Idaho
Idaho Catholics Follow Eucharist Across the State in Record Numbers
By Lisa Ormond | FāVS News
Hundreds of Idaho Catholics took to the streets, parks and churches across the state to meet and worship Jesus in the first-ever National Eucharistic Pilgrimage during the last week of May. Their feet and faith followed the Blessed Sacrament through the Gem state’s rural and urban communities traveling nearly 300 total miles in five days.
A bit of mystery surrounded this historic Catholic procession that simultaneously launched on May 19 from four different corners across the country. Yet, the unknowns didn’t appear to waiver devout Idaho followers from showing up for their Lord in their state.
“Anytime you can fill a church in the middle of the week, you know something miraculous is happening,” said George Mesina of Idaho Falls, a Knights of Columbus Idaho deputy.
Mesina along with other Catholic fraternal Knights moved through the eight scheduled stops in the state which included Fruitland, Emmett, Boise, Glenns Ferry, Jerome, Rupert, Pocatello and Preston.
Idaho is one of 12 states along the St. Junipero “Serra” Route western arm of the Pilgrimage covering over 2,200 miles in 60 days. There are four total U.S. pilgrimage routes which converge in Indianapolis, Indiana, in mid-July for the National Eucharistic Congress.
Both the Pilgrimage and Congress are part of an overarching strategy called the National Eucharistic Revival, a three-year initiative started in 2022 to unite clergy, parish and diocesan leaders and followers by renewing hearts and minds through the worship of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
Blazing the Trail for Jesus
Idaho’s record turnouts didn’t surprise the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise who hosted and helped plan the procession events. In fact, Bishop Peter Christensen noted that Idaho was not originally selected for the Pilgrimage sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
“We had more registered pilgrims in this state than any other state across America, our little Idaho,” Christensen said in Emmett, Idaho. “This didn’t surprise me though because the people of this state are friendly, kind, and faithful.”
Grabbing A Glimpse of His Glory
This sacred opportunity to honor Jesus motivated many Catholics to be present for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Fruitland was the first Pilgrimage stop in Idaho.
“When I saw the trailer carrying the Blessed Sacrament come into view, shivers ran down my spine. I knelt in the dirt alongside the road as the Blessed Sacrament came by,” said Bill Kerr, a 40-year Catholic and Moscow resident. “I then proceeded to follow and joined up kneeling by the church with my wife. I felt in awe at how many people were there to give such honor to our Lord.”
United in excitement and energy, Catholics of all ages hit the pavement with their Lord on the streets. Reidan Bruns of Juliaetta, Idaho, 8, was one of them.
“It was fun,” said Reidan. “I got to go on a walk and stuff.”
Peaceful Community Gatherings and Celebrations
Each Idaho Pilgrimage stop had its own schedule of activities but most included public processions with the Eucharist, exposition and adoration, Mass, prayer, talks, presentations and socials.
Reidan’s mom, Jen Bruns, said her husband and her two young sons processed around the church and through residential streets with hundreds of other Catholics. Their family also attended Mass in two different locations.
“The churches were so full that people were overflowing into nearby parish centers and outside viewing areas with big screens near the church to pray, sing, and worship,” she said. “It was amazing! It was neat also to see so many people in these smaller communities showing up for the Lord,” she said.
Idaho Falls Catholic Maggie Mesina was “speechless” by what she experienced as she traversed across the state and gathered with other Catholics at multiple Idaho locations including Emmett and Boise.
“Words are great, but they won’t be able to capture what has happened here,” Mesina said. “It goes beyond what you can even describe.”
The Eucharist, Center of Catholic Faith and Fellowship
Overall, the Idaho National Eucharistic Pilgrimage stops happened without a hitch. However, there were unexpected schedule delays due to vehicle mechanical issues and unprecedented weather of wind, lightning, and rain. Even so, the faithful viewed these situations as blessings in the end.
“I didn’t mind waiting for the Lord,” said Lori Mages, a Moscow Catholic faithful who was in Fruitland to witness and adore the traveling Eucharist. Engine problems caused a two-hour delay in its arrival from Oregon into Idaho. “Definitely one of my favorite parts of the experience was the Christian fellowship I experienced—talking and being with others there. It was uplifting and unifying that way despite the delays.”
Bruns agreed that being with other Catholics centered around Jesus was a cherished takeaway. She said she “ran into” families from her local parish.
“It was a joyful gift and reminder that the Church and Christ bring a sense of community to the faith—to our religion and beliefs,” she said.
Rekindled Hearts and Fruits to Come
Overall, most attendees agreed the pilgrimage experience deepened their love and devotion for their Lord, creating an even more intimate union. Janet Schetzle, a lifelong Catholic and St. Mary’s Parish member for 18 years in Moscow, Idaho, said the journey gave her an important holy pause for reflection.
“I came to know that Jesus is always close at hand in the Tabernacle, at Mass and at Adoration—all things that our local priests make available to me daily,” Schetzle said. “It renewed my commitment to be with Jesus as often as possible.”
For the second year in a row, House lawmakers will consider urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.
The nonbinding resolution, which carries no legal weight, says the decision in Obergefel v. Hodges violates the longstanding religious definition of marriage between one man and one woman.
“The current definition of marriage that allows for same-sex marriages is a defilement of the word marriage,” said Rep. Tony Wisniewski (R-Post Falls), who sponsors the measure.
