Bending the Arc

On Saturday, October 4, 2025, 26 people from across the state joined the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA) for their “Sowing Seeds of Hope and Healing” pilgrimage. They braved the unseasonably hot temperatures as they were transported by school bus throughout the city of Fond du Lac to gather seeds and sow them in places in need of hope and healing.

Participants began the day in the CSA prairie across the street and up the hill from the Motherhouse. A special prayer to the four directions was offered and CSA Associate, Doug Stadler, provided instruction in gathering seeds from the dried prairie plants.

After seeds were collected, they were mixed with other earthly materials to create buckets full of beautiful offerings. The first place they were scattered was at Hickory Park, adjacent to the fenced off location of an old refrigeration site that was still under remediation by the City, and along the Fond du Lac River. Reflection and music were shared as participants thoughtfully scattered their seeds of hope for us all to be better stewards of our land and water.

The next stop on the pilgrimage was at Brothertown Indian Nation Community Center. The group was greeted by tribal vice chair, Jessica Ryan, and board member, Dawn Kraintz. Jessica shared a captivating story of Brothertown’s history: how they were forced to move from New York throughout the country, and their struggle with getting their national recognition back. The women then offered a traditional indigenous meal that included rice, beans, corn, and berries.

Following lunch, guests were invited to participate in an indigenous water ceremony. Women were provided ribbon skirts to wear for the ceremony as this is tradition and is an identifying piece that connects women to the Earth and Grandmother moon. Women in their moon (menses) do not participate in the ceremony. You can read more about this tradition here. Because of the heat and wind, the traditional smudging that starts a ceremony was done inside the community center. With all gathered in a circle, Dawn moved around the room with her lit sage and used its smoke to cleanse the space and the people by fanning the smoke over them. Those with glasses were asked to remove them as they received this cleansing.

The ceremony was then continued at Lakeside Park, along the river, in front of “The Tree of Hope” that the Sisters of St. Agnes had planted 33 years earlier. On October 12, 1992, the sisters acknowledged the 500-year anniversary of when the first Europeans invaded this land, what the Native Peoples called, “Turtle Island.” In 1992, the sisters were joined by tribal members of Brothertown and a tree was planted in their honor. A plaque was placed at the base of the young tree in memory of the Native Americans who lived in the area with the hope that future generations would live in harmony with the Earth and with all peoples. The plaque and the hope remains today.

Readings and prayers were shared around the tree, but most memorable was the passing of berries, also a traditional start to indigenous ceremonies. Berries generally symbolize the heart, womanhood, renewal, and interconnectedness with the land. It is also tradition to eat the whole berry, including the green stem, so as to not waste anything.  

One of the last stops on the pilgrimage was at a Park and Ride, and a site of the Adopt-A-Highway program that the CSA Associates manage several times a year. Anyone is invited to join them for an hour on select Saturday mornings. Email crew manager, Joanna Schol at 920-517-1387 or ludmi@att.net if you’d like more information about getting involved. This stop, however, was not to clean up the area, but to sow more seeds. Again, Doug recommended places that need the most healing and pilgrims began their scattering before loading the bus for our final destination.

Back at the CSA Motherhouse, participants were allowed time for personal reflection on the day, and group sharing at the conclusion of our day.

We wish to give special thanks to the City of Fond du Lac Parks Department and Brothertown Indian Nation for collaborating with us to make our pilgrimage a memorable experience.

Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation have been happening across the country in 2025. Faith communities across the U.S. are organizing local pilgrimages as sacred opportunities to pray for the grace to encounter Creation and renew our relationships with God, the Earth, and on another. Learn more at https://catholicpilgrimsofhope.org/