Step 1: Preparing for Pilgrimage
This is the first post in a five-part series from A Practical and Spiritual Handbook for Pilgrims by Will Peterson.
Modern Catholic Pilgrim (MCP) likes to use a definition of pilgrimage from the German priest and theologian Iso Baumer: “an individual, or, more often, a group, sets forth on a journey to a chosen place in order to ask God and the Saints – at that particular place – for aid in a variety of concerns. Afterwards, one returns to one’s everyday world.” We would add that the person returns home changed by the experience. Our preparation of the pilgrim works toward that definition.
“For the Church, pilgrimages, in all their multiple aspects, have always been a gift of grace.”
A Chosen Place
This is a broader definition of pilgrimage than many people are used to. Pilgrimage has always been about traveling to a holy place. In Old Testament times, that usually meant Jerusalem, because the Temple was understood to be home to the Holy of Holies. Today, as Catholic Christians we understand that the Holy of Holies – the Eucharist, Christ Himself – is present anywhere there is a tabernacle, and indeed, God is present in all His creation. Therefore, there is a lot of flexibility in the destination of a pilgrimage, so long as the selection is thoughtful, prayerful, and intentional.
Aid in a Variety of Concerns
For what concerns are you seeking the aid of God and the saints? Write them down. Say them aloud to yourself. Consider whether you would be willing to share them with your fellow pilgrims if you have companions for the journey.
Hospitality
If you are participating in an MCP-organized pilgrimage, MCP will arrange for you to experience hospitality along your way, either in the form of a meal at the end of the day or host families welcoming you into their homes at night. If you are planning an independent pilgrimage, we’d love to help the experience of hospitality be a part of your journey as well: please, reach out to MCP and tell us about your plans if you would like to be connected to someone in our hospitality network who might be able to welcome you into their home.
Walking
Though pilgrimage can occur through any mode of transportation, MCP focuses on walked pilgrimage, in recognition of the impact of embodied prayer and of journeying through one’s own volition, without the intervention of man-made technology.
A practical note on traveling by foot: if not coordinated for you by MCP, make sure you make arrangements for how you will return to your starting place. You could simply turn around and start a return journey back once you finish your time at the holy site, but if you don’t have time or physical capacity for that, you will want to make other plans.
In addition, take time to prepare physically for your journey, especially if you will be walking over multiple days. Have a plan in place to best prevent the abrupt ending of a pilgrimage due to physical challenges. It is difficult for anyone, even the young and in shape, to go from almost no exercise to walking 12-20 miles a day for a week. We recommend looking into online resources for preparing for a walking or hiking adventure, which will give you the practical guidance you may need.
Supplies
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? 27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?[q] 28 Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. – Matthew 6: 25-28
It is a testament to faith in others and to faith in God, not to mention a relief on the shoulders, back, and knees, when one travels without much in the way of material goods. Pack lightly. This is not an excuse to be totally unprepared for the journey ahead, but it should hopefully reduce anxiety around whether everything needed has been packed. Our reliance on hospitality means we can travel without tents or sleeping bags, and we encourage you to strive for simplicity in the rest of your bag as well.
There is spiritual good in not fretting over what is in the pack, but there is also practical good in carrying what you need and only what you need. Do your best to have everything packed either the night before or at least a few hours before you begin your journey. It gives you the time to focus in on starting well and with everything that you will need for the pilgrimage.
There are purposefully very few needs on a pilgrimage, but they must be met for us to be able to properly turn ourselves over to prayer. Every item in your pack should have a clear purpose. Think about why each item you bring is making its way into your pack or onto your body.
A Practical Packing List (add or subtract based on the distance/duration of your pilgrimage and climate):
A pack of some sort. Can be a typical backpack or a hiking pack.
A substantial water bottle, such as Nalgene or Camelbak
Clothes for walking:
Wear clothes that dry quickly and that you have exerted yourself in before so you know they won’t chafe or rub (avoid cotton)
Consider bringing changes of underwear and socks, whether you’re walking for one day or multiple
Clothes for relaxing at end of the walking day(s)
A pair of shoes in which you will be comfortable walking long distances (break them in first!)
A pair of sandals or some other footwear to wear when done walking for the day
A hat – consider wearing one that has a 360 degree brim; otherwise, pack something to cover the back of the neck
First aid kit
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Sunglasses
Snacks and lunch – consider anything that won’t spoil being in a pack for a few days, and prioritize easily digestible high-quality carbs and protein
ex. apples, peanut butter, crackers, trail mix, granola, energy bars, summer sausage, hard cheese, etc.
Also consider your spiritual needs. One may choose to carry a small cross or a book or two, a rosary, or a journal. In fact, a pilgrim would be well-advised to have at least one item of a deep spiritual meaning to carry on the way.
Receptivity
The pilgrim is in a position to receive God’s imprint due to his or her displacement. The movement away from the comfortable mirrors Christ’s life. However, all the good grace that comes from God’s presence in a conversation with a fellow pilgrim or a host, in a time of silence while walking down the road, and in the pain of the blistered foot is lost if there is not a readiness to receive it. The conversation becomes simply a good conversation, the silence remains silence, and the foot becomes a distraction and a nuisance. The pilgrim must take time to reflect each day on where God was present. It can help to build a practice of this kind of reflection before embarking on pilgrimage. A popular way to do so is through the Ignatian prayer called an Examen.
Expectation-Setting
In addition to reflecting at the end of the day, you should consider making a plan for your prayer during the day(s) of walking. Those who will make the pilgrimage as a group will find the discussion of prayer to be a good way in which to come together before the journey and to develop an identity as a collective.
How do you plan to pray on the journey? Rosaries? The Jesus Prayer? The Psalms? Scripture? Reflection on lives of the Saints? Contemplation of God in Christ?
If you are travelling with a group, how will the group pray? What is the balance between individual prayer, group prayer, silence, and general conversation? These are important questions that should have preliminary answers. A pilgrim must be flexible, and likely, some agreed upon aspects of the prayer time will change, but it will help a pilgrim [group] to have set some expectations before the pilgrimage for how to best enter into the time.
In addition to setting expectations for prayer, groups should also make an initial plan for practical matters, including whether the group will walk together the whole time, whether people will take turns having different conversation partners on the road, how the group will communicate if it splits, when it wants to eat, where it wants to eat, and so on. (Pilgrimages led by MCP will have a plan set and/or discussions led around these topics in advance.)
The prepared pilgrim, spiritually and physically, praises the Lord in his or her readiness.
