Sister Colleen has embarked on a pilgrimage with students from Mount Saint Joseph Academy, a college preparatory school founded and sponsored by Sr. Colleen’s order, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia. Together with 24 young women, 4 staff chaperones, and another Sister of Saint Joseph, Sister Colleen will undertake the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James), walking across Spain for two weeks.
As part of their journey, Sister Colleen is inviting members of the Collaborative to join her in prayer over these days. To do so, Sister has written a “Camino in Everyday Life” that offers a reflection for each day of the journey and invites each of us to delve deeper into our spiritual journeys this summer!
Sr. Colleen’s “Camino in Everyday Life” mini-retreat begins with her arrival in León, Spain on Tuesday, June 16, and continues through her 15-day journey to Santiago de Compostela. As she explained in her message before her departure:
Beyond the physical act of walking, the Camino is ultimately a spiritual pilgrimage. Praying each step of the way, the pilgrim immerses themselves in a deepening relationship with God. In the silence of one’s own head and heart, truths become clearer and conversations (with God and ourselves) become more intimate. The rhythm of one’s days becomes a pattern for reflection and grounds for spiritual growth. The conversations with God and with fellow travelers on the way invite vulnerability and provide new wisdom and insight. And while the pilgrim is aiming for a destination, the journey itself is, in fact, the goal and God is the guide for all things.
With all this in mind, I’m delighted to offer a mini-retreat—a Camino in everyday life—for those who feel drawn to some spiritual “exercise” this summer. Walking (even just in prayer) with me, you’ll be invited to explore different aspects of pilgrim spirituality and to reflect on God’s journey with us in scripture and in the story of your own life.
From time to time, I also hope to be able to offer glimpses from Spain– so stay tuned for photos and updates from along the Way. As they say on the Way of St. James: “Buen Camino!”
Sister’s daily reflections will be posted here each morning, along with occasional updates from the journey at the end of the day.
The most recent post appears first, so scroll down to the bottom to start at the beginning!
The Journey
Evening for Women – Tuesday, October 13: “The Way We Walk: Lessons from the Camino” with Sister Colleen Gibson
Tuesday, October 13 | 6:30pm | St. John This past June, Sister Colleen Gibson, the Collaborative’s Director of Pastoral Care, undertook the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James), walking across Spain for two weeks with students from Mount Saint Joseph Academy, a college preparatory school founded and sponsored by her order, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia. All women of the Collaborative are warmly invited to join us this Tuesday, October 13 as Sr. Colleen offers a reflection on the lessons of her pilgrimage! Followed by a potluck dinner in Powers Hall – bring a friend and a dish to share! …
Ultreia et Suseia: Camino Wisdom for Us All
“You walked how far??” This question has become a kind of refrain in the wake of my return from the Camino de Santiago earlier this summer. There, with twenty-four young women going into their senior year of high school and a cohort of dedicated chaperones, we trekked over 200 miles across Spain. Any length of the Camino, be it the minimum 100km, the over 300km my group traversed, or the nearly 800km from the French border (or more if you, like some we met, came from far beyond), is an accomplishment. No distance, it seems, is requisite to capture the wisdom and grace of such a pilgrimage. As we came to learn, each Camino is as unique as the one who makes the pilgrimage …
Day 15: Tuesday, June 30 | Gathering the Graces: Santiago de Compostela
At the entrance of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is the “Portico of Glory,” the triumphant entry way that pilgrims traverse to make their way into their final destination (though some will continue on to the sea at Finisterre (“The End of the Earth”). Upon passing through the portico, we will find the pillar where thousands of pilgrims have come before, placing their hand in the worn-out space: a mark of a journey many have made and continue to make. From there we will go to the Pilgrim Mass and have our Camino passport stamped. We have officially completed the Camino! …
Day 14: June 29 – Part 2 | We Made It!
