Thank you for your interest in following our Lord as a Eucharistic Pilgrim during the 2026 Second Annual California Eucharistic Pilgrimage.  We are very excited for this opportunity to be instruments of God’s love and mercy in California during this Jubilee Year of Saint Francis. 

This California Eucharistic Pilgrimage will officially start on Friday May 29th, when we are very fortunate to have Bishop Vasa joining us in Sonoma and at Mission San Rafael. The pilgrimage ends at the Immaculata Church on the beautiful campus of the University of San Diego on Sunday June 7th.  We strongly encourage all Eucharistic Pilgrims to join us on Thursday evening May 28th, where we will gather for dinner and orientation with our fellow pilgrims.  A “Pilgrim Packet” will be provided at that time which will include:

•        Maps and route logistical information

•        Spiritual and Jubilee information (including prayers, meditations and song sheets)

•        Information on Works of Mercy opportunities

•        Pilgrim passports (we will be getting stamps at all 21 missions!)

•        Car magnets to identify your vehicle as a member of our caravan

•        Polo shirts to identify you as a Eucharistic Pilgrim during official events (optional)

A donation will be requested to help us cover the costs of these items.

THERE WILL BE MANY HOLY MOMENTS DURING THIS PILGRIMAGE:

v  ACCOMPANYING OUR LORD IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST FOR TEN DAYS.  The Blessed Sacrament will be shepherded by our holy priests and seminarians, leading our procession in a “Eucharistic Van”, specially designed to carry our Lord in adoration from stop to stop.  The Franciscans of the Renewal will be providing priests, brothers and seminarians for the entire two weeks of this pilgrimage.  Our Eucharistic Pilgrims will have the opportunity to participate in all public and private events during this pilgrimage.

v  VISITING ALL 21 CALIFORNIA MISSIONS.  Pilgrim masses, adoration, benedictions and more.  Those pilgrims documenting their pilgrim passport with stamps from all 21 missions will be entitled to special recognition and a “compostela” acknowledging the completion of their 2026 Jubilee of Saint Francis pilgrimage. 

v  JUBILEE EVENTS. Pope Leo has declared 2026 the Jubilee Year of Saint Francis in honor of the 800th anniversary of his passing. Places of worship with a connection to Saint Francis are considered special pilgrimage sites and opportunities for special graces during this Jubilee Year. There will be many such stops!

v  WORKS OF MERCY. Our pilgrimage will have DAILY designated Work of Mercy opportunities for those wishing to participate.  We will be reflecting and acting on the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, including visits to homeless shelters, foodbanks, cemeteries, prisons, pregnancy counseling centers and others along our pilgrimage route.

v  PRAYER INTENTIONS.  We will be gathering prayer intentions from our stops to add to our own, which will be prayed over and carried along our pilgrimage, to be processed up to the altar during our closing mass at the Immaculata Church in San Diego on Corpus Christi Sunday.

v  AND MORE!  There are some additional very special events in the works which we will be able to share with you later.  

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

1.      Eucharistic Pilgrims will be responsible for their own transportation, lodging and meals.  We will be providing lodging options that you will be booking on your own.  Some stops may offer host family or retreat-type lodging options on a first-come, first-served basis.  Some meals will be provided though the hospitality of our host parishes. Please budget this pilgrimage as you might a ten day vacation. 

2.      We anticipate hotel, RV and camping options.

3.      This is not a walking pilgrimage (see our other pilgrimage options for that!).  However, there will be Eucharistic Processions each day, ranging from a mile up to around 6 miles. 

4.      We plan to leave each stop better than we found it.  Please plan to be generous with your time and resources along the way.  Opportunities for donations of food, clothing and money will be a part of this pilgrimage…more on that later.

5.      Applications to participate as Eucharistic Pilgrims will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.  We do not anticipate turning anyone away, but the size of our group may become a limiting factor. 

6.      All Eucharistic Pilgrims will be asked to sign a waiver of liability.

If all this sounds like something you would like to commit to, please send us the following information:

•        Names (all those in your party)

•        Address

•        Phone

•        Type of lodging (hotel, RV, camping)

We will confirm receipt of your application and provide updates as they become available.  We anticipate providing confirmed dates for each of our stops, along with lodging options, by the end of February.  

Please note that we are an all-volunteer organization seeking to serve our Lord during this Jubilee event. 

Please email us to sign up! …or with any specific questions (use the button above under Eucharistic Pilgrims).

We look forward to journeying with you on this historic pilgrimage!

In Christ,

Pablo and Lourdes Torres

Eucharistic Pilgrim Coordinators