BYOP: Build Your Own Pilgrimage

Some of my favorite memories at Notre Dame have come out of my fall breaks. My sophomore year, I got to spend my Fall Break doing research in Brittany, France. It was an amazing week of self-discovery and adventure. My junior year, I spent a week in the mountains of Kentucky serving and teaching at Our Lady of the Mountains School as part of the Center for Social Concerns Appalachia Seminar. This year, I am excited to travel to Montreal on a Campus Ministry pilgrimage. I’m thrilled to be able to use my break as an opportunity to pray and reflect. (Stay tuned for next week when I’ll write about my experience!)

My freshman year, however, I spent my Fall Break at home. It was a really important experience for me. I was homesick, or as I called it then, “lifesick,” for the normalcy that had been my life before I’d gone to college. Going home was a perfect chance to see my family, catch up with my friends, and even visit my old teachers. It was a chance to catch up on sleep, exercise, and eat home cooked meals. I have no regrets coming home my freshman year. Taking care of yourself is always more important than travelling or serving. Going home doesn’t mean you can’t have an inspiring, reflective, or prayerful experience. This week, I’m going to give you my recommendations for a “Build-Your-Own-Pilgrimage Day.”

Rise and Shine- Don’t wake up early. You are on vacation and there is no point praying and reflecting if you are falling asleep. Sleep in late! Then start your day with  morning prayer and reflection. Take a walk and talk to Jesus. Or do prayer yoga in your backyard. Find your favorite spiritual text (or find a new one) and read it while you make your favorite brunch. The beginning of your day can be the most beautiful part- it’s full of possibilities and hope- so use that to start your day with the Lord. What possibilities are you being called to today?

Find Your Path - Before you begin your pilgrimage, I recommend looking up a few nearby pilgrimage locations you might be interested in visiting. Is there a holy site nearby? A cathedral or basilica or shrine? A place where a saint might have lived? This website is AWESOME at giving you ideas! Make sure to check out the website of your site to find out its hours and get a little background info about where you are going. You might also want to find things like times for mass, adoration, or reconciliation, if you want that to be part of your experience. Also, get some directions, because we know it’s all about the journey, but you don’t need the stress of getting lost.

The Journey- Pack some snacks, coffee, your favorite prayer playlist- and head out. Just like all pilgrimages, don’t be afraid to enjoy the journey. Let God be the director of your pilgrimage and be open to the surprises that God puts in your path. Did you pass a beautiful park where you want to walk? Go for it. Is there an adorable bakery that looks delicious? Hit it up. Enjoy and savor each moment of your journey. Focus on the here and now. Be present to the moment you are in and allow yourself to forget about the stress in your life.

The Destination- Take in all you can at the place you visit. Talk to docents or religious. Go to mass or reconciliation or adoration.. Stop by the gift shop and get a medal or prayer card to remember your trip. Pray at a holy spot. Most importantly, visit the part of your destination that seems most important to you. Be like a sponge and absorb it all. Then listen! What is God trying to tell you through being at this place? What can you learn from the saint or holy figure who is remembered in this place? How does this person’s  journey resemble yours? How can his or her life challenge you to be a better person of faith?

Reflect and Refresh- End your day by giving yourself closure. If a local church offers late afternoon mass or evening prayer, stop by on your way home. Or find your favorite spot to watch the sunset. Or take a bike ride by the lake or through the woods. Bring your journal and find a place you are comfortable (if you don’t journal, now is the time to start). Settle yourself and then write through anything you might be feeling after your day of prayer and reflection. What parts of the day were challenging and which parts were comforting to you? How is God trying to speak to you through those moments? Were there parts of your destination that you want to remember? Were there quotes or prayers you encountered today you don’t want to forget? How do you feel challenged as you move forward? Are there questions about yourself that you still feel unanswered? Your journal is your safe place, so share everything you have. Now, go buy yourself ice cream- cause remember today is about treating yourself.

The best part about this Build-Your-Own-Pilgrimage Day is that you can make it all about you. Taking care of your spiritual life is just as important as your social and academic life. Do what you need to find peace on this day! If you end up having a deep conversation with a priest or nun you encounter, talk as long as you need. If you find solace in the prayer garden of your site, stay there till you are full of peace. You are in control of what will make your day most meaningful for you. If you want, bring a friend, or maybe a parent or sibling- but it is also okay to dive into your pilgrimage on your own and be open to new people you might encounter.

Whether you are embarking on a pilgrimage, or research trip, or service trip, or going home- whatever path your fall break takes- take the opportunity to feed your faith life and enjoy every beautiful moment of your journey.