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Pilgrimage Spotlight: Ecological disaster provides area for spiritual reflection

As part of our Pilgrims of Hope for Creation initiative in 2025, over 45 (so far!) Catholic communities across the U.S. have taken or are planning to take a pilgrimage in their communities, either to a site of ecological beauty or disaster. 

On May 23, several Sisters of Mercy gathered in an unlikely place to find hope. 

Sister Cynthia Serjak, joined by three other Sisters of Mercy, traveled from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to East Palestine, Ohio, to meet with four women from the local parish who had lived through the aftermath of a train derailment in 2023 — an ecological disaster that led to environmental havoc in the area.

“I am a native of East Palestine, so I have been following the train story closely since it happened,” Sister Cynthia said. “I had been invited to work on the song in the late winter, so the pilgrimage idea was in my head when some of us Sisters of Mercy were planning a retreat based on Laudato Si’. I told them about the pilgrimage idea, and we talked about how we might do a pilgrimage in preparation for our retreat. Another sister said that we could go to East Palestine. I, of course, was ready.”

On the evening of Feb. 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed a quarter-mile to the west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line in East Palestine, Ohio. 20 of the train cars that were derailed were carrying hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride, ethylene glycol, ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate and isobutylene. EPA updates as of July 2025 show that cleanup efforts at the derailment site are still ongoing. 

“We heard their stories and visited the site, prayed and sang the pilgrimage song,” Sister Cynthia told POHFC. “A couple weeks later two of the women came to Pittsburgh and spoke with the Sisters of Mercy there.”

By then, the pilgrimage crowd had grown from 8 to 20 as more Catholics were interested in hearing about the impact of this environmental disaster on creation care in the area. 

“The sisters were clearly taken with the experience, especially the women who spoke with such calm and deliberate care, telling the story but not blaming or expressing bitterness,” Sister Cynthia said. “We talked about it off and on during our retreat. But we were also deeply saddened by the reality that after two years so many questions remain with little hope of resolution. After the retreat we decided we wanted to share the experience with the larger community of sisters in Pittsburgh. We were delighted when 2 of the women from (East Palestine) agreed to come. The sisters were also impressed with the way in which the women described the experience, and the hope and humor they showed.”

You can read Sister Cynthia’s reflection on the situation in East Palestine and on the pilgrimage here.

Check out our pilgrimage map to see where else pilgrimages are being planned, and visit our contact page to become a pilgrimage leader or register your own pilgrimage!

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Heeding Pope Francis’ Call to be Pilgrims of Hope for Creation, Hundreds of California Catholic Youth Advocate at State Capitol

BY IGNATIAN SOLIDARITY NETWORK STAFF

As the world mourns the loss of the prophetic leader in Pope Francis, California Catholic youth are galvanized by his example and heeding his call to care for our common home. On April 7, 2025, over 400 Catholic youth and adult leaders across California converged in Sacramento to walk, pray, and advocate as Pilgrims of Hope for Creation. The powerful, youth-led pilgrimage and advocacy day celebrates the anniversaries of Laudato Si’, St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures, and the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year.

Organized by the California Chapter of the Laudato Si’ Movement (LSM) North America and Jesuits West Province, this pilgrimage is part of the nationwide “Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation” campaign. Pilgrims journeyed from almost every diocese in the state, uniting to live out their faith through action.

Bishop Jaime Soto (far right) celebrates Mass at Jesuit High School in Sacramento.

The pilgrimage began the day prior with Mass at Jesuit High School Sacramento celebrated by Bishop Jaime Soto of the Diocese of Sacramento. With the urgent call to care for our common home and protect vulnerable communities, students met with 71 legislators in 35 scheduled advocacy meetings. “This pilgrimage is our way of living out our faith—walking in solidarity, lifting our voices, and advocating for policies that protect the environment and vulnerable communities,” said Elias Duran, a high school student from Loyola High School of Los Angeles. “We are called to be caretakers of creation. This is our chance to show that we are ready to lead.”

Students were trained in the principles of Laudato Si’ and carried a Pilgrimage Journal to ground the experience in individual and communal moments of prayer and reflection. They also wore pins and stickers with the LSM California Chapter logo adapted by a student from the University of San Francisco, featuring an earth made of colorful handprints—a symbol of collective responsibility, creation, and care for the vulnerable. Banners crafted during a pre-summit gathering reflected this symbol, creating a visually unified message of hope and solidarity.

(Left) Pilgrims process from the Capitol steps to the legislative office building for their advocacy meetings. (Right) Pilgrims witness publicly with their hand-made banners.

