NEW HAVEN, May 18 — After a talk hosted by the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center in New Haven, Father Roger Landry, chaplain to the Seton Route of the National Eucharistic PIlgrimage, blessed the support van and trailer that will accompany the pilgrims along their nearly 1,200 mile journey from New Haven to Indianapolis.
Father Landry, vested in a stole bearing the image of Blessed Michael McGivney, who founded the Knights of Columbus in New Haven in 1882 where he worked as a parish priest at St. Mary's Church, blessed the vehicles with a prayer from the Catholic Book of Blessings and then sprinkled the outsides and insides of them with holy water.
The blessing was attended by nearly 80 people who had been present at a talk entitled, "The Christian Life as a Eucharistic Pilgrimage," by Father Landry at the Center.
The support van and trailer bears logos from the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage as well as the Knights of Columbus.
Inside the van, there is a unique "tabernacle and tabor" set up, designed precisely for the Eucharistic PIlgrimage for times of thunderstorms, excessive heat, or other severely inclement weather or for stretches of the pilgrimage between Churches that would be too great a distance to do on a given day.
The tabernacle portion is able to fit a small monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament and the top of the monstrance is a "tabor," a stand on which to place a monstrance, for Eucharistic adoration by the pilgrims should they need to use the van for part of their pilgrimage.
Father Landry, chaplain to the Seton Route, said that the pilgrims will need to use the van, among other times, to continue the pilgrimage from Washington, DC, to Altoona, Pennsylvania, on June 9, because the distance between the two cities would far exceed the capacity of the pilgrimage to make in a day on foot.
The van and trailer ordinarily will be used to transport the supplies for the Eucharistic pilgrimage — processional crosses, canopies, a portable altar for benedictions, among other items — as well as the luggage of the pilgrims from place to place along their 65-day trek.
Pilgrims hope that the van and trailer will bring attention to the pilgrimage along the journey.
"I can guarantee people on Route 95 have never seen anything like it," Father Landry quipped.
The Seton Route Pilgrims with the support van after its blessing. From left to right (standing): Father Roger Landry, Br. Jan Vanek, CFR, Christoph Bernas, Dominic Carstens, Marina Frattaroli, Natalie Garza, (kneeling) Zoe Dongas, and Amayrani Higueldo.
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