Lessons from my Year of Faith pilgrimages in Utah

My pilgrimages to the 12 Year of Faith sites scattered throughout Utah gave me everything from the typical travel frustrations to encounters with God and his people. I learned firsthand what Bishop Wester meant when he wrote in the letter introducing the sites that "a pilgrimage is a walk or journey to a place that helps us reflect on the joys and sufferings in our life."

The places I visited were as grand as the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City and as humble as the converted storefront that houses Saint Paul Catholic Center in Hurricane. At each place I attempted to "encounter God where He has revealed himself," as Pope Benedict XVI said.

Sometimes I was more successful than others. Traveling seems to bring out my worst flaws: I tend to focus on the negative, I get impatient, and most of all I don’t trust God to provide all that I need.

Yet over and over again my journeys proved the wisdom of Saint Francis de Sales’ words: "In all your affairs lean solely on God’s Providence, by means of which alone your plans can succeed."

Just a few examples of how God’s Providence took care of me: When I visited Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Mission in Fort Duchesne, I got lost and forgot to pray while I was there. Despite this, I got to meet the Chapoose family, who emphasized that the St. Kateri is a role model for everyone, not just for Native Americans.

She didn’t bow down to the pressure she got from those who ridiculed her for becoming Catholic, Clarice Chapoose told me, "and we have to be that way, too; we have to be strong in what we believe."

Another grace-filled moment occurred at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Salt Lake City, when my attempts to talk with the pastor and parishioners didn’t go according to plan. What the Holy Spirit had in mind, however, was even better: The church’s windows introduced me to two saints who modeled the virtue of listening to God’s will – Francis of Rome and Catherine of Laboure. I plan to read their biographies in the hopes that they can inspire me to better follow their example.

My travels also revealed some of the struggles of fellow Catholics in Utah: The shortage of priests means that, in many parishes, only one Sunday Mass is offered, and Sunday Celebrations Absent a Priest are common, while in remote areas a feeling of isolation from the larger Catholic community exists.

The pilgrimages offered unique experiences, as well – traversing the labyrinth at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Orem and confronting my fears of being an outsider at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Kearns.

Then there were all the stories: of a non-Catholic’s experience at Saint Pius X in Moab; the travails of Catholic refugees from Vietnam and the Congo, which have done nothing to diminish their joy in life; and of course the history of our diocese, which was built by people from throughout the world but which owes a particular debt to the religious men and women of the Benedictine, Dominican, Franciscan, Jesuit and Paulist orders, not to mention the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, the Sisters of Mercy and so many others.

If I could relate only one thing from my pilgrimages, it would be that Utah reflects the Church Universal. No matter what language is used to proclaim the Word, despite the wide range of ethnicities of those in the pews, regardless of whether the parish is rural or urban, the similarities outweigh the differences: Everywhere the people are delighted to share what is good in their parishes, their accomplishments and their faith. The Church in Utah is strong, and growing, and proud of our faith. Despite the hassles, the expense and my failure to respond as I wish I would to God’s call, I’m glad I undertook the journey.