A Jubilee of Mercy Pilgrimage Walk, Covington, USA

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In spite of the weather forecast of rain for March 12 a widely diverse group of thirty-one pilgrims showed up at Blessed Sacrament Church at 7:00 a.m. They were ready to begin a Jubilee Year of Mercy walking pilgrimage to seven diocesan churches in the Covington area. Included in the group were students of Notre Dame Academy with their President Dr. Laura Koehl and Principal Mr. Jack VonHandorf, Associates of the Sisters of Notre Dame, friends who found our invitation on Facebook, including parishioners of St. Henry and St. Agnes Churches, and Mr. John McCoy from St. Patrick Church in Taylor Mill, as well as several Sisters of Notre Dame.

Deacon James Bayne waited at the door of Blessed Sacrament to welcome the walkers, joined in our singing and prayers for mercy, gave us a pilgrim’s blessing and sent us on our way down Dixie Highway to St. Agnes Church. We arrived just in time to participate in a sung Morning Prayer and Eucharistic celebration with Msgr. Donald Enzweiler and parishioners. From there the planned route took us to St. John Church, to Mother of God Church, to Our Savior Parish, to St. Benedict, and finally to our Cathedral-Basilica of the Assumption where we were met by Rev. Ryan Maher.

At the Cathedral we sang the official Jubilee Year of Mercy song, prayed the Prayer composed by Pope Francis for this year and were offered the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Passing through the Jubilee Door of Mercy together was a tangible act of faith and a positive demonstration that praying and singing together nourishes unity and love.

by Sr. Mary Margaret Agnes Hemmerle, SND