A PILGRIMAGE OF FAITH AND FRIENDSHIP

By Nicolette Howell '07 MARKETING MANAGER

This spring, 12 seniors set out on an experience of faith and adventure during the first-ever Regis Jesuit pilgrimage in New Mexico. The group of RJ young men and women, along with three members of the Pastoral Ministries Office and guides from Creatio, traveled 28 miles on foot over four days with the goal of encountering God through the beauty of His creation. Hiking from Taos to El Santuario de Chimayó Shrine, the group visited some of northern New Mexico’s oldest churches along the way. El Santuario de Chimayó, also called the “Lourdes of America,” is a place of reported healings. Built in the early 1800s right where a mysterious crucifix was discovered buried in the earth, this sacred site is known for its holy dirt and draws many faithful from all over the world in search of hope and healing.

The Chimayó pilgrimage is the Pastoral Ministries Office's latest faith formation offering for seniors. Designed to cultivate spiritual awareness and challenge students to grow in new ways, the Chimayó pilgrimage is different than anything students have experienced at Regis Jesuit. “Pilgrimage is a holy journey, an experience of movement, an experience of on the way,” Fr. Eric Ramirez, SJ explains. Intentionally created for seniors, the Chimayó pilgrimage is meant to further cement the idea that Jesus accompanies us on our journey through life, and especially through times of significant life transitions. As our seniors prepare to end one part of their journey and begin the next as they graduate, we want them to know that God is with them.

With the snowcapped Sangre de Cristo Mountains as their backdrop, our seniors certainly encountered natural beauty along their journey, but it was the experience of community and God’s presence that left a lasting impression. “It’s not just driving to a retreat center,” Fr. Ramirez, SJ says, “It’s a real pilgrimage, a real traveling experience – walking and seeing beautiful countryside with prayer and spiritual development as part of it.” During their four-day journey, students were invited to pray and reflect on two principles: 1. God’s immense love for us and 2. How are we called to respond to that love. While they had time to ponder these principles during daily hikes, examens and liturgies, it was the interactions with their peers that drove these lessons home. “The students were joyful! Everyone was involved, engaged and new relationships were formed as a result,” Fr. Ramirez remarks. While most retreat offerings are in a single-gender environment, this pilgrimage is open to both boys and girls, and the small-group format lends itself to students truly getting to know one another.

The bonds that were formed over their four-day adventure proved to be strong with many of the participants continuing to nurture their newfound friendships once back in the hallways of RJ. This tight-knit group that grew out of fresh friendships is the embodiment of how we’re called to respond to God’s love: give love freely to all of God’s people and be Men and Women with and for Others

The Pastoral Ministries Office is excited to be offering two of these incredible experiences to senior students next school year.