As gesture of unity and an opportunity for spiritual renewal, the Benedictine Pilgrimage of Hope, will take place Saturday, Sept. 6, inviting everyone to join in prayer and a five-mile walk along the Wobegon Trail.
“I love when diverse people walk and pray together on pilgrimage,” said Benedictine Father Michael Peterson, one of the events coordinators. “The Wobegon Trail is so lovely that our pilgrimage will fill us with the sacredness of Creation.”
Father Peterson, a priest of Saint John’s Abbey, co-organized the event with Benedictine Sister Catherine Duenne from Saint Benedict’s Monastery. The pilgrimage will celebrate the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025 proclaimed by the late Pope Francis and continues under Pope Leo XIV’s papacy.
“Pope Leo often says, ‘In Illo uno unum,’ which translates to ‘In the One, we are one,’” said Sister Catherine. “We all struggle with different things and there are a lot of things going on where we need to be united in prayer. What I hope we can get out of the event is a sense of unity or oneness.”
The event begins at 2 p.m. with a prayer service at Sacred Heart Chapel, located on the campus of the College of Saint Benedict. Participants are then invited to walk the Wobegon Trail to Saint John’s Abbey Church.
“The walk is not meant to be a ‘see how fast we can get there’ walk. It’s meant to be a way to come out and meet people. It’s a time when we can get together and know our neighbors, make new friends and walk together to see how we are all connected,” Sister Catherine said. “We don’t want to leave anyone behind.”
Father Peterson shares the same thoughts as Sister Catherine.
“I hope participants meet new friends along the five-mile journey,” he said.
At the conclusion of the walk, pilgrims are invited to celebrate Mass at Saint John’s Abbey Church. Dependent on the pace of the walk, this will occur at approximately 4:30 or 5 p.m. An outdoor meal will follow.
Participants are encouraged to pre-register at https://sbm.osb.org/event/benedictine-pilgrimage-of-hope/ as the hosts want to ensure food for all who gather.
Organizers also want to pilgrims to know that the event will go forward barring storms and that transportation between the sites will not be provided. Participants are welcome to utilize The Link, a bus that runs between the campuses of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University.
Yet, there is one detail organizers feel is most important: all are welcome.
“You don’t have to be Catholic to come or be affiliated with either community,” Sister Catherine Duenne said. “We just want people to come together in hope.”