We made it! Thirteen days of walking- tired toes, aching bodies, a plethora of personalities, and lots of hard work… and we did it! We departed our camp this morning with the intent of making this final day’s journey together. This might seem easy but with 30 pilgrims (including 24 high school girls), any time we go together we make waves. Still, we persevered and stuck together. Over hills and through the woods, we held together. A sign of unity on the trail, that many pelegrinos commented over our weeks that they delighted in seeing …
Day 14: Monday, June 29 | An End in Sight: Rúa to Santiago de Compostela
This is the final stretch! You’ll note the final distance (20.3km) doesn’t come with a label (Easy, Intermediate, or Expert). It simply is, because no matter how difficult it is, we must complete it to reach our destination. Having followed the scallop shells this far and by putting one foot in front of the other, we arrive at our destination: The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. As we near the conclusion of our journey, there is much to make an account of: the prayers we’ve prayed, the miles we’ve walked, the things we’ve learned …
Day 13: Sunday, June 28 – Part 2 | Grace and Gratitude
Today marked our next to last day of walking on the Camino de Santiago. With our final destination in sight (and heart) you can feel the shifting energy in the group. Students have begun to reflect on the lessons of the Way, others are ready to go home to family and friends. Tomorrow will mark 2 full weeks of travel, which for many is a new experience. In many ways, our walk today was uneventful and that is a welcome state of being. We’ve come to know our bodies and paces (and to push both, whether up hills or to slow down when you “just want the walk to be done”) and so details can get lost in the familiarity of the way …
Day 13: Sunday, June 28 | A Sign on the Way: Arzúa to Rúa/Santa Irene area
All along the Camino route, the path is marked by the symbol of the scallop shell. This image reminds us that many routes can lead us to our destination and also that each pilgrim takes their own way to Santiago, but ultimately all points convene on this one place. The scallop is also a symbol of Saint James, for whom Santiago de Compostela is named. Legend has it that after he was martyred in Jerusalem, St. James’s bodily remains were sent to Spain by his followers. On the way, the boat transporting him sank, only to have his body emerge from the sea covered in scallop shells …
Day 12: Saturday, June 27 – Part 2 | May we be strengthened with faith and gifted with perseverance
Entering into our 11th day of walking, we can feel the rhythm of our walking shift. The girls are more apt to slow down and we are learning the rhythms of each other’s strides and styles. For some this means having time to chat along the way, while for others it is a savoring of quiet as we move from town to town. There is no “right” way to walk, we simply try to respect each other’s rhythms and invite each other to walk together along the way …
Day 12: Saturday, June 27 | Living Water is Worth the Weight: Palas de Rei to Arzúa
We know the importance of smart packing as we make the journey. We must let go of what doesn’t serve us and pack only that which is necessary. One thing that we can’t make the trek without is water. While the pilgrim is advised to have a pack that weighs ten percent or less of their body weight, they must also consider the weight of the water they will need to stay hydrated as they walk long distances. Of course there are places to refill water bottles along the way, as we move through towns and villages, but nonetheless water can be a weighty resource to carry …
Day 11: Friday, June 26- Part 2 | What endures and what changes…
Although we didn’t leave Portomarín by the same staircase we entered by, our first step on the road out of the city was a wooded trail and steep incline that took nearly 25 minutes to clear. Stretch as we may before we departed, this hill push our legs to warm up as we set out on our nearly 17 mile journey today. After clearing the first hill, we settled into the routine of rolling hills similar to yesterday’s walk. Today, however, the towns were more spaced out (reminiscent of the layout of days 1-5 of walking, but much greener) and water was more sparse with fewer fountains along the way. Luckily, we packed water in preparation and temperatures in the 70s kept us cool as …
Day 11: Friday, June 26 | Wandering in Wonder: Portomarín to Palas de Rei
Sometimes the spiritual life can feel like work. As we said at the start of this retreat, the Camino is spiritual exercise. Work however does not preclude Wonder. Truly, if we are doing our spiritual work we find in ourselves an awakened sense of wonder. We discover that we don’t know everything, we can’t do everything, and we aren’t in charge (spiritually speaking) of anything. God is in control and, as the Camino instructs us time and again, we walk with God. Wonder and awe are critical to walking with God. The One who created us made us to marvel at creation, to tend to it, and to, ultimately, find the signs of our Creator in it. Just think for a second at the …
Day 10: Thursday, June 25 – Part 2 | “Ultreia et Suseia! Deus adjuva nos!”
