Catholic pilgrims at Pittsburgh processions evangelize about Christ and the Eucharist

Pittsburgh, Pa., Jun 18, 2024 / 15:15 pm

As hundreds of Catholic pilgrims processed through the streets of Pittsburgh as part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, some of the faithful saw the procession as an opportunity to evangelize about Jesus Christ and the Catholic doctrine that he is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.

Pilgrims on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, traveling across the United States, spent four days last week in Pittsburgh, beginning on June 13. 

The city’s rich Catholic heritage — about one-third of the residents are Catholic — made it an essential stop on the pilgrimage, which is part of the U.S. Catholic Church’s National Eucharistic Revival initiative.

Two Eucharistic processions went through the city’s streets, stopping to celebrate Mass, vespers, and adoration at local parish churches. 

Sue O’Keefe, who lives in the South Hills suburbs of Pittsburgh, told CNA that she has kept an eye on the pilgrimage since its inception and was “super excited they’ve come through Pittsburgh.” She commended “the idea of the [Eucharistic] revival and bringing Jesus to the streets.”

“I’ve been praying that the Spirit moves people to see the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and [to see that] he’s walking with us,” O’Keefe said.

O’Keefe and a few hundred other Catholics joined the pilgrims for their first procession, which went through the Brookline neighborhood of Pittsburgh on Thursday morning. The procession covered a one-mile stretch of the business district, which includes restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and a variety of other businesses. It began at the Resurrection Church of St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish and concluded at the St. Pius Church of St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish.

Dozens of people paused to watch the procession as it passed by — some were seen coming out of the district’s businesses to see what was happening. One woman gazed at the size of the crowd in the procession, looked back at the Eucharist, and made the sign of the cross before moving on.

A few pilgrims, including Sister Theresa Marie of the Daughters of Mary, approached people who stopped to watch the procession and people who were waiting in their vehicles as the procession crossed the street. She handed them cards that included a QR code, which sent them to the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage’s website to learn more about processions, other events, and Catholic teaching about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. 

“We met a lot of people in the streets,” Sister Theresa told CNA. “... We were able to encounter the people who were wondering what this is.” 

Sister Theresa noted that “most of the people were very positive,” although some declined to take a card. For those who didn’t take one, she said, “We pray for the openness of their heart.”

Mark Palaski, a Pittsburgh resident, told CNA: “So many people were driving by and stopping,” adding that they “showed us respect.” 

Bob O’Mara, a teacher living in Brookline, attended the procession with his wife and seven children, ages 1 through 14. He said the neighborhood was “very ideal” for a procession because “Brookline has a large young Catholic population.” 

Asked why he participated in the procession, O’Mara said: “[Christ is] the king of the universe and he deserves our praise.”

The pilgrims held a bilingual “happy hour” at St. Catherine of Siena Church of St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish later that evening, followed by a reception with testimony from the pilgrims. The following day, at the same parish, the pilgrims celebrated Mass and embarked on another 1.8-mile procession to the St. Michael the Archangel-St. Bernard Church, where adoration was held. 

After adoration, pilgrims prayed the Akathist to the Blessed Virgin Mary, sung by the Ukrainian Catholic Choir. This was followed by Holy Hour with sung vespers and another reception with pilgrim testimonies.

On Saturday, the pilgrims celebrated Mass at St. Mary of Mercy Church of Divine Mercy Parish, and on Sunday at St. Paul Cathedral, they celebrated Mass, which was said by Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik.

The pilgrimage is continuing through western Pennsylvania before traveling across Ohio and eventually heading to Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress.