Going on pilgrimage often conjures images of the Holy Land and other far-flung destinations. But when Brian Rademacher learned that eight churches in the Arlington diocese had been designated official Jubilee Holy Year sites, he was all in.
“I mean, if we want to live what Jesus says is the second greatest commandment, which is to love thy neighbor after loving thy God, then we have to go out and meet our neighbors to love them,” said Rademacher, 22, who attends Nativity Catholic Church in Burke. “This tour offers a really nice way to go and do that in a structured form that has a beginning and an end. You can allow yourself to be opened up to the blessings that will come from encountering people.”
The sites include the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria, the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington, Corpus Christi in Aldie, St. John Bosco in Woodstock, St. John the Evangelist in Warrenton, Our Lady of Hope in Potomac Falls, St. Patrick in Fredericksburg and St. Paul Mission in Hague. The 2025 Jubilee Year began as Pope Francis opened the Holy Door at the Vatican on Christmas Eve 2024 and concludes Jan. 6, 2026.
A plenary indulgence may be obtained by piously visiting a Jubilee site and participating in Eucharistic adoration and meditation for a suitable period of time, concluding with an Our Father, a Profession of Faith, and invocations to Mary. The first 50 households to complete the tour also receive a special replica of the rose window at the cathedral.
Rademacher said it was connecting with people in strange places that made the biggest impact.
“When you go to these places you are not necessarily a foreigner, but you are not from that parish, you’re not from that community,” Rademacher said. “You are very vulnerable to just show up in a new place. And these people that I interacted with responded with such graciousness and welcoming.”
As the first to complete the tour, Rademacher paid a visit to the chancery where he shared his experience with Bishop Michael F. Burbidge. “This was my personal exploration of faith,” he said. “It was a way to interpret the Catholic faith and to learn how it impacts my day-to-day life in these different settings.”
Bishop Burbidge said that pilgrimages are important because they remind us of the meaning of our earthly journey. “It’s a pilgrimage and we pray that God will lead us to our final destination in heaven,” he said. “So, as we make a pilgrimage to these holy sites, to these churches, we’re being reminded that we are being led to the eternal dwelling place of the Lord. A pilgrimage allows us to unite this journey to the Lord, calling upon his help, the blessings and graces that he gives, and the help of all the saints.”
Those blessings and graces were also flowing for 10 members of St. Francis de Sales Church in Purcellville, who recently completed a two-year pilgrimage of visiting the 11 Marian-named churches in the diocese. “The beauty of it was to learn about the rich history of all these churches and the behind-the-scenes stories,” said participant Leslie Sheldon. “You don’t learn all those things just going to Mass.”
No records are kept but Patrice Winter might own the pilgrimage speed record. The Nativity Church parishioner visited 76 diocesan churches between Dec. 31, 2024 and March 23. “Each parish is uniquely different,” she said. “Each parish reflects the ‘family’ who gathers and shares their Catholic faith. The experience became rather cathartic. I visited each church with new eyes and a more open heart as time passed. The tapestry of the body of Christ is a beautiful thing.”
One lasting memory for Rademacher was his long trip to the Northern Neck to visit St. Paul Mission in Hague. He arrived late, only to discover all the doors were locked. So, he followed the example of Jesus in Revelation 3:20 to “stand at the door and knock.”
“Someone opened the door from inside and said, ‘Come on in, welcome,’ ” said Rademacher. “Then all of a sudden, I got swept up into this impromptu tour of the church and had this lovely conversation. It was so close to not working out and this was the one church where it needed to work out because it was the longest drive for me to get to it. It ended with this really personal connection I have now with those people there. I probably will never see them again, but they left an impact on my life.”
The process to record visits is easy. Look for the Holy Year Tour 2025 sign on display in the narthex. Scan the QR code and follow the prompts. Each visit will be recorded in the diocesan communications office.
“People are embracing it,” said Bishop Burbidge. “Not only are they getting to know our diocese a little bit better but are feeling the blessings that Our Lord bestows upon us whenever we open ourselves to these special gifts.”
