by Rick Cheek
According to David Baldwin from Catholic Truth Society, a pilgrimage, “at its simplest, is a physical journey, your journey. But it is a journey undertaken with spiritual intent, usually heading for a destination of religious significance.”
He goes on to quote the Marquis de Tamaron: “A pilgrimage implies a voyage of self-discovery and a search for something greater and beyond oneself.”
Have you ever taken the time to discover who you truly are? The truth is, we cannot honestly know ourselves without knowing the God who created us, who loves us and who desires nothing more than to have a relationship with us.
So often, we let the noise of everyday life drown out the questions we carry inside that ask who we are and what our purpose might be. Instead, we listen to the opinions of our friends, our social media feeds, even our own fears.
Maybe it’s time to encounter something greater than all that noise. Maybe it’s time for a pilgrimage.
From June 1- 5, the archdiocesan office of evangelization and Catholic formation of youth will take high school students and their chaperones on the Father Emil Kapaun Pilgrimage from Wichita to Pilsen.
Will the 60-mile trek be hard? No doubt! But the opportunity to disconnect from the noise and participate in daily Mass, guided reflection, group prayer and reconciliation will open the door to growing in relationship with Jesus Christ and discovering his plan for participants to advance in holiness.
Need another great reason to complete this pilgrimage? It will help prepare for the big pilgrimage to World Youth Day next summer 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal.
WYD is six days experiencing the universal church, the highlight of which is Mass celebrated with approximately two million of your closest Catholic friends and Pope Francis.
Time to explore Catholic cultural and historical sites is also built into the trip. Details will be coming out later this month. Check our website at: www.archkck.org/youth-ministry.
“How many times does not Holy Mother Church tell us that our life on this earth is a journey? This earth is not our lasting home. God created us for a higher, a much more perfect home, our home in heaven with the joy of God.”
— Servant of God Father Emil Kapaun
