Young adults invited to Mass pilgrimage

DUBUQUE — The Dubuque Area Vocation Association (DAVA) invites Catholic young adults to celebrate Sunday liturgy with religious sisters and brothers at nine local communities. Each week starting Sunday, Feb. 2, through Sunday, March 29, a different religious community will host.

“In my travels for vocation ministry, I’m finding that many young adults have not met Catholic sisters or brothers,” said DAVA member Sister Jessi Beck, PBVM, who helped co-create the event. “The Mass pilgrimage is an opportunity to meet and pray together as well as to start building relationships.”

The schedule for the Mass pilgrimage is as follows:

Feb. 2: 9 a.m. Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (PBVM), 2360 Carter Road, Dubuque, Iowa.

Feb. 9: 10 a.m. Congregation of the Humility of Mary (CHM), 820 W. Central Park Ave., Davenport, Iowa.

Feb. 16: 11 a.m. Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa (OP), 585 County Road Z, Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.

Feb. 23: 11 a.m. Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM), 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque.

Mar. 1: 10 a.m. Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) and Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters (SSpS), Divine Word College, 102 Jacoby Drive SW, Epworth, Iowa.

Mar. 8: 9 a.m. Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA), 912 Market St., La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Mar. 15: 9 a.m. Sisters of St. Francis of Dubuque (OSF), 3390 Windsor Ave., Dubuque, Iowa.

Mar. 22: 8:30 a.m. Trappistine Sisters, Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey (OCSO), 8400 Abbey Hill Lane, Dubuque, Iowa.

Mar. 29: 9 a.m. Trappist Monks, New Melleray Abbey (OCSO), 6632 Melleray Circle, Peosta, Iowa.

DAVA members will be in attendance at each Mass to greet visitors who attend.

“We hope people will feel welcome and know that their presence in the church is important,” added Sister Jessi. “For those who visit several different religious communities, we hope they will see the beautiful diversity that religious life offers the church and world. The Archdiocese of Dubuque and surrounding area is blessed to have a variety of religious communities such as apostolic, missionary, monastic and contemplative.”

DAVA was formed in 2000 as a collaborative vocation ministry effort among various religious communities in the Dubuque area and the Archdiocese of Dubuque. It has since expanded to include members along the Upper Mississippi Valley. DAVA members recognize, acknowledge and affirm the baptismal call of all Christians, and they reach out to nurture, promote, encourage and help those who feel called to religious life.

For more information, visit discernyourvocation.org/programs or contact Sister Jessi Beck at vocations@dbq
pbvms.org or Ms. Michelle Horton at ma.horton6@gmail.com.