Walking together is a great way to connect with one another and our faith. So grab your rucksack, some friends, and take some time to walk in the footsteps of the Pilgrims of England and Wales.
We’ve put together a selection of pilgrimages across England & Wales. If you choose to take one, you will find yourself journeying across beautiful scenery, and stopping at some powerfully inspiring holy places.
We have four suggested pilgrimages below, along with some further ideas.
Share their journey
As you tread the path of the pilgrims, please take time to pray for missionaries around the world today. Many missionaries we support travel great distances each day, and have left their homes hundreds of miles behind to bring God’s hope and love to the world.
Share your journey
We’d love you to share your pilgrimage with us – via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, using the hashtag #MissioPilgrim
Walk at home
If you can’t make a pilgrimage, you can add a spiritual dimension to your regular exercise. Why not say a decade of the Rosary on your daily walk, or pledge to walk the number of miles in a pilgrim trail this month?
Plan your own route
If none of these routes are right for you, of course there are hundreds more possibilities! You might have a church, shrine or destination that’s special to you.
We’ve developed our Emmaus Walk guide to help parishes and groups plan their own prayer walks and pilgrimages.
Download the guide and special waymarker prayers here>>
Alternatively, Hearts in Search of God is an exciting initiative to promote walking pilgrimage in England & Wales. The site explains that:
‘By developing Pilgrim Ways between the cathedral of each Catholic diocese and one or more shrines within the same diocese, the project provides opportunities for Catholics and other Christians to deepen their faith, and for people of all faiths and none to share in the experience of walking a pilgrimage in a Catholic context. ‘
'Whoever they may be — young or old, rich or poor, sick and troubled or curious tourists — let them find due welcome, because in every person there is a heart in search of God, at times without being fully aware of it.'
Raising funds through pilgrimage
Pilgrim walks are primarily a journey of prayer. However, using your walk to accompany God’s global family is a beautiful dimension to add to your pilgrimage, and every penny and pound you share with Missio furthers our mission to ignite God’s love around the world.
If you would like to fundraise during your walk, thank you so much! The easiest way would be to set up a JustGiving page, or contact us for further help.