Merriam Webster defines a pilgrimage as “a journey of a pilgrim,” especially: “one (journey) to a shrine or a sacred place.” The first known use of the word ‘pilgrimage’ was in the 14th century, but the action of taking a pilgrimage had already existed for millennia at that point. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, Abraham was … Read More
A Week Full of Easters
Andrea JLast Updated: May 13th, 2021Italy, Spiritual Reflections
He is Risen. He is Risen indeed! This week we celebrate the Octave of Easter – 8 days of feasting and rejoicing. Each of these days is treated as another Easter Sunday. At daily Mass, everyone proclaims the Gloria and Alleluia, as on other solemnities. No fasting is allowed, and the usual practice of abstaining … Read More
Locked in with Christ
Krista BehringerLast Updated: April 1st, 2021Holy Land, Pilgrims' Stories
How many different occasions has someone shouted, “stay awake” or “don’t fall asleep?” If you find yourself blessed with the opportunity to spend the night inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and accidentally fall asleep, you may hear plenty of voices in several different languages ordering you to either sit up straight … Read More
The “Yes” that Saved the World
And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. John 1:14 This is the verse before the Gospel we hear at Mass today. It is also one we hear during Christmastide – both at the Christmas Mass during the day and the Second Sunday after Christmas (when the Epiphany isn’t celebrated that day). … Read More
Protector of Holy Church, Pray for Us
Bri CampbellLast Updated: March 29th, 2021Saints
I don’t think it’s any sort of exaggeration to say that we are living in some very confusing times. Between the “new normal” of the pandemic, political tensions, riots, and media-touted gender and reproductive ideologies, it’s rare to live a day without some sort of stressor or anger-inducing blurb eating away the God-given peace of … Read More
Called to Serve in Every Vocation
But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the … Read More
Seeing a Need and Answering a Call
Krista BehringerLast Updated: March 10th, 2021Saints
As we are today, it seems that humanity has always existed through struggles. Wars, famine, civil unrest, natural disasters, and epidemics seem to have always been a part of daily living. Many in the wake are left in destitute situations and have become solely dependent upon others for help. I love reading about our Catholic … Read More
Burning with Love
Bri CampbellLast Updated: March 10th, 2021Saints, Spiritual Reflections
This past Tuesday, we celebrated the feast of St. Polycarp, a second century bishop, martyr, and saint. A disciple of John the Evangelist, Polycarp was a man whose faith was rooted deep and whose heart was aflame with love for the Lord. Throughout his lifetime, he set out to preach the truths of the Faith … Read More
A Time for Renewing Faith, Hope, & Love
Andrea JLast Updated: March 10th, 2021Church News, News, Pope Francis
In a bulletin sent out on February 12 in preparation for the upcoming liturgical season, Pope Francis invites us all to a time of renewal this Lent. In his 2021 Lenten Message, entitled “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem” (Mt 20:18), the Holy Father calls Lent “a time for renewing faith, hope, and love.” … Read More
Not Your Average Tuesday
Krista BehringerLast Updated: February 17th, 2023Domestic Church, Spiritual Reflections
With Fat Tuesday just a few days away, and because there hasn’t been much International travel lately, we thought it would be fun to take a peek at the ways our Christian brothers and sisters around the world prepare themselves before the Lenten season. Let’s jet into a few cultures to discover new, fun, and … Read More
Finding Christ in Companionship
Andrea JLast Updated: February 17th, 2023Camino de Santiago, Pilgrims' Stories, Saints, Spiritual Reflections
In 2013, I took a pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Spain and to the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal, with a local church group of close to 50. We celebrated Mass together each day and were accompanied in our worship by one pilgrim who had brought along his guitar. A song … Read More
La Via Francigena
Andrea JLast Updated: February 3rd, 2021Camino de Santiago, France, Italy
Travel blogging has become quite popular in recent years. A quick internet search for any destination will result in numerous pages where people have recorded their activities, costs, insights, and recommendations. However, it isn’t a completely novel activity, but merely a modern adaptation of a centuries-old pastime. Travelers throughout the ages have preserved records of … Read More
Saint Agnes had a Little Lamb
On many Sundays, we hear the name Agnes proclaimed during the Eucharistic prayer after the Consecration. But who was this saint, and what does she have to do with one of the longest Catholic pilgrimage routes in the world?
Finding Beauty Amongst the Chaos
Bri CampbellLast Updated: January 19th, 2021Holy Land
The coming of the year 2021 was an event that many people looked forward to with great anticipation. Anything would be better than 2020; between the pandemic, shutdowns, riots, and unemployment, just about anything would be a step up from the past year of complete uncertainty and chaos.
A Double Holy Year
Andrea JLast Updated: January 20th, 2021Camino de Santiago, Church News
The city of Santiago de Compostela has been looking forward to 2021 since the end of 2010 for a very important reason – it is the next Holy Year (Jubilee) of Santiago! These Jubilee years occur whenever the Feast of St. James (July 25th) falls on a Sunday. The next time this will happen will be 2027.
