Celtic Footsteps Pilgrimage

For years I wanted to travel to Ireland but I did not want to do the normal tourist gig. I didn’t want to travel by bus with a ton of people I didn’t know, stopping at so many places each day that I wondered where I had been, leaving no time to relax and reflect on what I was seeing. This past year I had the opportunity to travel to Ireland on a Wonder Voyage Celtic Footsteps pilgrimage. I loved it! I went on this adventure with a small group, giving me the chance to get to know everyone and become friends.

Shawn wanted to show us all of his favorite places on this trip yet there were days we only made one or two stops at a local site. Each stop was full of worship, devotion, reflection and time for personal meditation. Each meal was excellent and we always had time to leisurely eat and visit with each other. One particularly delightful and unexpected experience came while we were staying at Esker Monastery near Athenry.

Shawn took us out one evening for a short pilgrimage to walk the stations of the cross that were on the property. At each station, one of the group members read a corresponding scripture. Shawn would then captivatingly tell the story of what happened to Jesus at that station. The group would then pray and sing as we walked to the next station. This path took us through lovely, dark woods and the moonlight shone brightly through the trees, making for an extraordinarily beautiful passage. At the end of the station walk we returned to the chapel to partake in communion together. It was the perfect end to a spirit-filled time with an obvious touch from God.

Experiences like this one, coupled with the beautiful locations we visited, made this a trip I will never forget. I strongly recommend Wonder Voyage for your spiritual pilgrimage. It is sure to be “outside the box” and you will make memories that will last for a lifetime!