Seminarian Pilgrimage Fund

Imagine standing where Jesus walked — praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, sailing the Sea of Galilee, celebrating Mass in Bethlehem. For Catholic seminarians, a pilgrimage to the Holy Land before ordination is more than a journey — it’s a profound encounter with the living Word of God.

(Left to Right) Rev. Austin Hoodenpyle, Rev. Mel Bessellieu, Rev. Ed Hopkins, and Rev. Brandon LeClair aboard a boat in the Sea of Galilee, Israel. Rev. Mel Bessellieu, a member of the EOHSJ, was the spiritual director for the seminarian pilgrimage.

When future priests experience the sacred places of Scripture firsthand, the Gospels come alive in a way that transforms their hearts and ministries. Each homily they preach, each student they teach, and each soul they serve will be enriched by this personal connection to Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

Making the pilgrimage to the Holy Land forever changed my faith life. The Bible comes to life as one walks where Jesus, the Apostles, the saints, and the patriarchs walked and lived. Because of the pilgrimage and the profound deepening of my understanding of biblical theology it ignited within me, I resolved to join the EOHSJ once I became a priest. And I did.

Rev. Joseph Moreno

Your gift can make this formative experience possible. By supporting the Seminarian Holy Land Pilgrimage Fund, you help prepare future priests who will bring deeper insight, conviction, and spiritual vitality to their lifelong service of the Church.

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Join us in shaping priests who will preach not only from the text of Scripture — but from the very soil where salvation history unfolded.

Each July, the Southwestern Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem sponsors Seminarian Pilgrimage Retreats led by two priests as spiritual directors.

There is no charge for seminarians to participate in the pilgrimage, however, there is significant cost for each man’s airfare, hotel, meals, and other expenses. Thanks to the generosity of donors in the Diocese of Fort Worth, and with the approval of Bishop Michael Olson, a special fund has been established in the Advancement Foundation to pay for our seminarians to be part of these pilgrimage retreats. Specific numbers of seminarians attending will vary by year, but typically ranges from one to four men at a cost of approximately $4,500 each.

The opportunity to travel to the Holy Land with my brothers was the trip of a lifetime. It was as if the stories from the Bible went from black and white to color. It’s hard to imagine an experience that could outdo being on the water that our Lord himself walked upon. I will treasure those memories forever and hope to one day return.

Rev. Ed Hopkins

 

Donate

You may donate securely online using the form below, or text HOLYLAND to 817-670-5014. You also may donate with stock/mutual funds, qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from a retirement account, through a donor advised fund or an employer matching contribution by contacting Dianna Rhoads at 817-533-3174.

 

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Contacts:

Renée Underwood, CFRE
Chief Development Officer of the Advancement Foundation
817-533-7242

Dianna Rhoads
Gift Processing Supervisor
817-533-3174

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