Eucharist

Since beginning their journeys mid-May, pilgrims on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage have braved excessive heat, thunderstorms and wind — all of it closely monitored by a meteorologist in New Hampshire.

As the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage enters its fourth week with a continuous string of large-scale events on each of its four routes, its perpetual pilgrims continue to notice God at work in simple, unexpected encounters.

The Eucharist reflects God’s steadfast friendship and “journey of love” with his people, Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory of Washington said in his homily at the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage Mass June 9 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

On their third week of the pilgrimage, however, the perpetual pilgrims — young adults traveling the full lengths of the four National Eucharistic Pilgrimage routes with the Eucharist — reported meeting enthusiasm at every stop since setting out from points in California, Connecticut, Minnesota and Texas May 18-19.