Walking with Augustinians:
A Week-Long Pilgrimage for Young Adults and Augustinians from New York City to the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia
A partnership with the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia
Walk from New York City to Philadelphia following in the spiritual footsteps of Saint Augustine and many of the Saints he inspired. We will start at the Augustinian parish St. Nicholas of Tolentine in the Bronx and walk approximately 110 miles over seven days later to culminate at the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia in south Philadelphia, staying with hosts from parishes along the way.
You’ll spend your time on a combination of trails and urban and suburban sidewalks. The pilgrimage is an opportunity to discover the presence of God in nature as well as through the presence of the community of people you will be traveling with and encountering in the towns and parishes we visit along the way.
This pilgrimage is open to young adults ages 18-39 (including college students - check your spring break schedule!), with a limited number of slots available. You will be accompanied by Augustinian friars and led by a pilgrimage guide from Modern Catholic Pilgrim. Daily Mass will typically start or end each day, and prompts for prayer and meditation on the lives of Augustinian saints will guide the journey.
To learn more and meet the pilgrimage team, watch this video:
Pilgrims should arrive in New York City by the evening before the pilgrimage begins (Saturday, March 2) for Vigil Mass and fellowship before departing early the next morning. We will culminate in Philadelphia mid-afternoon on Saturday, March 9. All meals and accommodations will be arranged for you. (If you have questions about timing and travel that may affect your ability to participate, please contact info@moderncatholicpilgrim.com and we would be happy to discuss your situation.)
We will walk approximately 15-20 miles, each day for seven days (with a shorter final day). If you are not physically active -- or even if you are but long walks are not a part of that -- you should start regularly walking now to prepare, ideally in the same shoes you will wear for the pilgrimage.
This pilgrimage is primarily subsidized by a grant from the St. Augustine Foundation. Lay pilgrims are asked to pay a $100 participation fee towards pilgrimage expenses, paid at the time of registration to hold your spot. If this is a financial hardship, please contact info@moderncatholicpilgrim.com and we would be happy to discuss alternative solutions.
If you’d like to learn more about the pilgrimage or talk to anyone involved in leading and planning it, please Contact Us — we’d be happy to answer your questions / concerns or arrange a phone call.
Take the leap…
There will be spiritual and practical preparation offered in the months leading up to the pilgrimage, but your readiness ultimately comes from God. So, If you feel an invitation on your heart to step away from your everyday life for a week and pray in community while walking in a rare and powerful way, we invite you to take the leap of faith and join us.
Space is limited and slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
SIGN-UPS CLOSE JANUARY 19, 2024
