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THE NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL: “THE ST. KATHARINE DREXEL ROUTE”

By BRADLEY ZINT     6/10/2025

PILGRIMS FROM throughout California and the country will be passing through the Diocese of Orange later this month as part of the 2025 National
Eucharistic Pilgrimage, a years-long effort to promote devotion and belief of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

From June 18 to 20, Diocese of Orange parishes as well as Christ Cathedral will be hosting the pilgrims for Masses, Adoration, guest speakers, walking processions, driving processions and other activities. Parishioners of Orange County are invited to participate. A registration link is available under the dates at www.rcbo.org/events

The pilgrims’ journey, dubbed the St. Katharine Drexel Route, began on May 18 in Indianapolis, where the National Eucharistic Congress took place last summer. It then passed through the Midwest and down south to El Paso, Texas, before heading westward to San Bernardino and San Diego. From San Diego, it will come northward through Orange County and conclude on June 20 to 22 in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

In Orange County, the journey starts at noon on June 18 when the pilgrims arrive at Our Lady of Fatima parish in San Clemente. The monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament will be ceremoniously passed on to the Diocese of Orange before Adoration begins. Then a driving caravan will journey on to JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, where Adoration continues at 5:30 p.m. and a Mass of Thanksgiving at 6 p.m. The day ends with a walking procession from JSerra south to Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano, where additional time for Adoration is scheduled through the night.

On June 19, Mission Basilica will host an 8 a.m. Mass before the group drives north to visit St. Thomas More parish in Irvine, Holy Family in Orange, St. John Maron Maronite in Orange and Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. A walking procession is planned between St. John Maron and Christ Cathedral, which is also hosting an evening of fellowship with food trucks, a procession around the cathedral plaza, speakers, Adoration, praise and worship music.

The Drexel Route then will move on into the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, leaving Christ Cathedral the morning of June 20.

Joining the Drexel Route pilgrims is another group calling themselves Camino de California. Their pilgrimage starts Northern California in early June before joining the Drexel Route in San Diego, through the Diocese of Orange and ending in Los Angeles.

For more information on the National Eucharistic Revival in the Diocese, visit www.rcbo.org/revival