Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney is proud and honored to lead the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey in a once-in-a-lifetime historic event: hosting stops on June 14 and 15 in Passaic and Paterson during the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, which will travel up the Eastern Seaboard this summer. Guided by the theme “One Nation Under God,” the 18-stop pilgrimage is a nationwide call to national renewal, unity, and mission rooted in the Eucharist, in honor of the United States’ 250th birthday.
It’s the first time Paterson will host a National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. These pilgrimages occur between National Eucharistic Congresses. For more information on the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, visit eucharisticpilgrimage.org.
The pilgrimage begins in St. Augustine, Fla., where the first Catholic Mass in the United States was held, on Memorial Day. Then, it moves up the East Coast to New England, and on to Philadelphia, Penn., the nation’s birthplace, for the 250th anniversary celebrations. The journey ends on July 5. A group of young-adult Perpetual Pilgrims and media missionaries will travel by van through most of the original 13 colonies on the St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Route. This route is named after the first American citizen canonized as a saint.
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Like the rest of the pilgrimage, the two-day stop in the Paterson Diocese will also highlight the contributions of immigrants to the Church in the United States. Pilgrims will visit churches in Paterson and Passaic, among the most densely populated and multicultural cities in the Garden State. Catholics from the diocese and beyond are invited to participate in a dynamic array of public events in English and Spanish, including opening and closing Masses by Bishop Sweeney, presentations on the Eucharist, and Eucharistic processions through the cities’ streets.
“The pilgrimage’s stop in the diocese will give Catholics an opportunity to revitalize their love for Jesus and the Eucharist. This is one of the goals of the New Evangelization. It also offers a chance to stand in solidarity with our immigrant brothers and sisters,” said Father Cesar Jaramillo, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Pequannock, N.J., and delegate for the pilgrimage stop in the diocese. “We invite all parishes in our local church of Paterson to attend.”
Special guests on the pilgrimage will be three priests with strong social media presence: Father Rafael Capo, Father Heriberto Garcia, and Franciscan Father Casey Cole.
The pilgrimage takes place 75 years after the launch of the lobbying campaign spearheaded by the Knights of Columbus to add that phrase to the U.S.’ Pledge of Allegiance, said Jason Shanks, president of the National Eucharistic Congress.
Bishop Andrew Cozzens, chairman of the National Eucharistic Congress, said, “Our hope is that Catholics will gather on this significant anniversary — the United States’ 250th birthday — to give thanks for our country and pray for its future. We encourage all Catholics to be inspired by the missionaries’ zeal to bring revival to the light and love of Jesus Christ.”
Event locations and times will be announced at a later date on BeaconNJ.org.
For more information, please contact Maria Moncaleano, who is helping Father Jaramillo as the contact person for anyone with questions regarding the pilgrimage and scheduled events at mmoncaleano@patersondiocese.org.
