As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, a national Catholic pilgrimage scheduled for Oct. 6-15 will invite participants to journey through historic East Coast cities while reflecting on the enduring witness of Catholic faith that helped shape the nation.
According to the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation, which is organizing the event, the pilgrimage is intended to explore the spiritual roots of the U.S. and the influence of Catholicism on the nation's history.
The Faith & Freedom America Pilgrimage will visit historic Catholic and nationally recognized landmarks in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; New York City; and Boston. The journey will include visits to churches, shrines, and cathedrals, and sites connected to the nation's founding, immigration history, and development.
Highlights of the pilgrimage include stops at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, and the Freedom Trail in Boston, according to Trinity Tour Travels.
Father Matthew Phelan, vicar provincial of the Mercederian Friars, and Anne DeSantis, executive director of the foundation, will lead the pilgrimage. The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation was founded by the Mercedarian Religious Order in 2015 and focuses on providing pastoral care and support to families in crisis.
DeSantis announced on the foundation’s website that the pilgrimage, which is open to adults nationwide, offers participants an opportunity to reflect on the nation’s history through the lens of the Catholic faith.
“We look forward,” DeSantis said, “to traveling together in prayer, fellowship, and hope as we rediscover the sacred heritage woven into our country’s beginnings.”