On this page we will be offering various options for spiritual growth during this time of physical distance and emotional duress. All words in bold are links so simply click to learn more or undertake an activity.
We have just completed a virtual pilgrimage based around the life of St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne. The route follows his life from the earliest days in Scotland to the isle of Lindisfarne off the northeastern English coast, and concludes with the translation of his relics into the city and cathedral of Durham. This pilgrimage is designed through Google earth to be used on your phone or your computer. The distances of each segment are included at the conclusion of that portion of the pilgrimage. So you can decide to walk the entire distance as marked, or can walk a mile or more each day until you make it to the next stage. A way to combine pilgrimage with being environmentally friendly is to eliminate some of the trips you would take in a car and replace them with walks (say to the grocery store) and thus improve your health, the planet’s health, and participate in making the world holy through pilgrimage. St. Cuddy would approve!
Each stage of the pilgrimage has a short liturgy that you can recite while you are moving from one stage to another. If walking is not something you can undertake, we have incorporated a labyrinth walk segment. You can do each stage on a day and then walk the labyrinth as you reflect on that stage of the pilgrimage. It is thought that labyrinths in many churches served this very function so that people could make pilgrimage more accessible to them. You can follow ancient labyrinth designs or make/sew a labyrinth to trace your finger on, or you can draw one in chalk on the sidewalk, or lay one out in your apartment/home/room using tape or rope or anything else. You can also visit a labyrinth near you.
We have also created this pilgrimage as a Eucharist based mini-retreat option. This pilgrimage model has both a traditional language option and a more contemporary language version.