The Office of Priestly Vocations is once again leading a discernment pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James), for the specific purpose of helping young men to discern their
vocation.
Perhaps a better way of stating the goal of this pilgrimage is to say that it will provide an opportunity for young men to have an encounter with Christ. Once that sacred moment occurs for a young person, discernment of a vocation can quickly transform from an undesired ambivalence to a desired relationship with the living God. If the hope of the Church is to have young men and women give some consideration to living out their baptismal call of holiness as a priest or religious, they must first come to know Christ.
For 11 days, walking along a trail that has existed for more than 1,000 years in northern Spain, the 18 young men on the Camino pilgrimage will have nothing on their agenda other than conversation about their faith, vocation, prayer and relationships. Imagine that: a dialogue with other human beings that will not require the assistance (distraction) of a cellphone! The young men on the pilgrimage range in age from 18-35, and hail from each of the six counties of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Most importantly, each of them at some level is seeking a fuller understanding of where God is calling them to “live out” their one true vocation.
Leading the pilgrimage will be myself along with the pastor of Our Lady on the River Parish in Marine City/Algonac, Fr. Stephen Rooney, and three seminarians. On June 8, all 23 pilgrims will begin a sacred journey across the ocean to begin a 165-mile, 11-day walking discernment pilgrimage. This will be both a physical and spiritual challenge, so please remember to pray for each of the Camino pilgrims … one way you can “journey with” them.
To learn more about the pilgrimage and to follow their progress, visit their Camino blog at vocationcamino.wordpress.com, which will be updated regularly with pictures and posts throughout the 16-day pilgrimage.
Buen Camino, which means “good way,” is the familiar greeting as you pass by pilgrims and locals along the 500-mile Camino de Santiago. Through the intercession of St. James, the Apostle, may each of the Camino pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Detroit experience the good Way with each other and the Lord.
Fr. Tim Birney is director of priestly vocations for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Learn more
For more about the Camino pilgrimage, visit vocationcamino.wordpress.com.