The resolution further states that the Obergefel decision “arbitrarily and unjustly” rejects the historical definition of marriage.
Idaho voters passed a constitution amendment in 2006 that defines marriage as between one man and one woman, which was invalidated by the Obergefel ruling.
Wisniewski said regulating marriages should be a power left to the states.
Rep. Brent Crane (R-Nampa) agrees.
“If you want to get things … closer to the people with respect to some of these more complex social issues, I think the best place for those things to happen is in the states,” Crane said.
Doing so is a risk, he said.
“You may have states that choose to acknowledge [polyamorous relationships]. You may have states that choose to have relationships between adults and younger children,” Crane said.
Cities in neighboring Oregon and Washington, for example, are considering giving those in polyamorous relationships legal recognition.
But he said that risk is worth it to allow other states that choose to only recognize traditional marriages.
Four lawmakers on the House State Affairs Committee opposed the resolution.
Rep. Erin Bingham (R-Idaho Falls) said she’s tried to balance her own religious beliefs with those of others while considering the measure.
“I do feel like that it is important for us to work together, to find ways to compromise and to live together in peace and mutual respect,” Bingham said.
The resolution now goes to the House floor for consideration.
House lawmakers last year passed a similar measure, but it never received a hearing in a Senate committee.
Copyright 2026 Boise State Public Radio
Idaho
University of Idaho professor awarded $10M after TikTok tarot influencer claimed she ‘ordered’ quadruple murders
A University of Idaho professor won a $10 million judgment after a tarot TikTok influencer publicly pushed false claims that she was behind the savage quadruple slayings of four college students.
A Boise jury in US District Court ordered fortune-telling Texas TikToker Ashley Guillard on Friday to pay $10 million after concluding she falsely accused professor Rebecca Scofield of having a secret romance with one of the four victims and orchestrating their killings, the Idaho Statesman reported.
Following the verdict, Scofield thanked the jury and said she hopes the case sends a clear warning that making “false statements online have consequences in the real world.”
“The murders of the four students on November 13, 2022, were the darkest chapter in our university’s history,” Scofield told Fox News.
“Today’s decision shows that respect and care should always be granted to victims during these tragedies. I am hopeful that this difficult chapter in my life is over, and I can return to a more normal life with my family and the wonderful Moscow community.”
Scofield, the university’s history department chair, filed the lawsuit in December 2022 — just weeks after Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were brutally stabbed to death at an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, on Nov. 13, 2022.
Guillard began uploading videos to her more than 100,000 TikTok followers in late November 2022, accusing Scofield of a secret relationship with one of the students and claiming she had “ordered” the killings, garnering millions of views across the social media platform.
The complaint states that Scofield had never met the victims and was out of state when the murders occurred.
Even after being served with cease-and-desist letters and after police publicly confirmed Scofield had no connection to the murders, the Houston-based tarot reader continued posting videos, the history professor’s legal team argued.
Guillard doubled down on her accusations against Scofield after being sued, posting a defiant video saying, “I am not stopping,” and challenging why Scofield needed three lawyers to sue her “if she’s so innocent.”
The professor’s legal team argued the defamatory accusations painted her as a criminal and accused her of professional misconduct that could derail her career.
Bryan Kohberger, then studying criminology at Washington State University, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to the quadruple murders in a deal that took the death penalty off the table. He is currently serving four consecutive life sentences in Idaho.
In June 2024, Chief US Magistrate Judge Raymond Patricco found Guillard’s statements legally defamatory, leaving damages to be decided by a jury.
During the damages trial, Scofield described the anguish of seeing her name tied to the murders online, the Idaho Statesman reported.
However, Guillard, acting as her own attorney, insisted her comments were simply beliefs based on tarot card readings.
She claimed to have psychic powers and testified that she relied on tarot cards to try to solve the shocking homicides that shook the rural college town and sparked global attention.
It took jurors less than two hours to return their verdict, the outlet reported.
The jury awarded Scofield $7.5 million in punitive damages in addition to $2.5 million in compensatory damages.
With Post wires
BOISE, Idaho — AAA is warning Idaho gas consumers that pump prices will likely rise as the conflict in Iran disrupts oil and gas supply chains worldwide.
The ongoing turmoil in the Middle East will likely push the price for a gallon of regular gasoline past the $3 mark over the coming days.
“On one hand, the crude oil market had time to account for some financial risk in the Middle East as forces mobilized, but a supply shortage somewhere affects the global picture,” says AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde. “If tankers can’t move products through the region, there could be ripple effects.”
On Monday, March 2, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $2.97, reports AAA, which is 12 cents more expensive than it was a month ago but 20 cents less than this time last year.
State / Price: 1 gallon of regular gasoline
- Washington / $4.37
- Oregon / $3.92
- Nevada / $3.70
- Idaho / $2.97
- Colorado / $2.89
- Montana / $2.82
- Utah / $2.74
- Wyoming / $2.73
In terms of the most expensive fuel in the nation, Idaho currently ranks #14. However, buying a gallon of regular gas in neighboring states such as Oregon and Washington could cost a whole dollar more. In contrast, gas prices in Utah, Montana, and Wyoming are anywhere between 15 to 24 cents cheaper than fuel in the Gem State.
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