Getting ready this morning, I marveled at the condition of my shoes (maybe it was all that talk of blisters yesterday?) And noted the plume of dust that rose into the air as I untied my laces. With the forecast of rain throughout today’s walk, I knew that the plume would not be there tonight and I prayed that the moisture would somehow steer clear of my socks on our 14 miles journey. Each pilgrim prepared for the reality of rain differently. Some covered their packs before we even left the hotel. Others layered their socks, while others put “body glide” or Vaseline on their feet to avoid the effects of excess moisture. You can imagine what interesting conversation this made for over breakfast! …
Day 10: Thursday, June 25 | From the Outside In: Sarria to Portomarín
Today’s journey departs from Sarria, the most popular starting point for the Camino de Santiago. Its popularity comes not from its beauty or accommodations but from its proximity to Santiago de Compostela, the end of our pilgrimage. In fact, Sarria is precisely 114 km (70.8 miles) from Santiago de Compostela, a distinction that marks the minimum distance one can travel if they wish to earn an official Compostela pilgrimage certificate, indicating they completed the journey. Ten days into our pilgrimage in everyday life, this minimum distance invites us to consider the quality of our engagement so far. Have we set time aside each day to prayerfully reflect with God? Has the grace we initially asked for when we set out become more apparent in our lives …
Day 9: Wednesday, June 24 – Part 2 | “Still We Persevere!”
Traveling from Tricastela to Sarria today, our group covered some 12 miles over the winding hills of Galicia. “Winding” we’ve found means different things on different days, depending on the landscape and on the condition of our bodies as mileage adds up! Today “winding” meant ups and downs, with some breathtaking heights and inclines that literally took your breath away. Still, we persevere! Every up promises a down, and the downs offered highlights too, traversing swaths of woodland trails …
Day 9: Wednesday, June 24 | Beware of Blisters: Triacastela to Sarria
The fear of every pilgrim is the development of blisters along the Camino. After such a long journey yesterday, our feet are surely sore. Soreness, though, is different from blisters. Soreness reminds us that we’ve worked our muscles (remember Day 3’s reflection on our bodies?) Blisters, on the other hand, are a sign of agitation and friction. They develop when our shoes don’t fit right, when there’s added moisture, or when repetitive motion causes irritation. The first sign of a blister is a “hot spot” as the skin begins to feel wear and signals that the protection it offers is being weakened. In the spiritual life, there are numerous things that can cause blisters …
Day 8: Tuesday, June 23 – Part 2 | “Each Day Our Story Changes”
For the last week, our group has walked through the Castilla y Leon region of Spain… that is until today, when we crossed into Galicia. This region is home to Santiago de Compostela, our final destination, and also has a markedly different landscape, culture, and even its own language. Reflecting a Celtic influence, we heard the Galician gaita (bagpipes) ring out as we entered the town of O Cebreiro. Except for the stifling heat, one might easily think they’d crossed the ridge and somehow landed in Ireland. Celtic knots adorn houses, cowbells jingle, and the mountainsides are a patchwork of green and yellow fields. Within the town, we visited the Church of Santa María, which is run by a Franciscan priests. In some ways visiting churches …
Day 8: Tuesday, June 23 | Points of Contact: Las Herrerías de Valcarce to Triacastela
Today is likely the hardest day of walking for me and my group, so some extra prayers for strength, endurance, and peace would be much appreciated. (I’ll let you know if I feel more like an “expert” after 18 miles on treacherous terrain!) As my group and I walk, we are using trekking poles. Imagine me cascading through the streets of Boston (and down the brook path in Wellesley) with mine as I trained this winter and spring (talk about humility in action!) At first, these poles might seem silly, like a superfluous addition to the journey. (What was that we said about not carrying extra things?!?) …
Day 7: Monday, June 22 – Part 2 | The Rhythm of the Way
fter watching Team Spain dominate in their World Cup match against Saudi Arabia (and after walking upwards of 16 miles in the blazing sun) we rested easy in Villafranca del Bierzo last night before setting out early again this morning to try to beat the heat. Luckily the first two-thirds of our journey was in the valleys of the mountains on the way to Las Herrerías de Valcar. While this meant we had shade for a good portion of the walk (which helped a little with the sun and overwhelming humidity), it also meant the majority of our walk was along roads, which can get a little monotonous. To help motivate one another, we stuck together as a group as we walked the way today, …
