Hundreds attend Bishop's Youth Pilgrimage
BELMONT — “I thirst,” two of the last seven words spoken by Jesus Christ as He was dying on the Cross, was the perfect Lenten theme for the 2026 Bishop’s Youth Pilgrimage.
The annual pilgrimage, a youth rally that serves as a prelude to the Diocese of Charlotte’s Eucharistic Congress, drew more than 950 youths who traveled from the 93 parishes to Belmont Abbey College to hear a message of love, hope and unity.
The day organized by the diocese’s Faith Formation Office in partnership with Belmont Abbey College started with music, games, prayer and reflection.
Keynote speaker Vicente Capistrano started the morning with a reason to thirst – to be closer to God and better know ourselves.
Capistrano, who leads parish communications and collaborates in young adult ministry at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Charlotte, is an inspiration. Capistrano spoke at the pilgrimage last year, and young people asked for an encore.
He presented a heartfelt message about finding your identity, which only becomes fully visible through the Lord.
Capistrano explained God sent the prophets, judges and kings, and eventually He became flesh.
“That flesh is still here with us today, present in the Eucharist,” he said.“At Adoration, we are looking at God, but we are also looking in at our true self, like a mirror.”
“I am inviting you guys today to rediscover your identity, because to me, Christ is saying, ‘I thirst for you. I thirst for your tears. I thirst for your broken heart. I thirst for your sadness. I thirst for your love. I thirst for your dreams.’ ”
Capistrano ended by reminding the audience to choose love, not fear, even when it means sacrifice.
“We do speak one language. We all speak the language of love for Jesus Christ,” he said.
During Mass, Bishop Michael Martin urged young people to unite as one with God.
“He doesn’t want division,” the bishop said. “He takes our brokenness. He takes our sinfulness. He takes the arguments … and He is able to raise them to something greater.”
Bishop Martin then asked the pilgrims to commit themselves to thirst for that unity, and he instructed the pilgrims to go out and share Jesus with everyone.
“No more division. This Holy Week, we’ve got work to do,” the bishop said. “I need all of you this week to commit yourselves more and more to the message of unifying love that Jesus gives. No more two, only one. And be willing to take that to your family, school, soccer team, friends. And create one community, one body.”
Bishop Martin said we become one with the Body of Christ through the Eucharist, not just with God but with all of humanity.
“All of us are sent out into the world to bring that communion, to bring that unity, to bring His love, by putting our selfish, silly, stupid, egotistic ways behind us so that everyone may be one,” Bishop Martin said.
This will unite us the way God intended, he said.
The young pilgrims spent time going to confession, delving into discussions about their faith, eating pizza and hanging out with peers. They tossed balls in the air, climbed trees and played hacky sack while listening to nationally known Catholic musician Dana Catherine.
“A lot of people get very scared of confession. They think about the world that we live in and expect to be met with judgment, but it is a beautiful place of victory and love. To encounter the love and forgiveness of Our Lord was quite
beautiful,” said Michael Krafchek, 18, from St. Matthew Parish who is expecting to be confirmed in May. “Beautiful humility is what it is. A way of saying, ‘God, I want to be better. Make me better.’ ”
The day of pilgrimage ended with Adoration and a Eucharistic procession led by Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari, the college’s chancellor.
“The Eucharistic procession gave me a chance to slow down and reflect on my own thoughts, to look at the literal reality that God is walking with us right now,” said Nicole Neuse, who is being welcomed into the Church at the Easter Vigil. “It is not like a metaphor – like we are walking with Christ. We really are, like, right behind Him.”
Belmont Abbey’s new president, Dr. Jeffrey Talley, told the young people they were probably used to being asked what they want to be when they grow up, but that may not be the right question.
“The right question is, ‘What does God want you to be?’ And that is an easy answer. You are called to be a saint,” Talley said. “It all starts with Jesus. Pray: ‘Lord, what do you want me to be?’ ”
The young pilgrims left Belmont Abbey College eager to spread the Good News they learned.
“I thirst,” Krafchek said. “We need God. It is something we are longing for. It is literally causing us discomfort not to have Him.
“When you are lacking God, it is like lacking water – you are lacking something vital to your system.”
—Lisa M. Geraci. Photos by Aidan Creter and Troy C. Hull
