During the Season of Creation (Sept. 1-Oct. 4), we join with our interfaith family in prayer and action for our common home.
Pope Francis designated the 2025 Holy Year as a time to renew ourselves as "Pilgrims of Hope." Please join the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA) on October 4, 2025, for a one-day pilgrimage in and around Fond du Lac gathering seeds of hope and sowing them in places in need of healing. These spaces and places invite us to greater communion with the natural world.
The Sowing Seeds of Hope and Healing Pilgrimage will begin at 8:30 a.m., at the CSA motherhouse and conclude in the same location at 5 p.m. Space is limited to 60 participants.
Let’s walk together as Pilgrims of Hope, celebrating our faith and commitment to care for creation.
Thousands of people across the country have joined together as “Pilgrims of Hope for Creation” in their local communities to raise awareness about climate change and care for the environment. This nationwide effort, focused on September 1 to October 4, marks the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’s groundbreaking encyclical on the environment, and honors the legacy of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology. Well over 100 pilgrimages are scheduled in more than 20 U.S. States.
We — like many others across the country — are visiting local places of ecological beauty and devastation in our community to remind us of the important work that remains to be done and to give thanks for what God has given us. That means caring for the environment, the poor, the vulnerable, people, animals, the air, the water, and all that God created.
Tentative Itinerary
The schedule is subject to change. Locations may change on the day-of in the case of rain or severe weather.
- 8:30 a.m. Prayer and intentions setting; seed collection in the prairie
- 10 a.m. Bus to harmed site; prayer over space & seeds; seed spreading
- 11:30 a.m. Bus to lunch with Brothertown Indian Nation (BIN)
- 1 p.m. Water healing discussion with BIN and visit to Tree of Hope
- 3 p.m. Bus to healing location; prayer over space & seeds; seed spreading
- 4 p.m. Return to motherhouse for reflection & closing
Registration
This event is free and will take place rain or shine. Donations to help cover the costs of the event are welcome, but not expected.
For planning purposes, please register by "purchasing" a free ticket and completing the liability waiver by October 1, 2025.
Step One: Register
Click here to complete the registration form
Step Two: Submit Waiver & Release of Liability
Download the waiver & release of liability
Completed waivers or other questions can be emailed to dkrikau@csasisters.org
What to Expect & Bring
Attendees walk on uneven ground in prairie and grass settings; please consider your own safety and capabilities when determining if this pilgrimage is right for you. There will be no strenuous hiking or exertion and walking duration will be less than a mile in each location.
We recommend long pants and socks with walking or hiking shoes.
Consider bringing:
- Sunhat
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Water bottle
- Personal journal
- Walking Stick (small enough to take on a bus)
We will provide:
- A booklet with resources and a space for journaling
- A pen
- Snacks throughout the day and during closing reflection
- Large container of water to refill participant water bottles
- Bugspray and sunscreen
An Interfaith Experience
This pilgrimage is open to all backgrounds and faith traditions. While Catholic tradition will be referenced, prayers will be welcoming of all understandings of the divine.
What is a Pilgrimage?
A pilgrimage is a journey, usually made to a place of spiritual significance, where both the journey and the destination are important and meaningful. It is a break from normal life, meant to help the traveler, or pilgrim, grow and transform spiritually.
About Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation
Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation is a nationwide initiative launched by a coalition of Catholic and environmental organizations, including the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Health Association of the United States, the National Association of Catholic Social Action and Mission, Catholic Climate Covenant, Catholic Impact Investing Collaborative, Francesco Collaborative, Franciscan Action Network, Franciscan Friars, Ignatian Solidarity Network, Laudato Si’ Movement, Leadership Conference of Women Religious, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Network Advocates for Catholic Social Justice, the Saint Kateri Conservation Center, the Sisters of Mercy, and many others. The initiative calls Catholics to reflect on the profound relationship between God, humanity, and creation and to take concrete steps toward healing the Earth and renewing their spiritual commitment to creation care. For more information, please visit http://Catholicpilgrimsofhope.org.