With their Jubilee passports and a medal depicting the Holy Spirit in hand, 16 Confirmation students and their sponsors from St. John’s Church in Foley and St. Patrick’s Church in Minden Township pilgrimaged together visiting diocesan holy sites March 2.
Father Michael Wolfbauer, pastor of the two parishes, organized the trip to serve as their annual confirmation retreat.
“It is unique to be able to come into these holy spaces,” Father Wolfbauer said. “Most people come on a Mass day and sit in the pew, but this gives people an opportunity to walk around and pray in different spaces.”
Their journey began with a visit to the Poor Clares Monastery in Sauk Rapids.
At each holy site, Father Wolfbauer coordinated an introductory talk and prayer experience.
When the pilgrims arrived at the St. Mary’s Cathedral in St. Cloud, they began praying a Hail Mary while kneeling on each step leading to the cathedral entrance. Once inside, Father Wolfbauer briefly shared about the Cathedral’s history before moving onto the Shrine of St. Cloud inside the worship space.
At the shrine, Father Wolfbauer encouraged participants to genuflect and to touch their Holy Spirit medal and say a prayer while asking for the intercession of St. Cloud.
“You have your own medal, and that is why it is with you today. So that when you see it in your drawer a year from now, you can say, ‘That’s right. I was there at the face of St. Cloud and I asked for his intercession,” Father Wolfbauer said. “It’s not that they become magic amulets, but it helps remind us of this day.”
Confirmation catechist, Katey Maurer, was wearing the medal for a student who was not able to attend and shared that, at each location she was praying for that student, while holding the medal, and also for all the confirmation students.
“Whenever I do something with the youth, I am always focused on them and [praying to God saying], ‘Lord, whatever needs to be on their heart, whatever they need to see, whatever they need to get out of [this experience], allow it to happen,” Maurer said.
The pilgrimage also included visiting the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls at their Sacred Heart Chapel, the Divine Mercy Shrine at St. Paul Church in Sauk Centre, Saint John’s Abbey Church and the Shrine of St. Peregrine in Collegeville, Sacred Heart Chapel at St. Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph and Grasshopper Chapel in Cold Spring.
With the trip, all participants were able to obtain at least nine of the twenty-four stamps on their Jubilee passports. Visit stcdio.org for more information and to download a passport.
High school junior, Porter Loehrer, who will be confirmed on March 30, participated alongside his confirmation sponsor and aunt, Stacy Graham.
“I was hoping to get more spiritual awareness on this pilgrimage today and it’s been more than I’ve expected in a positive way,” Graham said.
Loeher agreed. “It has been a fun day and a great learning experience.”
Father Wolfbauer shared his gratitude for the diocesan Jubilee passport and encourages others to participate.
“Not often do we take the time to stop and see the things that we have [in our diocese] or to recognize the different religious communities,” Father Wolfbauer said. “It’s a privilege to do that.”