St. Ignatius Litter Pilgrimage

On July 21, 2024, on a not too hot morning, 18 pilgrims from St. Ignatius Church and other parishes joined together to put into practice the words of Pope Francis, i.e., that care for our environment and care for our neighbors, are one and the same – by performing what is known as a litter pilgrimage. After an opening prayer by Fr. Frain and the pilgrims took their tools to clean streets in the Mount Vernon section of Baltimore by removing trash from sidewalks, streets, and gutters. The walk together allowed pilgrims opportunity to make new friends and discuss how to reduce our consumption of resources for the greater glory of God. The added benefit of removing the trash is that it would have eventually contaminated nearby rivers and streams that ultimately flow into the Chesapeake Bay, an invaluable home for wildlife. 

Afterwards, Fr. Frain hosted the pilgrims at the St. Ignatius Rectory with cold drinks and sweets, where they reflected upon both the systemic issues that cause our throwaway culture to exist, and the impacts it has on the marginalized.

Special thanks goes to St. Ignatius’ Environmental Justice Committee for coordinating the event, the Anti-Racism Task Force for creating reading materials and a reusable bag for pilgrims, and the Young Adult Committee for helping spread the word. Additional thanks goes to the Interfaith Partners of the Chesapeake, who also advertised the event.

The Committees hope to host future pilgrimages and recruit new or returning pilgrims. If you would like to learn more about litter pilgrimages, you can find additional resources at the link here (abbreviated pamphlets available on request), and if you would like to participate in the next pilgrimage, contact the Environmental Justice Committee or Antiracism Task Force!