This past Corpus Christi weekend, June 21-22, Archbishop Richard G. Henning led "Into the Deep," the first Eucharistic procession by sea in the history of the Archdiocese of Boston. The procession began at Our Lady of Good Voyage in Gloucester on June 21 and ended at Gate of Heaven in South Boston on June 22. A full description of this event can be found online at www.evangelizeboston.com/into-the-deep.

While this is the first Eucharistic procession by sea, our archdiocese's connection to the Atlantic has withstood the test of time and is a key part of who we are. Gloucester, where Into the Deep commenced, has long celebrated St. Peter's Fiesta, taking place June 25-29 this year. As described in The Pilot on June 14, 1958, "late every June the Fort Section of Gloucester becomes Bernini's Colonnade in Rome" as locals and visitors alike embrace traditions begun by Italian immigrants almost 100 years ago, such as the Greasy Pole contest, boat races, concerts, and more. While Fiesta has grown in size and spectacle since its first celebration in 1927, it is at its heart a religious event, marking the Feast of St. Peter, patron saint of fishermen. On Fiesta Sunday, an outdoor Mass precedes a religious procession through the city streets, ending with the Blessing of the Fleet. Here, commercial and personal craft alike gather in Gloucester Harbor to receive the blessing of the Archbishop or one of his auxiliaries."

At one Fiesta, Cardinal Humberto Medeiros, quoted in the July 4, 1980, issue of The Pilot, asked St. Peter to "guide the fleet through quiet waters" and to "bring them back safely with glad hearts to shore." Cardinal Medeiros performed blessings at St. Peter's Fiesta throughout his episcopate; before him, Cardinal Richard Cushing performed blessings at St. Peter's Fiesta for over two decades.

Cardinal Medeiros, who was born in Portugal, represents a community for whom, like the Italians, fishing is an integral industry; his enduring presence at St. Peter's Fiesta reflected the changing demographics of our archdiocese. The June 29, 1957, issue of The Pilot describes how then-Archbishop Cushing presided over a blessing of the Portuguese-American fishing fleet in Gloucester the previous Sunday, while Auxiliary Bishop Minihan would preside over the blessing of the Italian-American fleet at St. Peter's Fiesta the following Sunday. By 1977, the Italian and Portuguese communities would celebrate together at St. Peter's Fiesta. As noted in the July 1, 1977, issue of The Pilot, "At a point in the ceremony, the statue of St. Peter . . . Was exchanged with the statue of Our Lady of Fatima, patroness of the Portuguese fishermen, to demonstrate their unity" during the annual procession.

The Blessing of the Fleet is not unique to St. Peter's Fiesta. Indeed, for our coastal archdiocese, it is perhaps one of the most enduring ways in which we engage with the sea. In the July 4, 1975, issue of The Pilot, Cardinal Medeiros called fishing "an ancient and noble trade, the work of the apostles," alluding to the vocation of St. Peter and countless others throughout the millennia. Local communities in Gloucester, Boston, Provincetown, and Hull have all celebrated Blessings of the Fleet over the years. The Archives' Chancery Files collection contains records of a 1956 blessing of the fleet in South Boston, presided over by then-Archbishop Cushing. The ceremonies included a parade with a Boy Scout troop from Our Lady of Lourdes in Jamaica Plain and CYO bands from St. William's in Dorchester, St. Peter's in South Boston, and Holy Trinity in Boston. In his letter to these parishes' priests, the chancellor at the time insisted "on complete silence in view of the sacred character of the ceremony," balancing the pomp of the parade with the significance of the archbishop's blessing.

In his video announcement for Into the Deep, Archbishop Henning describes the ocean as "a place where it's easy to pray, easy to sense the presence of God and the truth of the infinite," remarking on the power and beauty of the natural world as a place to engage with one's faith. His motto, "Put Out Into the Deep," from Luke 5:4, encourages us to trust in God's guidance when faced with challenges and uncertainty, both at sea and on land.

In one St. Peter's Fiesta address, quoted in The Pilot on July 5, 1969, Cardinal Cushing reflected, "Living in times when everything is changing, we must change with the times, but we must also hold fast to the principles on which our country was founded and the faith of our forebears." This sentiment still resonates over 50 years later. As we make our way to beaches and lakes and take the covers off our pools this summer, may we find joy and rejuvenation in the presence of God, bolstered by the traditions and faith that endure.



REBECCA MAITLAND IS AN ARCHIVIST OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BOSTON.