The United States is turning 250, and Catholics have powerful, uniquely Catholic ways to celebrate this milestone.
Instead of fireworks and barbecues alone, we can thank God for His blessings, ask forgiveness for our sins as a nation, and pray for a future rooted in Christ.
Here are five concrete ways to celebrate the 250th anniversary in a deeply Catholic way:
1)Watch “Cabrini” and rediscover Catholic American history.
One saint literally helped build Catholic life in the United States: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.
Watch the film Cabrini via EWTN on Saturday, June 6 or Saturday, July 5. Pay attention to how a small, sickly Italian nun helped shape an entire nation through faith, courage, and love for immigrants.
Watch and learn more about the Cabrini movie here.
Afterward, look up a few more Catholic “hidden heroes” of U.S. history—Black Catholics, Native Catholics, immigrant founders, religious sisters, and laypeople who quietly built schools, hospitals, and parishes. Let the 250th be a reminder: Catholics have always been part of the American story.
2) Spend an hour with Jesus in Adoration (USCCB challenge)
Anniversaries are a perfect time to stop and listen. What better place than in front of Jesus Himself?
Commit to one Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration specifically for the United States—for conversion, unity, protection of life, and holiness in families. Click here to join the USCCB’s 250 Hours of Adoration and 250 Works of Mercy challenge.
If a full hour feels challenging, start with 30 minutes—but be intentional. Bring the nation, its leaders, and its wounds into that silence before the Lord. The most important “founding document” is written in hearts transformed by grace.
3) Perform a corporal work of mercy (USCCB’s 250 Works of Mercy challenge)
The best way to thank God for 250 years is to love the people right in front of you.
Choose at least one corporal work of mercy and live it out:
- Feed the hungry: donate food, bring a meal to someone in need, or support a parish pantry.
- Visit the sick or imprisoned: call, visit, or write to someone who feels forgotten.
- Clothe the naked or shelter the homeless: give generously to a local shelter or charitable group.
Imagine if every Catholic in the U.S. performed one concrete work of mercy for the 250th anniversary. That would be the kind of celebration Heaven notices. Join the USCCB challenge here.
4) Join a Eucharistic Procession on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage Route
As the nation marks 250 years, Jesus is literally being carried across the country in the Eucharist.
Find a stop on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage route near you and participate—even if only for a small portion of the procession. Walk, sing, pray, and publicly witness: “Jesus is truly here, and He walks through our streets and our story.” Click here to learn more and find a route near you.
5) Pray the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 3–11)
America’s deepest need isn’t just political reform, but a new heart—a heart shaped like Christ’s.
Pray the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus from June 3–11, asking the Lord to place our country inside His Heart. Offer each day for a specific intention: unborn children, the poor, those far from the Church, racial healing, families, priests, and those who govern us.
End the novena by consecrating yourself—and spiritually the United States—to the Sacred Heart, trusting that His mercy is bigger than our sins and limits.
However you celebrate the 250th anniversary, don’t let it be just about history books and fireworks. As Catholics, we get to celebrate it on our knees before Jesus, hand in hand with the saints, and with Mary watching over this land. That’s how a birthday becomes a moment of grace.