Tips for Going on a Pilgrimage

[Abundant]

:thumbsup:My parish is going on a pilgrimage to France next April, and I plan on going. I have never been on a pilgrimage, and never been to Europe.

How do you prepare spiritually/mentally to go on a pilgrimage? Is it okay to venture off on my own to explore the city/etc. when I’m there and is there any etiquette I need to be aware of?

I am very excited to go, but I worry that everyone else will know what to do, what prayers to say, etc. and I will just be confused! Any tips are much appreciated!

 

[Scout]

I went on a pilgrimage to Alaban a few years ago, to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Angels Monestary. The way I prepared was to spend time every day in prayer. I figured that if I was going to spend a great deal of time everyday in prayer, I needed to start praying now to get used to it. Sort of like training to run a marathon.

As far as going around on your own, your group will most likely schedule time for you to do that. I’d look into your itinterary.

If you’re interested in etiquette, I’d find a book on France to learn about the cultures and habits of the area. Also, it might be a good idea to learn some of the language so you can at least get a round and order in a restaurant.

Hope that helps.

Scout :tiphat:

 

[Abundant]

I like the idea of preparing myself for a lot of time in prayer. As far as etiquette, I more worried about etiquette at the sites. Are there rules about what I can/cannot wear? (I’m a woman, so do I have to wear a dress/head covering?) I am also looking at buying a book about each saint/shrine we will visit. Any recommendations? This is who/where we will go:

• St. Therese’
• St. Catherin Laboure
• St. John Vianney
• LaSalette (Weeping Madonna)
• Lourdes, Shrine of Bernadette
• American cemetary at Normandy

 

[the_phoenix]

Like the nuns were forever telling us girls while we were on a pilgrimage to Fatima, Portugal,

“Offer it up.”

Anything happens you don’t like, offer it up. Smelly bus fumes, offer it up. Cockroach in someone’s room, offer it up … and of course alert the front desk so that a maid will come up and laugh heartily and good-naturedly at the soft life of silly Americans scared to death at the sight of a tiny bug. You fall down a flight of stairs and bang up your legs so that they’re skinned all up and down, offer it up while they’re rubbing those sore legs with very noticeable, highly visible neon orange medicinal stuff that stings and passes for peroxide.

And as for dresses or skirts, make sure they come down modestly below the knee, as well as making sure you bring pants (for visiting churches) and not just shorts (I say this because there are people in my family who are known for wearing shorts and short skirts in cold weather, like winter, and then wonder why they’re cold).

Have fun!


May God bless your trip!

 

[Scout]

I like the idea of preparing myself for a lot of time in prayer. As far as etiquette, I more worried about etiquette at the sites. Are there rules about what I can/cannot wear? (I’m a woman, so do I have to wear a dress/head covering?) I am also looking at buying a book about each saint/shrine we will visit. Any recommendations? This is who/where we will go:

• St. Therese’
• St. Catherin Laboure
• St. John Vianney
• LaSalette (Weeping Madonna)
• Lourdes, Shrine of Bernadette
• American cemetary at Normandy

As far as the religious sites go, most, if not all, of those sites do have rules about what a person can wear. I know skirts are encouraged, and capris are acceptable, but I don’t remember about jeans or shorts. And no sleeveless shirts or short skirts. If you have a tour guide, they usually tell you what you can and can’t wear. My aunt went a few years ago with a tour group. The sites are strict about dress code. One girl wore a sleeveless shirt, despite being told not to, and the people at the site wouldn’t let her go in. The tour guide, along with the rest of the group, didn’t have any sympathy for her.

Scout :tiphat: