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June 23, 2026
Thomas Aquinas College last stop for Eucharistic Pilgrimage
REGIONAL
Story and photos by Stephen Kiltonic
The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage made its last stop in Northfield June 19-20.
NORTHFIELD – The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage’s three-day travels through the Springfield Diocese concluded on Saturday, June 20, at Thomas Aquinas College with the ceremonial handoff of the Blessed Sacrament from Springfield Bishop William Byrne to Bishop Peter Libasci of the Diocese of Manchester, N.H.
The nine-member perpetual pilgrimage group arrived with Father Brian Cundall of Arkansas Friday night, June 19, at 6 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church after an afternoon visit to St. Stanislaus Basilica in Chicopee. The Blessed Sacrament was presented to Father Paul Bombadier, administrator of St. Patrick’s Parish.
Parishioners and members of Thomas Aquinas College were part of an estimated 200 pilgrims from western Massachusetts, southern Vermont and elsewhere who gathered inside the church for hymns, prayer and a holy hour before processing with Father Greg Markey, head chaplain of the college, down Main Street for the mile-long walk to the main campus and into Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel. Once there, confessions were heard and Eucharistic Adoration began and continued throughout the night.
The following morning at the chapel, Dominican Father Peter Totleben, of the Province of St. Joseph and chaplain to the Dominican Monastery of the Mother of God in West Springfield, offered a meditation on “Bread of Angels, Food for Pilgrims: St. Thomas Aquinas Sings About the Eucharist.” Father Totleben reflected on some of St. Thomas’s writings in the Summa Theologiae.
Following the talk, Bishop Byrne and Bishop Libasci concelebrated an historic Mass of Thanksgiving at 10 p.m. marking the first time two bishops, from two different dioceses, from two different states concelebrated a Mass at Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel.
In his homily, Bishop Byrne spoke of the Eucharist and its impact on the life of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati as well as his own journey to the priesthood.
“That’s exactly what the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is. It’s inviting. It’s an invitation. A welcome to encounter our Lord in a new way,” said Bishop Byrne. “The name of this Pilgrimage is ‘One Nation under God.’ And the journey of our Lord through the place of our nation’s founding celebrating the 250th anniversary. It’s not a trip. It’s a witness,” said Bishop Byrne.
“Whenever you have a bishop, it’s a wonderful reminder of the apostolic nature of the church and seeing that connection with the apostles that we have through our bishops. So, to have two of them there was very special,” said Steven Cain, academic dean of the college.
Following the Mass, Bishop Byrne led the pilgrims in a procession around the lower part of campus before giving benediction and presenting the monstrance to Bishop Libasci at an outdoor altar.
The pilgrimage then continued up the East Coast.
Faculty and students of Thomas Aquinas College, which held its commencement ceremonies on May 23, were excited at the opportunity for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage to pass through their campus, even though the majority of students were gone.
“We’re kind of newcomers here in the Diocese of Springfield so it’s wonderful for us to be able to have an event here on campus that was open and inviting to the rest of the diocese to build that communion within the church that the Eucharist is supposed to affect,” said Cain. “We hope that the stop of the pilgrimage helps with the awakening of the devotion to our Eucharistic Lord here in the diocese and in the rest of the nation.”
On June 20 at Thomas Aquinas College the ceremonial handoff of the Blessed Sacrament from Springfield Bishop William Byrne to Bishop Peter Libasci of the Diocese of Manchester, N.H., was held.
“I just found the whole thing very moving, I think, especially when we were leaving the church and everyone was sort of filtering out through the pews behind the Blessed Sacrament singing the hymns. I think that public witness is just something that’s really beautiful to be a part of and to see,” said Ethan Connolly, a senior at the college. “It’s a really good reminder of why I’m here in a Catholic college and why we all do what we do. Really, it’s all for Christ and I think having that kind of tangible reminder is really great.”
Eleanor Stout, a senior who is a member of the school choir, said singing hymns at the Mass and during the Eucharistic procession around campus were her favorite parts of the pilgrimage.
“It’s just such a beautiful witness of the community that Catholics everywhere have with each other to have the Lord be travelling through and visiting so many places and, especially to have him here,” said Stout. “We have Eucharistic Adoration four times a week and all the students have such a desire to be with the Lord. To have him come here on this pilgrimage, it seems really beautiful and fitting of the desire of this campus.”
Those who participated in the procession and the handoff were offered lunch at the St. Frassati Student Center. The pilgrimage traveled through New Hampshire for four days until June 23. Eucharistic processions, Masses and adorations were held at various parishes across the Diocese of Manchester, which encompasses the entire state, before departing for Maine.
A video version of this story will be featured on Saturday’s edition of “Real to Reel,” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. on WWLP-22NEWS.