For many years, it has been the practice for Catholics to go from church to church for a brief time of private prayer on Holy Thursday, often referred to as the Seven Churches Visitation. This was done as an opportunity for the faithful to watch and pray with Jesus. The practice replicates the New Testament, which depicts Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane when the apostles failed to keep vigil with Jesus before he was arrested, persecuted and crucified.
Locally, Father Jeffrey Burton, dean of the Northlake Deanery, has participated in his own Seven Churches Visitation for the past 25 years. After Mass at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hobart, he’d visit other parishes, praying a progressive Rosary, which he admits was fairly easy to do at that time with so many churches closely located in that part of the diocese.
Later, while doing his pastoral internship at St. Mary in Griffith, he and Father Theodore Mens went out and did the pilgrimage. The next year, when he was a transitional deacon at St. Mary in Crown Point, others began to join him, including Mitchell Bolda, Will O’Donnell (a current seminarian) and his family. When Father Burton was assigned to St. Paul in Valparaiso, he formalized and publicized the route. In fact, in 2020, he had parishioners lined up with RVs with plans of a smoked meat feast just before midnight, but unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic had other plans.
After being assigned to Hammond, Father Burton started the caravan to local churches again, with a route beginning at St. John Bosco.
“For me, it’s all about the centrality of the Eucharist and coming to discover that while each parish community might do things a little differently, Christ is always at the center,” Father Burton said. “The building, the community, the people - they’re all different, but Christ is constant, no matter what. In some of our parishes, especially those with a significant Hispanic population, you’ll hear different devotions being prayed in community. In other parishes, it’s just sacred silence, and it’s all beautiful. It all has a place, as long as Christ is the center.”
Father Burton shared that the visitations have always been received with a certain intrigue. He shared that many people are unaware that it has been going on for centuries and that for decades, and most of the diocesan churches have been open on Holy Thursday.
“It’s interesting talking to people who are just discovering it,” said Father Burton. “Even this year, Father Andrew Summerson from St. Mary Byzantine in Whiting emailed me about this idea, and I said that we’ve been doing it for years, so he’s going to keep his church open.”
A few years ago, Father Burton also invited diocesan young adults to join him in the annual tradition of visiting seven churches on Holy Thursday and they have been tagging along ever since. Father Burton is graciously allowing them to join again in his local pilgrimage this year.
The pilgrimage will start with a 7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass at St. John Bosco on April 17, with the travels continuing from there. It typically includes visits to churches in Hammond, Dyer, Schererville and Munster. Those who wish to get updates on where participants are can sign up at https://tinyurl.com/7churches25.
Vicky Hathaway, coordinator for youth and young adults for the diocese, said that what she has found in this experience is that she can join her prayer with Jesus' prayer, “That I am able to see myself praying with Jesus in the garden, anticipating what is to come.”
“I hope others are able to spend some quiet time with Christ,” she said. “Not only that, but I find it really neat to visit churches that I don't always go to. Each parish is decorated differently, keeps vigil differently, and I find that beautiful. I hope participants are able to see the beauty in the many churches in our own diocese.”
Hathaway added that the pilgrimage has been received well in the past. Participants have said that they enjoyed doing something different during their Holy Week and that they love being able to spend an evening with the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration.
“It's also a fun journey,” Hathaway said. “Each stop brings something beautiful to the night and you are able to join in prayer not only with Jesus, but with those around Northwest Indiana.”
The faithful are encouraged to check with their local parish for details regarding similar activities. The Whiting Robertsdale Community, for example, is inviting the community to spend a prayerful visit to churches after the 7 p.m. liturgy on Thursday, April 17. All are welcome to visit St. Adalbert, St. John the Baptist and Sacred Heart Catholic churches and St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church from 8:30-11 p.m. to watch and pray with Jesus.
“This experience has been a very prayerful one as we pray in solidarity with Jesus and one another for our families, our community and our world,” said Margaret Saliga, director of adult faith enrichment. “It is hoped that those who have never experienced such a custom will appreciate praying in the candlelit quiet of our churches, as personally we consider all that Jesus has done for us and link our personal sufferings with those of our Savior for the salvation of the world. Jesus has asked us to watch and pray.”
She continued, “He has also asked us to daily carry our crosses. It is our hope that as we share in our Master’s cross we will also share in his resurrection. It is hoped that we will grow in our understanding and appreciation of what it means to be an ‘Easter People whose Alleluia is our prayer.’”
Scripture excerpts to reflect on:
1) Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Lk 22:39-46)
2) Jesus before Annas (Jn 18:19-22)
3) Jesus before Caiaphas (Mt 26:63-65)
4) Jesus before Pilate (Jn 18:35-37)
5) Jesus before Herod (Lk 23:8-9; 11)
6) Jesus before Pilate again (Mt 27:22-26)
7) Jesus’s crucifixion and death (Mt 27:27-31)
