And now years later, she has come to enjoy a different kind of pilgrimage in which she visits those same churches. Only it’s during Lent and through participating in what has become a new tradition called the Station Churches of Mercer County.

This year 14 parishes joined in the Station Churches of Mercer County initiative that was started nine years ago by Msgr. Vincent Gartland and Msgr. Michael Walsh, who both were serving as pastors of Mercer County parishes.

Msgr. Gartland explained the idea for the Station Churches, which was modeled after the Station Churches of Rome, a tradition that dates back as far as the fourth century. It had been the practice of the Bishop of Rome to celebrate the liturgies of the Church year in various churches throughout the city. As time passed, many changes were made to the schedule, and it was during Lent when the various stations were organized so that the Masses would be in different areas of the city.
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Msgr. Gartland said it was his privilege to be introduced to the Station Churches practice during his three-month sabbatical at the North American College in Rome in 2006. Pilgrims would journey throughout the streets of Rome early every morning during Lent to a different church for the celebration of the 7 a.m. Mass.

“When I returned from Rome, the idea came to me to replicate this type of Lenten pilgrimage right here in Mercer County,” he said.

“Mercer County is home to many beautiful churches all with very distinguished and unique histories that often remain hidden or are known only to the parishioners of a particular parish,” said Msgr. Gartland. “I believe that the Station Churches of Mercer County Lenten Pilgrimage helps to unify the various parishes of Mercer County and strengthen our sense of community. It also helps us to see what treasures we have both in the physical buildings and in the various activities of the parishioners.

“The Station Churches provide us with an opportunity to reconnect with those who have gone before us. It was a way to remember the many people of faith who worked to build our Church and the Catholic community in Mercer County,” he said.

Though the Station Churches tradition was disrupted in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic, Msgr. Dennis Apoldite, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish and episcopal vicar of Mercer County, explored the possibility of reintroducing the tradition for Lent 2022. Fourteen parishes responded with the first Mass having been celebrated March 10 in Immaculate Conception Church (part of Our Lady of the Angels Parish). Other participating churches were St. Joseph, Trenton; Sacred Heart Church, part of Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton; St. Alphonsus, Hopewell; St. David the King, Princeton Junction; St. Ann, Lawrenceville; Our Lady of Good Counsel, West Trenton; St. Raphael-Holy Angels, Hamilton, and Incarnation, part of Incarnation-St. James Parish, Ewing. The last Mass will be celebrated April 7 in Holy Cross Church, part of Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton.

Faithful pilgrims Penny Bowen-Lewis of Incarnation-St. James Parish, Ewing, and Deacon Rich and Elise Hobson of the linked parishes of St. James, Pennington; St. Alphonsus, and St. George, Titusville, echoed Kowalski’s sentiments saying how much they liked seeing and learning about the parishes, meeting other parishioners and making new friends.

“Participating allows for me to meditate on the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord and receive the Eucharist with other pilgrims as we prepare for Easter,” Bowen-Lewis said.

“You never get to go to other churches when you are involved in your own parish and this is an awesome opportunity to take the time during Lent to visit new churches,” Elise Hobson said, adding that it gives the pilgrims the opportunity to share how each parish community observes their individual Lenten practices.

“Yes, we are all one Church, but each parish has its personal touch. This experience can only enhance our individual Lenten journey,” Deacon Hobson added.