Advent pilgrimage provides encounter

By DAWN PROSSER
Director of Communications
 
“A pilgrimage is a sacred journey to a holy place, made with the intention of encountering God in a special way,” from Humboldt St. Mary Parish’s advertisement of their upcoming Advent pilgrimage.
 
The parish is inviting the public to participate in the St. Mary’s Pilgrimage of Hope on Dec. 10 at the church as part of the Jubilee Year of Hope. It is the first time the parish has offered this type of pilgrimage.
 
The event begins at 6:50 p.m. with Mass celebrated by Father Jake Rosenmeyer, parochial vicar for St. Mary and Holy Trinity Parish of Webster County. Attendees will be treated to an ice cream social after the Mass, followed by a presentation by Father Rosenmeyer and singing the Divine Mercy Chaplet with the parish choir before dismissing at 8:30 p.m.
 
Dale Heider, St. Mary parishioner, said the Pilgrimage of Hope was planned in response to seventh and eighth grade parishioners missing a recent Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption faith formation student pilgrimage.
 Humboldt St. Mary“So, it was decided to bring a pilgrimage to them,” he explained. 
Although the original intent was to create an event for youth, organizers pointed out that St. Mary parishioners and those from surrounding parishes are invited to participate in the Pilgrimage of Hope.
 
Sara Carlson, director of religious education for St. Mary, said the parish has offered other pilgrimage opportunities thanks to the assistance and encouragement of Heider and his wife, Peg.
 
“Each pilgrimage welcomes new participants and invites meaningful encounters of faith,” she said. “To mark the 2025 Jubilee Year, St. Mary’s is excited to host a local pilgrimage for students, parishioners and fellow travelers from the surrounding area.”
 
Although not traveling a long distance, the participants will process from the parish center and walk across the St. Mary campus to the church to begin the event.
 
“When we go on pilgrimage, we really turn our hearts and minds to the Lord and forget everything else,” Father Rosenmeyer said, noting that the short season of Advent can go by quickly. “By the time you do the holy day on the eighth and then Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec. 12), it just flies by.”
 Father RosenmeyerBoth Carlson and Father Rosenmeyer pointed out that an event such as the Pilgrimage of Hope, can help the faithful take a step back and make the most of the liturgical season of Advent.
 
“The St. Mary’s Pilgrimage of Hope invites participants to step away from the busyness of daily life and reconnect with God,” Carlson said. “It is a time set apart for worship, reflection and sharing in the warmth of community.”
 
The priest said that society wants to slow things down and Advent provides “the perfect opportunity.”
 
“As the world continues to secularize Christmas and it bombards us so early, something like this is where we can really pause and take the time to contemplate what Advent is. It’s another opportunity that we can deepen our faith and truly focus on what we’re waiting for and not just go right from Halloween to Christmas,” Father Rosenmeyer explained.

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