In 2013 I was blessed with the opportunity to join a local church group on pilgrimage to Spain and Portugal. We began by walking the English Route of the Camino de Santiago into Santiago de Compostela, Spain, followed by a visit to the shrine at Fatima, Portugal. Though it was one pilgrimage, I had two … Read More
In the Footsteps of Our Blessed Mother
In the St. Wenceslas tale that is told around this time of year, we see a king’s mercy and compassion. Good King Wenceslas, who has had songs and story books made of his life, set out one winter’s night with his squire to take food and firewood to his poor subjects. The snow was deep, … Read More
When Mary Visits
The Old Testament shows the prefigurement of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. In 2 Samuel, Uzzah is struck dead for touching the ark of the covenant and David feels unworthy to bring the ark to Jerusalem. So, David takes the ark to the house of Obed-Edom where the ark remained for three months. While … Read More
50 Ways to Call Your Mother
The “Litany of Loreto” is a powerful prayer composed in the Middle Ages and embraced by pilgrims at the Marian Shrine in Loreto, Italy, where tradition claims the original house of the Virgin Mary was transported. For centuries, the shrine has attracted pilgrims from all over the world. As a result, many of these pilgrims … Read More
When All the Candles Go Out: Our Family’s Lourdes Lesson
By Erin McCole Cupp “You’re going to Lourdes? Oh, the Candlelight Rosary Procession—it’s so beautiful! You’ll love it.” I heard this from many corners as we prepared for our family’s pilgrimage. As the summer approached, our family read books about Lourdes, poured over the Lourdes website, and watched videos and documentaries. I remember the five … Read More
Our Lady of Silence: A Pilgrimage to Knock
By Erin McCole Cupp “Uncomfortable silence” is a phrase that has taken on multiple meanings of late. We can’t drive without the radio playing. We can’t sit anywhere without the buzzing of this text or that notification. We can’t even let our minds be quiet for more than thirty seconds before we pull out the … Read More
3 Things You Must Do Before You Make a Pilgrimage:
A Spiritual Preparation Guide
So, you’ve decided to make a pilgrimage. You’ve registered, purchased insurance, and obtained the right travel documents … but there’s so much more to a pilgrimage than the practicalities of travel! You’re not just going on a vacation. You’re putting yourself in God’s hands in a very special way, asking Him to show you what … Read More
A Little Bit of Heaven on Earth – The Saints Who’ve Stood the Test of Time
What does “incorrupt” mean?The word “incorrupt” means “not having undergone decomposition, especially of a human body.” When a body is exhumed for examination and judged incorruptible, they are generally seen as a saint, although the state of incorruptibility no longer is counted as a miracle towards an individual’s cause for sainthood, as it was in … Read More
The Ice Bath That’s Truly Healing
With any pilgrimage that you may embark on, there are plenty of ways to be immersed into a spiritual experience. You may be able to touch a relic, visit a place where Jesus may have walked, or come within feet of the Holy Father during a Wednesday Audience. But at Lourdes, the everyday pilgrim not only has the option to be immersed spiritually, but also physically, when they partake in the ritual of bathing at St. Bernadette’s Grotto.
The Concrete Jungle of Barcelona: Exploring the Sagrada Familia Part 3
When I first stepped foot inside the Sagrada Familia almost four years ago I was more than a little offended when a fellow art student commented that this iconic structure was “ugly.” In last week’s article, I explored the two completed facades and how they encapsulate the fullness and depth of the Catholic faith. Read More…
The Concrete Jungle of Barcelona: Exploring the Sagrada Familia Part 2
The Barcelona skyline isn’t really that impressive. All of the buildings tend to blend together; they share the same brown color and none of them soar higher then 3 or 4 stories tall. So when your eye wanders upon the vast Sagrada Familia in the distance, it seems even greater in size. Read More…
The Concrete Jungle of Barcelona: Exploring the Sagrada Familia Part 1
When I first walked through the doors of the Sagrada Familia, I entered as a study abroad art student, not a pilgrim. My breath was immediately taken away by the magnificent dancing colors of the grand windows and the columns that seemed to branch up into the sky for miles. Read More
Healing of French Nun Recognized as 70th Lourdes Miracle
A French nun who had suffered from a debilitating pinched nerve for more than 40 years was healed after a pilgrimage to Lourdes in 2008 – the 70th miracle of Lourdes.
Unexpected Answers to Unasked Prayers
Oftentimes, however, pilgrims are surprised by the unexpected graces they receive on pilgrimage. Graces they never thought to ask for, or even knew they needed.
A 400 Year Old Cathedral, With an Astronaut Carved on the Exterior?
In Salamanca, Spain, the “New Cathedral” – built from 1513 to 1733 – has a carving of a modern day astronaut on its exterior. One might wonder if the original architect received a prophetic vision. No, it was the work of a renegade artist who decided to carve strange figures into the stone. Apparently, the … Read More
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