This wasn’t just an exercise in symbolism. Youth advocated for three key legislative priorities: fire resilience and prevention, water and habitat protection, and humane immigration policies. These are not abstract concerns but lived realities across California.

“These youth give us hope for the care of creation,” said Dr. Christina Bagaglio Slentz, Director for Care for Creation in the Diocese of San Diego. “We need them to demand transformation of our energy systems, hold polluters accountable, and advocate for those pushed to migrate by climate change.”

From Los Angeles to San Francisco, the voices were unified and impassioned. “We are not invisible, and we are not voiceless,” said Melanie Martinez from Dolores Mission parish. “We can’t keep waiting for someone to save us—we have to do it ourselves. This is the first step to salvation.” 

Rooted in their lived experiences in California and various places where they have witnessed environmental deterioartion due to climate change, the students’ urgency fueled their steps as they processed together to the legislative office building, culminating the lengthy journeys many of them made to get to Sacramento. “From growing up in the Bay Area to visiting family in South India, I’ve seen how climate change is impacting vulnerable communities all over the world,” said Amrita Candadai from Presentation High School in San Jose. “We have an obligation to advocate for change.”

Pilgrims gather with Bishop Soto after the April 6 Mass.

The pilgrimage was supported by a network of Catholic leaders who volunteered to lead prayer and reflection for the students during their online prep sessions, including Bishop Bejarano of San Diego, Bishop Cantu of San Jose, Fr. Sean Carroll, SJ (Provincial of Jesuits West), Sr. Ann Pratt, OP, and many others from parishes, schools, and organizations across the state. The pilgrimage was organized by the California Chapter of the Laudato Si’ Movement with planning team members from ministries including St. Anthony’s Parish, Bishop O’Dowd High School, Catholic Charities Stockton, Catholic Climate Covenant, Catholic Relief Services, Climate Center with leadership from Jesuits West, and the Racine Dominicans.

Students from Verbum Dei Jesuit High School in Los Angeles meet with a staffer to advocate for the three common legislative priorities.

“This was both a wonderful learning opportunity and an incredibly empowering experience,” shared Sophia Fung from Kennedy High School in La Palma. “Meeting legislators reminded us that ordinary people have real power to make change.” These youth embodied bold, compassionate, and determined leadership rooted in faith. May Pope Francis continue inspiring these and all youth as they remind us of our mutual belonging and our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork.

Editor’s Note: 

Members of the Ignatian family are invited to follow the lead of these young people by hosting their own Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation on the eve of St. Francis’ Feast Day (October 3) or on the Feast of St. Francis (October 4). Honoring Pope Francis, who made justice and care for our common home central to his papacy, we can live out Laudato Si’ through this collective effort. 

To learn more about leading a pilgrimage, visit the Pilgrims of Hope for Creation website, join the Ignatian family launch call on April 28, 2025, or if you are a young person, sign up for the youth planning call on May 14, 2025.

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Catholic organizations announce the launch of Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation in 2025 Jubilee Year

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Catholic organizations across the United States are coming together to launch Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation, a nationwide movement to encourage individuals and communities to embark on pilgrimages during the 2025 Jubilee Year, focusing on the sacred relationship between humanity and creation.

In this pivotal year, marking both the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures and the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ groundbreaking encyclical Laudato Si’, the initiative invites Catholics to rediscover the beauty of God’s creation through prayer, reflection, and action. Pilgrimages will take place across the U.S. during the Season of Creation (September 1 – October 4, 2025), offering opportunities for personal transformation and community-building.

This unique initiative invites participants to explore a variety of pilgrimage experiences — from short walks in local parks to longer treks through mountains or forests, to visits to places of natural beauty or ecological significance. Wherever these pilgrimages take place, they all share the same mission: to restore our relationship with God, with each other, and with the Earth, and to cultivate a renewed commitment to caring for creation.

“This year, as Catholics, we have a unique opportunity to reflect on our role in creation care. Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation are about healing — healing our connection to the Earth, to one another, and to God. It’s about acknowledging our disconnection and choosing to take tangible steps toward reconciliation. This is not just a journey of the body; it’s a pilgrimage of the soul,” said Dan Misleh, Founder and Executive Director of Catholic Climate Covenant, one of the organizations involved in the Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation initiative.

Catholic individuals, families, faith communities, and organizations are invited to participate in these pilgrimages. Whether joining an existing pilgrimage or organizing one in their own area, participants will have access to resources, guides, and opportunities for spiritual reflection.

“You are the hero of this journey. As you take this step toward healing, you are showing the world that each of us has a role to play in restoring creation. The Earth needs us, and we need each other. This pilgrimage is about bringing hope to the world, one step at a time.”

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