On Pentecost Sunday, May 24, 2026, the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage began its journey from St. Augustine, Florida, to its destination in Philadelphia, PA, with a scheduled arrival on July 4th. The Cabrini route (named for St. Frances Cabrini) included a monstrance with its consecrated Host, and many pilgrims along the Atlantic seaboard, all the way up to Maine, before doubling back into lower New England. With a theme of “One Nation Under God”, the 1000-mile journey seeks to bring Catholics to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of our nation. The exodus will travel through 18 dioceses, spanning the original 13 colonies before its arrival in Philadelphia, locus of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776.
There were a few stops in Massachusetts. After Boston and Easton, on Monday, June 29th, the New Bedford section of a procession began at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish! Despite complications, there was first a 30-minute period of Adoration, Meditation, and Simple Benediction inside the very warm parish, before the procession formed outside, and we moved on to two other nearby parishes, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, where solemn Benediction was followed by Mass. Fr. Maiki Kamauoha, ss.cc, Fr. Kris Kaitapu, ss.cc. and Br. Kasi Bule, ss.cc. all came to participate and offer support.
