Pilgrimage

posted in: Presbyteral Ordination | 0

I promised myself that for this week before Ordination, I would take the time to visit some of the Churches that have been important to me along the way for Mass and some prayer. That has been an amazing experience: a real opportunity to look back on all of my life and see how God has been active in the various communities in which I’ve lived. Monday was lost because I was on a plane all day, but Tuesday started out at my home parish, where I was the deacon for daily Mass (yes, that’s unusual there too, but was nice for me). Yesterday I went just one parish north of that to the place where I grew up and received first Reconciliation and Confirmation. Today I went to the Abbey across from my college, and in which community I once discerned a vocation as a monk.

Tomorrow I will go to the church of my Baptism, which my family moved away from when I was an infant. So I’ve never really remembered being there. It’s not a terribly long drive, so I am looking forward to it. I also plan to go into the city tomorrow for Confession.

Pilgrimage, whatever form it takes, is a beautiful thing because we actually physically move toward the Lord in some way. This physical journey for me has been showing me the many ways God has called me throughout my life, and has helped me to reflect on my response to that call. It has also helped me to be grateful for the call, in its many forms, throughout my days.