US Catholics are planning a series of unprecedented and long pilgrimages that will span across the entire United States in four different routes before converging on a massive gathering to perform religious rites in Indianapolis over a period of months.
This National Eucharist Pilgrimage is seeing increased attention as bishops debate whether to refuse communion to politicians who support abortion and is being seen as a revival of an old Catholic tradition in the US.
Old Catholic Tradition
AP News reported that this pilgrimage “is a revival of a historic Catholic tradition that faded by the mid-20th century.”
Thousands of Catholics across the United States will make a pilgrimage on foot to Indianapolis, traveling across over 6,500 miles of territory and from cities both large and small.
First of Its Kind
Tim Glemkowski, CEO of the National Eucharist Congress, is touting this pilgrimage as the first of its kind on such a large scale.
“It’s hard in a 2,000-year-old church to do something for the first time, but a procession this long, with this many people in it, may be the first time this has been attempted in the history of the Catholic Church,” Glemkowski said.
Walking With Jesus
In Catholic tradition, the Eucharist is a commemoration of the last supper of Jesus and his disciples. The Greek word Eucharistia means “thanksgiving.”
During this religious rite, Roman Catholics imbibe a wafer and wine, believing it miraculously transforms into the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ.
Unity and Peace
Glemcowski was hopeful that the walking pilgrimage would be a way to bring worshippers to a more spiritual place by having them walk alongside the savior.
“The Eucharist is actually Jesus, so for us to walk with Jesus is actually a witness to our faith in a prayerful action for unity, for peace,” said Glemkowski.
Lost Tradition
Previously, there have been nine US gatherings under the National Eucharist Congress, but none as large as this one, and one hasn’t occurred since 1941.
“We just kind of lost track of this tradition,” Glemkowski said. “We’re bringing it back in a way that fits this time
Idea Formed
The genesis for the idea to revive this pilgrimage tradition came from a 2021 discussion between US bishops sparked by a document called “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church.”
Bishops began discussing what their role is in withholding communion from Catholic politicians who support abortion rights. Some bishops argued that they have a special responsibility to respond to public actions that are at odds with church law.
No Politics
Although this pilgrimage has its roots in a discussion around abortion, Glemkoski asserts that it is not a political march, hoping to draw comparisons to past generations of mass devotions as opposed to a political rally.
“[A] message of unity and peace and just focus on Christ is paramount,” said Glemkowski.
Catholics on Abortion
Despite official church doctrine condemning the act of abortion as immoral, a majority of American Catholics are supportive of the practice.
In April, a Pew Research survey found that 6 in 10 US Catholics say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
Catholic Politicians
This attitude of many American Catholics to support legalizing abortion despite church dogma naturally extends to many prominent politicians as well.
President Joe Biden is a Catholic and over the years has gradually come around to supporting abortion. In 2022, after a leak confirming Roe v. Wade’s overturning, Representative Sylvia Garcia’s office counted 86 Catholic politicians who were dissatisfied with a potential overruling of the decision which would see abortion once again more restricted.
Roe v. Wade
A Supreme Court case called Roe v. Wade decided in 1973 created a legal precedent for establishing a right for abortions in America. The ruling was controversial at the time and remained controversial for years.
Despite strong opinions on both sides, neither Republicans nor Democrats moved to codify their abortion stances into federal law in the ensuing decades. When Roe v. Wade was overturned by the new Supreme Court in 2022, it became a scramble to protect or ban the practice on both sides through legislation.
Return to Tradition
This Catholic tradition revival comes amidst a growing longing by some Catholics to embrace old traditions lost to time.
Earlier this month, AP News reported on a transformation happening in America’s parishes, which are increasingly taking a “step back in time” in response to a growing number of young conservative Catholics who are embracing more traditional lifestyles and worship.
