Hundreds of young people, families, seminarians and volunteers will again join Bishop William E. Koenig and carry a 10-by-6 foot wooden cross over three miles through the streets of Wilmington on the day before Palm Sunday, Saturday, April 12, as part of the 14th annual Diocese of Wilmington’s Youth Pilgrimage.
Sponsored by the Office for Catholic Youth, Young Adult and Family Ministry of the Diocese of Wilmington, the pilgrimage features prayer, music, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic Adoration, and Mass during stops at five Wilmington locations.
This year’s pilgrimage theme is, “Pilgrims of Hope/Peregrinos de la Esperanza,” in conjunction with the Jubilee Year 2025 theme as proclaimed by Pope Francis.
“This year, the CYM Pilgrimage will unite with pilgrims around the world celebrating the Jubilee Year of Hope declared by Pope Francis,” said Dan Pin, director of the Office for Catholic Youth, Young Adult, and Family Ministry for the Diocese of Wilmington. “It is the perfect way to enter Holy Week and this most sacred time of year, especially since we could all use a little more hope in our lives. The Pope’s main quote, ‘Hope does not disappoint,’ fits in amazingly with how our pilgrimage brings together so many people from across the diocese to accompany and lift each other up.”
The young people, adult leaders and family members will gather at 9:30 a.m. at the St. E’s Center on Cedar Street, on the campus of St. Elizabeth Parish for registration and an opening prayer and concert from The Scally Brothers, the dynamic contemporary worship duo from Toledo, Ohio. From St. E’s, the cross will be carried to Saint Francis Hospital on North Clayton Street where the bishop will offer a blessing for the sick and their caregivers. The next stop is St. Anthony of Padua Church on North DuPont Street where pilgrims will have their lunch and celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation. Padua Academy is the next stop where participants will pray the Stations of the Cross, remembering the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. The cross will then be carried to St. Paul Church, at West 4th and North Jackson Streets for Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction. From St. Paul’s, the group will return to St. Elizabeth where the Palm Sunday liturgy will begin with the Blessing of Palms and Mass with Bishop Koenig.
The pilgrimage will conclude at approximately 5:15 p.m. All pilgrims have been asked to bring one non-perishable food item to assist Catholic Charities’ Stock the Pantry.
Information about the diocese is available at cdow.org.
