Mother of God parishioners celebrate Jubilee pilgrimage to Ky. Holy Land

In the spirit of the Jubilee Year Father Michael Comer, pastor, led 53 people from Mother of God parish on a pilgrimage to “The Holy Land of Kentucky.”  On July 8–9, the pilgrims were immersed in Kentucky’s Catholic roots, as well as visiting historic sites.

In 1775 the first Catholics came to Kentucky from America’s coastal colonies, settling the Bluegrass and Bardstown areas. These pioneers grew and sustained their community through solidarity and Catholic devotion, eventually gaining Father Stephen Badin as the first permanent pastor of the area. He was often the only priest in the wilderness of Kentucky, traveling near 100,000 miles on horseback during his ministry. In 1808 the Diocese of Bardstown was created, and Bishop Joseph Flaget was appointed to head this first inland diocese.

The Mother of God pilgrims’ journey took them to the Basilica of St. Joseph Protocathedral, a structure so highly regarded that it was funded by Catholics and Protestants alike, and to the Abbey of Gethsemani where Father Comer celebrated Mass in the Skakel Family Memorial Chapel.

The historical portion of the pilgrimage included a tour of Federal Hill (My Old Kentucky Home), dinner at historic Talbott Tavern, The Stephen Foster Story Outdoor Drama, the Lincoln Museum, and Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home.