Day 7: Monday, June 22 | A Week of Walking: Villafranca del Bierzo to Las Herrerías de Valcarce
Ever since I was a teenager, I have loved Thomas Merton, the famous spiritual writer and Trappist Monk. Something about his eager spirit and deep spiritual insight, mixed with a human vulnerability and ever-ready attention to God’s call has spoken to me from a young age. In his book Thoughts in Solitude, Merton offers a prayer that applies to anyone on the spiritual journey. As we mark the first week of our own Camino in everyday life, his words guide us as we pause and take stock of where we have been and where we are going. Let us pray with Merton: My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me …
Day 6: Sunday, June 21 – Part 2 | The Pilgrim Points the Way
We awoke this morning to thunder and lightning as a passing storm poured rain on the hour before we hit the trail (at 7am). One would have hoped the storm meant a break in the heat but we’ve had no such luck! With highs in the upper 90’s the next few days, we’re doing our best to get up and out early to beat the heat! Winding through the city of Ponferrada, we picked up the Camino Frances and headed out of town through largely paved roads and Spanish-style suburbs. We’ve been amazed each day by the variety of the landscape we observe in our walking. Today we encountered the rolling vineyards of the Bierza area of Spain, famous for its wines. My own perspective …
Day 6: Sunday, June 21 | Pound for Pound: Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo
Part of walking the Camino is that most pilgrims carry everything they will need with them—on their backs! Unlike packing for a vacation, where whatever can fit in your suitcase and within airline weight limits is allowed, packing for a pilgrimage requires a consciousness about what it is we truly need and what is “extra” for the journey. While one or two “extra” things add a bit of comfort, each additional item is literally added weight. When you are walking an average of 15 miles a day, extra ounces or even a pound or two can mean having the energy to push a little further or feeling an ache a little bit too early in the day. Guides often advise that “the Camino teaches by …
Day 5: Saturday, June 20 – Part 2 | Gratitude
Ascending the mountain with the sun this morning, our group traveled together to the highest point on the Camino: Cruz de Ferro. This iron cross sits atop a 5-meter high pole and is surrounded by stones that have been carried and cast off by pilgrims. As our pilgrims prayerfully put down their rocks, the voice of another pilgrim rose up from the bar of the monument. “Let me take your picture!” a fellow pilgrim from Canada shouted. As she positioned our group for the shot, she told us to smile and take on the significance of the moment. “People have laid their burdens down here and now you have too. Cherish the meaning of this way.” Then as she got ready to take a second …
Day 5: Saturday, June 20 | Rules for the Road: Foncebadón to Ponferrada
In religious orders, sisters, brothers, and priests follow a particular rule of life. For Benedictines, it is the Rule of St. Benedict; for Augustinians, the Rule of St. Augustine; and on and on and on. Sometimes also called Constitutions, the Rule provides a structure to support the daily living of a vowed religious life. To an outside observer, a rule of life might seem constricting or domineering. The same might also be said of a vow of obedience. Yet, if understood as a means to discerning the will of God through the practice of intentional living, the old adage about the rule rings truer than ever: “Keep the rule, and the rule will keep you.” For the pilgrim, this adage might be adapted to apply …
Day 4: Friday, June 19 – Part 2 | Graces Abound
Setting out from Astorga this morning, our group stopped in front of the city’s beautiful Gothic Cathedral for a picture before heading to the city limits (see: duckling line like in Leon) to visit the Hermitage of Ecce Homo (Latin for “Behold the man” which Pontius Pilate declare of Christ as he tried to save him from condemnation). This small chapel is said to have been the site of a Camino miracle after a small boy once fell into a well used by pilgrims to drink on the Way. His mother could not get him out and so prayed for his rescue. Amazingly, the water level rose until he was returned to her! Our pilgrims stopped to pray and to get a briefing on the …
Day 4: Friday, June 19 | We are the Church: Astorga to Foncebadón
Today’s journey brings us to the small village of Foncebadón, a place that for many years was almost an abandoned outpost on the Way of St. James. Yet, here in this village, we find the highest point on the French Way. Known as the Cruz de Hierro, this iron cross stands atop a 5-meter (16.4ft.) high wooden post. It points the way to Santiago, our eventual destination, and reminds us that we are the church and carry Christ’s message with us. On our pilgrim journey, we travel always in the shadow of the cross. Today we are reminded that the mountaintop experiences of our lives spur us on. From these places of consolation, we carry on in the shadow of the cross, bringing the love …
