Starting in mid-May this year, a National Eucharistic Pilgrimage followed four separate routes that formed the shape of a cross over our nation. The paths covered 6,500 miles, bringing Jesus to city streets, rural highways and hungry hearts from all sectors of society. The pilgrimage culminated at the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in July.
Along the routes, leading the hundreds of thousands of participants, were small teams of young adults who were chosen to accompany Jesus for the duration of the pilgrimage. One of these perpetual pilgrims was selected from the Diocese of La Crosse. Dominic Carstens, 23, grew up attending St. Philip Parish in Rolling Ground and graduated from Wyoming Catholic College in May. He joined the Seton Route, which started its journey on the East Coast in New Haven, Conn., and moved through such populous metros as New York City, Washington D.C., and Baltimore—our nation’s oldest diocese—before crossing the Appalachian Mountains on its way to Indianapolis.
We sat down with Dominic to learn about this transformative experience of walking Christ across our nation to the National Eucharistic Congress.
Catholic Life: Before we ask you about your experiences during the pilgrimage, can you tell us a little bit about your family life while growing up?
Dominic: Such happy days! I had such an idyllic childhood. I grew up on a farm. We have a hobby farm of about a hundred acres. If there was an animal, we probably owned it. So, I grew up farming, helping with chores and whatnot. I grew up playing with my cousins quite a bit, and our family had such camaraderie. What was so nice was that all the families were Catholic—faith and family just went hand in hand.
I grew up and lived in just the sort of place you’d imagine in such an ideal childhood, with woods and forests. You could build forts, hold kittens and take care of calves. It was a wonderful place and a way to grow up steeped in nature. Creation was a big part of my childhood. From a young age, my dad would take me on hikes through the woods, allowing me to explore and see God’s work in creation. That had a big impact on my life’s direction, starting with how my dad raised me—teaching me to connect with creation, be a part of it and work with it on the farm and in everything we did. I love spending time in creation, God’s first book.
Discernment and Decisions
Catholic Life: What was your discernment or thought process when you learned about the opportunity to be a perpetual pilgrim?
Dominic: When I heard that the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage was going to happen, I knew that such a thing had never been done before and the idea intrigued me. I remembered Jesus telling Peter to, “Cast your net out into the deep.” So, I cast my own net into the deep, filled out the application, went through the interview process and, before I knew it, had a pretty big fish to haul in.
And so, it was great. I simply said yes when discerning whether or not to do it, a yes to something the Lord put in front of me; which is so much of what vocational discernment is. It’s just saying yes to the doors the Lord puts before you.
Catholic Life: Can you describe the selection process and explain how you became a perpetual pilgrim on the Seton Route?
Dominic: I was given the opportunity to express my preferences. I chose the Marion Route, which passes through La Crosse, because I have a strong desire to minister to the people closest to me. A little background: I went to Kenya between high school and college to work in missions; I spent about a month and a half in orphanages and rescue centers until [the COVID-19 pandemic] forced me to leave.
I traveled across the world to find people who needed Jesus, and only there did I realize that the people closest to me, my neighbors, most needed evangelization and the Lord brought to them.
I applied for the Marion Route because it felt more neighborly to me. However, in God’s great providence, I was selected for the Seton Route. I am grateful for the experience and the connections I made, and I believe they will be helpful in fulfilling the plan the Lord has in store for me.
Catholic Life: How did you prepare for something as monumental and unknown as the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage?
Dominic: This is one of my favorite questions to answer! I was having a rough day in April. The pilgrimage was approaching and I was praying in, of all places, my college cafeteria because our Lord loves to work miracles in places one least expects. During my prayer, I was contemplating the meaning of the Eucharist and its significance to me. I was also reflecting on who the Eucharist represents and who Jesus is. And as I was praying, I heard each of these five words spoken distinctly and powerfully: “I. did. it. for. you.” This was deeply profound and meaningful to me because St. Teresa of Calcutta’s Gospel of Five Fingers stated: “You did it to me.” So this was my own “Gospel on five fingers,” especially when considering the Eucharist. I realized that the Eucharist is the ultimate gift to me. The ultimate “I did it for you.”
I was really excited to go on the pilgrimage as soon as I realized this. If that’s truly what Jesus needs of me, and if that’s truly present in the Mass and what I get to partake in, then I want to tell the world about it. So, this was a huge and momentous change for me as I was preparing for the pilgrimage.
Catholic Life: In what areas did you find this newfound excitement to be especially vibrant?
Dominic: One thing I was very excited about was making wholesome friends in Christ and getting to know some really good young Catholics who were equally on fire for their faith. Christ prayed that we become one, and walking alongside Him did exactly that throughout the pilgrimage, no matter who joined us.
Hesitation, Challenges and Then Joy
Catholic Life: Were feelings of anxiety or hesitation present during this time as well?
Dominic: I wasn’t particularly nervous about this before the pilgrimage, but by day three, I realized I was dead tired—to the core of my being. I had nothing left in me to give. I learned that ministering so intensely for our Lord took a heavy toll on my strength, and it worried me at first.
But it’s quite amusing how we so casually say, “Oh, by the grace of God, I was able to do it.” Many people don’t realize that it’s actually the reality of our lives. The only reason we can do anything is because of the grace of God. I never fully understood the truth of this until day three, when I was already tired and ready to give up, but I had 62 more days to go! When I say we were living on grace, that’s the absolute reality. We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what we did without grace. It was through His grace, being nourished by the sacraments every single day and His pouring out of His love that allowed us to carry on. His grace was what made the entire pilgrimage possible.
