FOCUS / Website
CV NEWS FEED // A Catholic college ministry is encouraging people to go on pilgrimages this year, spotlighting that such journeys can deepen one’s relationship with God and provide spiritual healing and renewal.
FOCUS explains that pilgrimages involve traveling to a holy site, not as a vacation but as a mission of “encountering God in a deeper way.” The main goal is transformation, both on the path to the site and at the destination itself, FOCUS explains.
“The journey,” the ministry states, “is just as important as the destination because it mirrors the soul’s journey toward heaven.”
FOCUS clarifies that a Catholic pilgrimage does not have to be far from home. It can be a trip to a nearby shrine or historic church. For Jubilee Year 2025, churches in dioceses across the United States have been designated as pilgrimage sites.
FOCUS provided four main reasons to go on a pilgrimage.
First, pilgrimages can deepen one’s relationship with God. The journey of embarking to a sacred space gives pilgrims the opportunity for trust, reflection, and prayer. Often, the challenges of the journey “from the physical demands of travel to the spiritual openness required, can become moments of growth, drawing the pilgrim closer to God.”
Pilgrimages also provide opportunities to experience fellowship and the communion of saints. Visiting sacred sites connected to the history of the Church offers a profound encounter. The pilgrimage offers fellowship with other travelers on the journey. The act of walking with others reminds pilgrims that they are not alone in the walk of their faith.
Next, FOCUS shares that pilgrimages allow those to seek healing and renewal spiritually, physically, and emotionally. FOCUS says that such pilgrimage sites “known for miraculous healings, or the tombs of saints who intercede for the faithful, offer a profound opportunity to surrender one’s struggles to God.”
Finally, travelers can embrace sacrifice and detachment, as pilgrimages often involve early mornings and long walks and, occasionally, unexpected difficulties, FOCUS states. The sacrifices on the journey can help pilgrims grow closer to God.
