Parishes and other groups in the Archdiocese of Louisville are taking part in the “Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation,” a national initiative coinciding with the Jubilee Year of Hope and the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’.”
“Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation” is an effort by a coalition of Catholic and environmental organizations, including the Catholic Climate Covenant.
It encourages people to make pilgrimages, “from short walks around parish grounds to longer treks through mountains or forests, to visits to places of natural beauty or ecological significance,” according to the Catholic Climate Covenant’s website. The pilgrimages will take place during the Season of Creation, observed Sept. 1 through Oct. 4.
The following groups and parishes are planning pilgrimages:
- The Archdiocese of Louisville’s Office of Multicultural Ministry and the Archdiocesan Creation Care Team will host “Pilgrimage of Hope for Environmental and Racial Justice” Sept. 6 in Chickasaw Park, 1200 Southwestern Parkway. Participants will gather at 10 a.m. at the pond for a prayer service. The pilgrimage will travel along Southwestern Parkway to West Broadway and end at the Catholic Enrichment Center, 3146 W. Broadway, with a reception. To register by Sept. 2, call 636-0296.
- Epiphany Church is planning a pilgrimage to the campus of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Sept. 23.
- The Creation Care Team and Catholic Charities’ Common Earth Gardens program are planning a pilgrimage on St. Ignatius Martyr Church’s campus at 11 a.m. Sept. 27.
- Bellarmine University will host its Tree Pilgrimage at 4 p.m. Sept. 30. The pilgrimage will include prayer, poetry and reflection. Participants will learn about the various trees on the university’s campus. The event is open to the public.
- Monastery Immaculate Conception and St. Meinrad Archabbey will host a pilgrimage Sept. 6 starting at 9:30 a.m. EDT. The pilgrimage will begin in Ferdinand, Ind., in the monastery’s event hall and then travel about six miles to the archabbey in St. Meinrad, Ind., stopping at the Monte Cassino Shrine for prayer and song. Limited seating on a tractor and wagon will be available for those unable to walk the full distance. To register by Aug. 29, visit thedome.org/pilgrimage.
“Wherever these pilgrimages take place, they all share the same mission: to restore our relationship with God, with each other, and with the Earth, and to cultivate a renewed commitment to caring for creation,” according to the Catholic Climate Covenant’s website.
