Members of St. Peter’s Youth Group, Merchantville, make a walking pilgrimage on Dec. 8.
Members of St. Peter’s Youth Group made a walking pilgrimage on Dec. 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, from St. Peter Church in Merchantville to the diocesan shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Lawrence Church, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Lindenwold.
Father David Rivera, parochial vicar of St. Peter’s, led six teenagers, three adult chaperones, a toddler and an infant, who made the 11-mile walk over four-and-half hours. The pilgrims left shortly after noon and arrived in time to attend the 5 p.m. parish Vigil Mass for the Second Sunday of Advent.
Along the way the pilgrims stopped at the Cherry Hill Women’s Center to pray for an end to abortion through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The youth group of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish took time from their weekend retreat to make the last few miles of the walk with St. Peter’s and also to host them for dinner after Mass.
The pilgrimage was made in honor of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and the pro-life movement, which is observed on Dec. 12.