It is with great excitement that the folks over at Modern Catholic Pilgrim (MCP) have announced a new project meant to encourage devotion to Catholic saints during the current time of social distance. Walking with the Saints 2020 will get Catholics out of the house on isolated “walked pilgrimages” dedicated to their favorite saints. The month-long event will culminate in a celebration of All Saints Day on November 1, 2020.
The pilgrimages are self-guided, but MCP offers a wealth of information at its website to help pilgrims plan their journeys, includingguides to help chart a reasonable journey based on the limits of each pilgrim. They even offer tips on how to get the whole family involved. In a press release, MCP explained why a revival of walked pilgrimages is so important right now:
The saints serve as tremendous examples of faith in Christ, even in times of difficulty. It is only right to turn to them now. Also, in a time of distancing, we need to feel connected, and the Catholic faith provides a unique way to connect with not only our fellow believers here on earth, but all those who came before us.
MCP notes that because there are 10,000+ saints in the Catholic tradition, it would be impossible to plan a pilgrimage for each saint, so the advice is relatively general. The MCP website offers video testimonials by people who have pledged to make a pilgrimage, as well as examples of pilgrimages that people have already taken to give inspiration when planning your own.
MCP asks participants to focus each pilgrimage on a single saint. Pilgrims are advised to plan multiple pilgrimages should they wish to walk with more than one saint, so that each saint receives the recognition they deserve. Pilgrims who take part in the program are expected to follow all diocesan, state, and federal guidelines for social distancing while on their pilgrimage.
Walk with the Saints 2020 offers Catholics the opportunity to have a unique faith experience during a time when Catholic practice has been severely limited. The event is set to kick off during the first week of October, so visit Modern Catholic Pilgrimage to plan your pilgrimage today.
And today we celebrate...