Catholic Life: As you reflect, what were some of the most challenging moments throughout those 60-plus days?
Dominic: Well, the most challenging moment also became one of the greatest joys. We took a speaker with us along the route to help project the music, and I was carrying it during a 17-mile procession in Metuchen, NJ. My shoulders were killing me at the eight-mile mark and my frustration and hopelessness only grew because I knew I had five or six more miles to go. I was frustrated with my team. I was frustrated with the world. I was frustrated that my shoulders were hurting, so I was just angry.
And then Jesus broke in. Amid the anger growing in me, as I carried the speaker in the procession, I looked up and saw Jesus walking in front of me.
It struck me—Jesus’ shoulders ached as He carried the cross on His way to Calvary. In that moment, I realized there was no better way to offer up my own suffering than by recognizing our Lord, fully present, leading the way before me. For a fleeting second, and then in a deeper, lasting impression, I glimpsed what it might have been like for Jesus to bear the cross for our sins and what it truly means to offer up our pain. With that understanding, I found it easy to surrender my suffering, recognizing that I am invited into this profound reality, to walk in procession with Christ. The grace that flowed from this was incredible. A day of intense suffering transformed into one of immense joy and grace—a powerful lesson on what it means for Jesus to carry His cross and for us to pick up ours and follow Him.
Catholic Life: What were some of your biggest joys on the journey?
Dominic: I’ll give you this one because it captures many aspects of the pilgrimage. While we saw many beautiful places like the glittering skyscrapers, the Statue of Liberty, fast-moving cities, and beautiful countryside, I felt like Jesus most belonged on the outskirts of society, where we walked through drug-ridden streets and took Jesus to visit a prison. In the Gospel, that’s where He was going. He wasn’t going to hobnob with the rich and powerful. He was going to the poor, the weak, the vulnerable, the old and the imprisoned.
Being able to take our Lord through multiple steel doors and wired fences into a prison emphasized that it wasn’t just enough that Jesus died on a cross and rose again, but that He wanted to chase us down with His love so intensely that He would go through prison walls to say, ‘I love you,’ and be fully present to them in the sacrament. Jesus wants to go to the darkest places in our country and our hearts—not just the beautiful, nice places.
He wants to go to those places where we have addiction, where we’re imprisoned, where we disregard. It’s the outskirts of our own hearts and of society that He wants to be brought to in the Eucharist. He wants to be there, and we get to receive Him and bring Him into our hearts in those places. This love encapsulates so much of the pilgrimage’s message and meaning. Jesus loves you so much that not only is He present in the sacrament, but He wants to be carried to your backyard and to the darkest places in your heart.
The National Eucharistic Congress
Catholic Life: At that point, there hadn’t been a National Eucharistic Congress in 83 years. What was the experience like as you walked with Jesus into the stadium and then participated in the congress?
Dominic: It was both exciting and challenging. The difficult part was not being able to spend 10 to 12 hours a day in the presence of our Lord, ministering in His name. Instead, having to run around for interviews and being constantly surrounded by people was tough. Honestly, it was a bit challenging for the pilgrims. Sixty thousand people are great, but spending all our time with Jesus is even better.
I was amazed by the kickoff of the Congress, particularly the sight of the pilgrims processing in. When I entered and saw 60,000 people, I realized that incredible work had been accomplished. It was so moving to realize that, yes, we had achieved it. We processed into the stadium with our respective pilgrimage routes amid shouts of applause, and there was so much joy. Once we were all inside, I looked around and couldn’t believe there were 60,000 people present. It seemed unbelievable.
The lights dimmed, and soon, the entire stadium became dark and quiet. Then, a little spotlight pierced the dark, and in that moment, I saw Him—the same Jesus I had been walking across the country with. He was here with us too. He was the reason 60,000 people were gathered. They wouldn’t have come together just for a piece of bread.
They weren’t walking across the country for a piece of bread. No, it’s because this is our Lord fully present right here in the Eucharist. The Jesus who walked on the Sea of Galilee thousands of years ago is the same Jesus here among us now—and to revel in that with 60,000 other people was amazing.
Walking with Jesus After the Congress
Catholic Life: What path has your life taken since the congress concluded?
Dominic: The outdoors has always been a passion of mine, and I’m fortunate to continue pursuing it. I work at the Catholic Ecology Center, which focuses on integrating creation and faith, bringing the two together. Creation creates the disposition for finding God. It establishes the wonder in your heart.
When someone spots a bug, they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, this thing is so weird/cool!’ But then, it hits them—‘Wait a minute, who created this?’’ Creation serves as a bridge to connect with the creator. It’s incredible to have a job that exposes city kids and people to the wonders of creation and then leads them to something even greater—God Himself. It’s incredibly rewarding to guide people through the beauty of creation to the majesty of God.
Dominic’s journey with the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage serves as a reminder of the power of saying yes to God’s call. From processing through city streets with Jesus to finding profound joy in unexpected moments, Dominic’s pilgrimage offers a reflection on the deep connection between creation and the Creator. Now, as he continues his mission at the Catholic Ecology Center, Dominic remains committed to guiding others to discover God’s presence in both nature and the Eucharist. His journey reminds us all of the grace that flows when we carry our crosses alongside Christ, finding joy even in the most challenging moments.
Story by Amy Eichsteadt
Published in the November/December 2024 issue of Catholic Life Magazine