The buzz in the Catholic Church this summer is over the National Eucharistic Congress and the four national pilgrimages that will cross the entire United States and converge in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Fr. Mark McCormick, the diocesan vocations director and chaplain of the Rapid City Newman Center, gets to take part in this unique opportunity. While he was visiting seminarians in St. Paul, Minnesota, former Newman Club President John Vargo and his wife Samantha asked him to come to their new house for a cup of coffee.

He was unaware Samantha was working with the St. Juan Diego or southern route of the pilgrimage. She asked Fr. Mark what he was doing June 11- 22. “I looked at my calendar and I said it looks pretty free. Then she asked, how would you like to be a chaplain on the southern route for a week? I’m excited, I’ve never been to that part of the country,” he said.

The southern route begins May 17 in Brownsville, Texas. He will join them June 11 in Biloxi Mississippi. His trip will have many highlights. On June 12, he has Mass, a procession, Adoration, a Deo Gloria Celebration at St. Thomas the Apostle Church then a trip to the Gulf of Mexico. “I’m blessing the sea — that should be interesting,” he said.

June 13, he will have Mass at St. James Church and a procession to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral in Biloxi, where there will be an XLT Youth Rally. The Cathedral built in 1902 was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It features a unique Gothic design. “I like to see the architecture of cathedrals,” he said.

June 14 is a driving day to the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile, Alabama. June 15 begins with Mass there with Archbishop Thomas Rodi. “From there, we’ll process to St. Mary Parish. Catholic Social Services has arranged service projects where we can evangelize in area neighborhoods.”

From June 16-20, there will be driving days. “I think it will be good just to be with the Lord in the van. They’ve taken out the back two seats and then they built a little altar with a monstrance bolted down so that when they’re traveling, as I understand it, people will see it as they drive,” said Fr. Mark. “I think this is just a great opportunity for me as a priest of the Diocese of Rapid City to bring our diocese to a little part of the national stage.” Along the way there will be retreat programs and pilgrim testimonials.

June 20 they will be at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Hanceville, Alabama. It is run by the Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration. Mother Angelica, the foundress of Eternal Word Television Network, is buried there. In addition to tours, the group will have a Eucharistic Healing Service and Divine Mercy Chaplet with the nuns. “I think we are going to be featured on a couple of their shows,” he added.

“It’s just a great blessing to go on the pilgrimage. You know the Holy Spirit seems to surprise us,” said Fr. Mark. Following the pilgrimage, he will be riding with five seminarians, youth, and adults from throughout the Diocese of Rapid City to experience the graces of the National Eucharistic Congress.