Thanks to a donation from the Newman Foundation of Northeast Ohio, 30 college students representing the Newman Campus Ministry from four colleges in the Diocese of Cleveland gathered Oct. 3 at the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe to begin a pilgrimage as part of the Jubilee Year of Hope.
Students from Ashland University, Cleveland State University, Baldwin Wallace University and the University of Akron shared a meal Oct. 3, enjoyed an icebreaker and heard a presentation on the Jubilee Year. The evening ended with night prayer.
(See photo gallery above.)
On Oct. 4, the students traveled by motor coach to visit four sacred sites in the diocese that were designated by Bishop Edward Malesic for the Jubilee Year. Along the way, they could add stamps to their Pilgrim of Hope Passports.
The event was planned by Joann Rymarczyk-Piotrkowski, diocesan director of Newman Campus Ministry.
Their first stop was Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in Euclid, where they attended 8 a.m. Mass and heard a presentation from Sister Phyllis Ann Lavelle, OSST, Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity provincial superior. They also had a continental breakfast and toured the shrine grounds.
Next, they stopped at the Diocesan Shrine of St. Ann, housed in the Oratory of the Blessed Sacrament on the grounds of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, Province of St. Ann. The shrine is next to St. Paschal Baylon Parish in Highland Heights. Students met Father J.T. Lane, SSS, provincial for the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, and St. Paschal Baylon pastor. He shared information about the congregation and invited the students to pray in the presence of the Eucharist.
Lunch followed at The Friars’ Table in downtown Cleveland, a collaboration of three nonprofits: Cleveland Capuchin Ministries, EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute and Playhouse Square. Father Phil Bernier, OFM Cap., pastor of St. Peter Parish in Cleveland and CSU Newman Ministry chaplain, welcomed and blessed the students before lunch.
After lunch, students headed to Queen of the Holy Rosary Shrine in Parma Heights Ohio, on the grounds of Incarnate Word Academy and the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament convent. At the shrine, students prayed the rosary, contemplating the glorious mysteries.
Their final stop was the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, where the students had an opportunity for the sacrament of reconciliation before participating in the Sunday Vigil Mass.
“This was a fantastic day,” one student said to Rymarczyk-Piotrkowski. “Thank you for putting together an awesome experience. I love my new friends.”