The Tri-State Network will host a webinar, “Pilgrimage to Justice: Walking the Path of Nonviolence,” on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, from 6:30–8:00 PM CST.
The event will feature Dr. Ken Butigan, noted author, educator, and nonviolence leader, who will explore how to utilize pilgrimage - a spiritually transformative journey combining prayer and reflection – to recommit to nonviolence and care for the Earth.
This free webinar is being held as part of Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation, a nationwide initiative calling people to renew their relationship with God, one another, and creation through prayerful action.
Local pilgrimages in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois will be introduced during the webinar. Additional information about these local pilgrimages is available here: https://tristatenetworkpilgrimagesofhope.my.canva.site/
These events are part of the global Catholic response to Pope Francis’ call for ecological conversion, as outlined in Laudato Si’, and will take place between September 1 and October 4, during the Season of Creation. The timing is especially meaningful during the Jubilee of Hope, the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’, and the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures.
Participants will be encouraged to walk sacred paths in forests, parks, riversides, and urban neighborhoods—places where they can experience God's presence in the natural world and confront the realities of ecological harm. Through this journey, pilgrims will return with a renewed sense of purpose and a deepened commitment to environmental stewardship.
Ken Butigan is a long-time change-maker who has organized a series of social movements and campaigns for justice and peace focused on resisting war, promoting justice for the unhoused, and advocating the abolition of nuclear weapons. He has led many pilgrimages to Assisi and Rome in the footsteps of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi. He is a senior consultant with Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service, where he co-founded Campaign Nonviolence, working for a nonviolent culture free from war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction. He recently retired from DePaul University in Chicago, where for 20 years he taught courses on pilgrimage, peace, justice, and nonviolence. He is also a senior advisor to Pax Christi International’s Catholic Nonviolence Initiative and the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence.
Reflecting on this initiative, Dr. Butigan shares:
“In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis reminds us that the cries of the Earth and the cries of the poor are intertwined. These pilgrimages invite us to return to a right relationship with creation and each other.”
Register for the webinar here: http://bit.ly/3I5RyxR
A $15 suggested donation supports future programming.
The event is sponsored by the Tri-State Network, a coalition of women religious in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin who focus on peace, justice, and spirituality, including: Benet House Retreat Center; Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa; Franciscan Peace Center; Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center; Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat Center; Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center; Shalom Spirituality Center; Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary; and Sisters of St. Francis, Dubuque.
About Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation
Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation is a national initiative calling Catholics to reflect on the sacred relationship between God, humanity, and the Earth. Founded by a broad coalition of Catholic and environmental organizations—including the Catholic Climate Covenant, Laudato Si’ Movement, Leadership Conference of Women Religious, Franciscan Action Network, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, and others—it encourages spiritual renewal and concrete action for the planet.