Catholic youth to carry cross through Wilmington streets.
March 20, 2024 — (Wilmington, DE) — Once again this year, more than 600 young people, families, seminarians and volunteers will join Bishop William E. Koenig and carry a 10 by 6 foot wooden cross over three miles through the streets of Wilmington on the day before Palm Sunday, Saturday, March 23, 2024, as part of the 13th annual Diocese of Wilmington’s youth pilgrimage. Sponsored by the Office for Catholic Youth, Young Adult and Family Ministry of the Diocese of Wilmington, the event features prayer, the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession), Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic Adoration, and Mass during stops at five Wilmington location. This year’s pilgrimage theme is, “Blessed are They/Bienaventurados son ellos.” All pilgrims have been asked to bring one non-perishable food item to assist Catholic Charities’ Stock the Pantry.
“We all carry burdens of one kind or another through life, and the annual CYM Pilgrimage is an opportunity to join all of our challenges and crosses to Jesus during His Passion,” said Mr. Daniel Pin, Director of the Office for Catholic Youth, Young Adult and Family Ministry for the Diocese of Wilmington. “It is such a blessing to walk alongside our Bishop with our sisters and brothers in faith and see the incredible witness of the young people of our Diocese through participation in worship and the Sacraments.”
Pilgrimage participants will gather at 9:00 a.m. at the St. E’s Center and Grant Hall on Cedar Street, on the campus of St. Elizabeth Parish for registration, a display of the Blessed Carlo Acutis Eucharistic Miracles and an opening prayer and concert from Sarah Kroger, popular contemporary worship leader. From St. E’s, the cross will be carried to Saint Francis Hospital on North Clayton Street where the Bishop will offer a blessing for the sick and their caregivers. The next stop is St. Anthony of Padua Church on North DuPont Street where pilgrims will have their lunch, participate in a meet and greet with diocesan seminarians and celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation. Padua Academy is the next stop where participants will pray the Stations of the Cross, remembering the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. The cross will then be carried to St. Paul Church, at West 4th and North Jackson Streets for Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction. From St. Paul’s, the group will return to St. Elizabeth where the Palm Sunday liturgy will begin with the Blessing of Palms and Mass with Bishop Koenig. The pilgrimage will conclude at approximately 5:15 p.m.
The Catholic Diocese of Wilmington was established in 1868 and comprises 56 parishes, 18 missions and 27 schools serving the State of Delaware and the nine counties of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Information about the diocese is available at www.cdow.org.
# # #
Media Contact: Bob Krebs
302-537-3116
[email protected]