Traveling as a Pilgrim

I'm going on a pilgrimage!  Actually, I'm following much of the path that a group of friends from church took about 1 year ago.  What makes a pilgrimage different from a trip? I've pondered this by reading up on it and choosing my destinations carefully.  I've chosen many sacred places to go to and the focus is a bit different than trips I've taken and planned in the past.  Where am I going? Geographically to France and Spain.

Unlike previous trips, there will be just my husband and I, except for the 3 days in Paris when we will be guided by my favorite French neighbor, Nadine, aka "Frenchy." No other family or friends.  We had hoped to make this trip with a few close friends but circumstances dictated differently so it will be just Bill and I, no children as they are all grown and will stay behind tending to their own lives and responsibilities. During the course of the 2 weeks, I will turn 50, a milestone for sure. I have almost exclusively planned every detail.  Bill says he likes to be surprised so hopefully it will be pleasant for him since this a rare 2 weeks off from work.

My planning for this journey began talking with my wonderful friend Sherrie whose 50th birthday I was blessed to share and spend celebrating in Italy in 2012.  It's been a long 2 years since then and so between wanting to plan my own itinerary to visit France & Spain for my own birthday trip and having been unable to go on the voyage with those from St Patrick's last November this plan has had much inspiration and thought.

Having spent much of 2013 focused on diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer,  I have looked forward to being able to have the resources and health to make this journey.  God has truly blessed me.  I am once again healthy and strong.  I was able to work teaching swimming all Spring and Summer to save for this trip.  I expect it to be the trip of a lifetime but I want to spend each day open to the unexpected blessings and graces that I hope to experience during this time. So a bit about my journey and more when I return.

We will begin in Paris as the hub to start this adventure.  We will take the train to the Normandy area.  During our 2 day stay in Bayeux which is near the Normandy Beaches, we will drive to see just a few highlights of what there is in this region.  First on the list is Mont St Michel.  Here we will see an 11th century abbey dedicated to St Michael the Archangel.  My father owned a framed sketch of this very unique almost castle like fortress that is a times completely surrounded by water.  We plan to attend mass there this Sunday.  From there, we will spend the remaining day exploring sights related to the D-Day invasion.  Both my parents were alive in 1944 and my dad served in the army for many years and although he was too young to serve his country during World War II, his brother and sister did serve.  I have always been touched when visiting Arlington Cemetery and I look forward to being able to pay homage by remembering those and honoring those who sacrificed so much for ours and the world's freedom.

On Monday, we will return to Paris but I hope to squeeze in a brief visit to Lisieux, France.  During my cancer treatment especially while undergoing chemotherapy, I felt called to reread St Therese's, autobiography,  Story of a Soul. St Therese, known as the little flower,  spent much of her life in this area both as a child and when she entered the Convent at the age of 14.  She reminded me that we must have childlike faith trusting God in all things and accepting suffering just as Jesus did for us.  She was no stranger to this suffering especially in the months prior to her death from tuberculosis  which occurred in 1897 when she was just 24 years old.  Here, I will walk where she lived and visit a beautiful Cathedral built in her honor and ponder the love and dedication which she gave during her life to serve Jesus.


I first dreamed of visiting Paris as a high school student when I took French for 2 years.  For the record, I have retained none of what I learned and feel so blessed to have my neighbor, Nadine,  show us this famous city and do all the talking!  If I had planned a trip then, I would no doubt have thought mostly about sightseeing Versailles, The Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.  I would have been obsessed with finding the best French cuisine .  Sure as a Catholic I probably would have visited Sacre Cour and Notre Dame but connecting with the spirituality that inspired these places of faith would have not been my primary motivation.

What do I most look forward to seeing in Paris?  The Chapel of the Miraculous Medal.  Few outside the Catholic church and many who are Catholic do not know the story of the Miraculous Medal.  I was one of those until when my children attended Catholic School, my son brought one home from school.  The story behind the medal and its creation following an apparition of Mary to a young nun in Paris captivated me.  Growing up with a Catholic father and a Methodist mother, I was not encouraged to develop a devotion to the Blessed Mother.  As an adult, I found myself wanting to learn about Mary and her faith and to be inspired to be a better mother and a more faithful believer. I have worn this Medal for many years.  It continues to inspire me and remind me of faith and it encourages me to be courageous and trusting when confronted with trial and suffering. I expect to be brought to tears when I enter this sacred place.

After 3 days in Paris, we will fly to San Sebastian, Spain.  My idea for this came from the voyage planned by our deacon on last year's trip.  It's on the Northern coast of Spain and looks to be a beautiful starting point to beginning our exploration of the next country.  Did I mention that we were going to rent a car and drive back to France the next day?  Ideally, I had hoped to visit Lourdes, France next but after sorting through the logistics of car rental and trains and travel between the 2 countries, I discovered it was easier to rent a car in Spain and return it in Spain.  Lourdes, France is in the Southern part of France.  It is a small town but due to it's fame from the Marian apparitions in 1876, it now is only second to Paris in the number of hotel rooms.  Lourdes is a place associated with many physical and spiritual healings. Plans for this visit include the evening candlelit procession of pilgrims and visiting the baths and I plan on taking the plunge in the cold spring water.  I will thank God for my own cancer healing and pray that I may continue to be blessed with health.  Also, I saved my port through which I received chemotherapy drugs during treatment and I plan to leave it in Lourdes. Each time I was stressed during procedures, biopsies, MRI's and preparing for surgery I pictured my own mother and mother Mary holding my hand and it gave me strength and courage it's my way of acknowledging and saying thanks.


Next we will travel to Haro in the La Rioja region of Spain.  It is very famous for wine.  Last year when I traveled to Australia I visited some vineyards.  If you read the gospels, you can't help but recall many parables related to wine and vineyards.  As I walked through the vineyard last year I recalled Jesus words and could visualize and relate to those works of scripture, " I am the vine, you are the branches." Traveling to this stop will also take us in and around the famous Camino de Santiago or The Way of St James.  This is a very old footpath which begins in France and winds through Spain ending at Santiago de Compostella.  Since the Middle Ages religious pilgrims have traveled along this route which ends at the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostella.  There the bones or relics of St James the Apostle are believed to be in the Cathedral.  This is a journey of 500 miles which takes those walking about 6 weeks. Bill and I can't do the trek until we retire so for now I must be content with glimpses of the notable places and if God wills it perhaps someday I will get to walk along the Camino.

On my trip to Italy in 2012, we found traveling through the countryside past farms and hills so serene and I look forward to this time being able to savor Fall and the places along the way en route to Santiago de Compostella. We will visit Burgos and Leon and every church and cathedral I can fit into my travels. I look forward to experiencing the food and culture along the way. Also there are apparently numerous medieval castles and walls throughout this region not something I see everyday in Georgia or elsewhere in the US. I look forward to the 5 days we will spend traveling through this region.  Finally when we reach Santiago de Compostella after 2 days we will take the train to Madrid our departure point for home. 

When I am done, I expect to have made many wonderful memories and hope that my faith life with be further enhanced.  God is good all the time so I don't anticipate being disappointed. I recently read on a daily devotional website that I follow that spiritual discoveries benefit us forever. My goal is to come back transformed and renewed and ready to live each day more purposefully.  This sounds much like my hopes for my life following cancer. Please keep me and Bill in prayer during this journey and if you have a prayer request or special intention, please send it to me.  I plan on spending regular time in prayer each day and I promise to pray for each of your intentions.  God Bless!