important thing to do is go to Mass every Sunday. The Eucharist is not something we do on special occasions. A pilgrimage like this calls attention to the Eucharist, but it is something we have to do at least weekly. It’s part of our practice as Catholics. It’s part of our expectations. One of the Ten Commandments is to keep holy the sabbath. We need the Lord’s presence in our lives. We need that spiritual nourishment.”