The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage kicked off on May 24, Pentecost Sunday, on a six-week route named after St. Frances Xavier Cabrini. Each of the perpetual pilgrims is carrying a second-class relic of Mother Cabrini, a gift from St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in Manhattan, the Shrine said.

Inside the handmade envelope is affixed a small piece of one of Mother Cabrini’s garments, Shrine organizers said.

Nine perpetual pilgrims

“The Shrine will be praying for the nine perpetual pilgrims (Cheyenne Johnson, Zach Dotson, Marcel Ferrer, Sharon Phillips, Eduardo Gutierrez, Angelina Marconi, Raymond Martinez II, Mary Carmen Zakrajsek, and John Paul Flynn) each day until the pilgrimage concludes in Philadelphia on July 4, on the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding,” according to the Cabrini Shrine’s website.

“Although St. Frances Cabrini Shrine is not a public stop on the route, the perpetual pilgrims will make a private retreat here during the third week of June. We are honored to welcome these young, faithful Catholics, whose dedication to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament would certainly please Mother Cabrini.”

Read All of The Good Newsroom’s Coverage of the 2024 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage in the Archdiocese of New York

A perpetual pilgrim refers to a small, dedicated group of young adults who travel full-time for an extended period, carrying and stewarding the Blessed Sacrament (the Eucharist). The term was made popular by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) during the 2024 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. (The Shrine was a pilgrimage stop in 2024, when a northeast route was named after Elizabeth Ann Seton.)

“They’re from all over the place,” said Julia Attaway, executive director of the Shrine, of the perpetual pilgrims. “We heard from them about nine months ago or more, asking if they could have a retreat here. And I said yes, of course. We’d love to do that (be their host)…They will take a day and have a private retreat at the Shrine — and this will also be a time for them to rest…I think Mother Cabrini will be thrilled,” Attaway told The Good Newsroom by phone May 26.

Patroness of immigrants

Organizers noted that Mother Cabrini’s devotion to the Blessed Sacrament began when she was very young. She attended daily Mass with her older sister Rosa, plus a full hour of Adoration. When she was six years old, she desperately wanted to receive the Eucharist, but was denied because, at the time, young children did not have the required “white veil” and were not permitted to receive First Holy Communion.

This restriction in the 19th-century Church only delayed her lifelong devotion. She later became the first U.S. citizen to be canonized as a saint, as well as the patroness of immigrants.

As she grew up, Mother Cabrini’s visits to church became more frequent. She especially liked to go pray during the hours when “Jesus was so alone.” This habit of long hours in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament became a source of Mother Cabrini’s ongoing strength and energy.

For more information, visit the shrine’s website.

The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage passed through the Archdiocese of New York in 2024. There are no scheduled stops in the archdiocese during the 2026 walk.