Day 3: Thursday, June 18 – Part 2 | God Is With Us
Today’s prompt reminds us that our bodies are a blessing. Opening our eyes and our hearts to the world around us, we try to see the beautiful creation we are and the wonderful world we are embodied in! The walk today took us to Astorga, a elevated Roman age city. With a number of hills along the way, we could feel the work of yesterday’s walk as we pushed further today. God is with us, though, each step of the way. Just look at all the ways God grace shines through pictures from our pathway! …
Day 3: Thursday, June 18 | Stretching Our Spiritual Muscles: San Martín del Camino to Astorga
On this second day of really walking, we notice the gift of our bodies. Each step that we take, we feel the shifting of our weight and the engagement of our muscles. We are embodied people and as Christians, we are blessed by a God who knows what it means to have a human body too. By becoming human in Jesus, Christ takes on flesh and feels all that we feel. He knows what it feels like to ache. He knows the way tension and stress sit in our shoulders or the way we clench our jaws almost unconsciously. His face was surely traced with lines from laughter; his eyes knew the sting of tears. Fully human and fully divine, Jesus knows what it feels …
Day 2: Wednesday, June 17 – Part 2 | Catching the Spirit
After a good night’s sleep following a day of travel, you could feel the buzz of active energy among the pelegrinos (Spanish for pilgrims) this morning as we took in breakfast and got ready for the day’s long haul. Before going to bed we learned that today’s trek would be a “little” longer than originally anticipated. We were informed that what was supposed to be a just over 15 miles would instead be 18 miles. It was only once we were out on the trail that we discovered that, in fact, we’d be doing 22-23 miles (tricky conversion rates!!) …
Day 2: Wednesday, June 17 | Nets & First Steps: León to San Martín del Camino
Knowing that the journey begins at home, we need look no further than the example of the first disciples to see the courage taking that first step on the Way takes. Jesus met those first followers where they were, in the everyday-ness of their lives. They were mending nets. They were casting out into the sea. They didn’t know what they would catch and, one would imagine, that they didn’t suspect that the Christ would walk into their lives that day. (Do any of us?) Reading the stories of that first calling though (Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11; Matthew 4:18-22), we can imagine that something stirring in their hearts compelled them to follow Jesus …
Day 1: Tuesday, June 16 – Part 2 | Buenos Noche Leon
As I write, we’re just coming to the end of our first 24 hours of travel. Two flights, three countries, and a bus ride later and we’ve made it safely to Leon, our starting point for the Camino. Excitement fills the air as we gear up for an extended day of hiking tomorrow. We’ll cover about 18 miles when all is said and done. What a way to begin! By the time we arrived in Leon (about a four hour drive from Madrid) we had time to treat ourselves to tapas (I discovered Morcilla de León (ox blood pudding) spread on fresh Spanish bread) and to visit the Cathedral in Leon – a beautiful example of Gothic architecture! …
Day 1: Tuesday, June 16 | Hola León
Today, our group arrives in Spain and gets acquainted with what lies ahead. While it might seem that a pilgrimage begins on the departure day you’ve marked on the calendar, in reality, we begin our journey as soon as we decide to set out. For the pilgrim this means that the pilgrimage doesn’t begin the day you set out on the Camino, but it begins at home. The same is true of a retreat. We begin as soon as we accept the Holy Spirit’s invitation (or inclination) to go deeper. The desire to pray (or the desire to want the desire to pray) is the first step. Who knows what taking that step might hold? We might have inklings, but truly only God knows …
The Pilgrim Journey: “Camino in Everyday Life” Mini- Retreat
On Tuesday, June 16, Sister Colleen will embark on a pilgrimage with students from Mount Saint Joseph Academy, a college preparatory school founded and sponsored by Sr. Colleen’s order, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia. Together with 24 young women, 4 staff chaperones, and another Sister of Saint Joseph, Sister Colleen will undertake the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James), walking across Spain for two weeks. As part of their journey, Sister Colleen is inviting members of the Collaborative to join her in prayer over these days. To do so, Sister has written a “Camino in Everyday Life” that offers a reflection for each day of the journey and invites each of us to delve deeper into our spiritual journeys this summer! Thank you …