By Chuol Jany
Catholic believers in Lakes State are on the third day of their pilgrimage walk, with hundreds of youth joining the event at the Rumbek Diocese. The pilgrimage began on Monday, January 13, 2025, and has drawn participants from across the state, including Bishop Christian Calarase of Bentiu and His Grace, Seamus Horgan Patrick the Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan.
The 21-kilometer journey from Malou to Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Wulu is being held under the theme Healing. Pilgrims have been walking in unison, reflecting on spiritual renewal and solidarity as they travel towards their destination.
During the pilgrimage, Bishop Christian Calarase shared a series of beatitudes, offering spiritual guidance to the participants. The bishop emphasized the profound lessons that the pilgrimage offers, saying:
“Blessed are you, pilgrim if you discover that the pilgrimage opens your eyes to what is not seen. Blessed are you, pilgrim, if what concerns you most is not to arrive, but to arrive with others. Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you contemplate the journey and realize you are walking with others, each answering a special vocation. Blessed are you, pilgrim, because you have discovered that the authentic pilgrimage begins when it is completed.”
The bishop continued with several other blessings, encouraging pilgrims to reflect on the spiritual growth and emotional journey of walking together. He said, “Blessed are you, pilgrim if your knapsack is emptying of things, yet your heart is filled with emotions and a love to commit yourself.” He also highlighted the value of helping others along the way, noting, “Blessed are you, pilgrim if one step back to help another is more valuable than a hundred steps forward without seeing what is at your side.”
As the pilgrims continued their walk, the bishop called on them to embrace the silence and prayer that the pilgrimage offers, inviting them to meet God in each step. “Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you search for the truth and make of the pilgrimage a way of life, and of your life a ‘way’—in search of the one who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” he concluded.
The pilgrimage is set to conclude in the coming days, with the faithful continuing their journey in the spirit of unity, prayer, and healing.