Religious Freedom Pilgrimage 2016

Religious Freedom Pilgrimage 2016

A group of 20 pilgrims will walk from Annapolis to Ocean City MD, June 14 thru June 22.

The purpose is to preserve and promote religious freedoms in our United States.
We will stay at churches and walk about 14 miles a day, relying on God and His people.
Fr. Jack Lombardi, Pastor St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, Hancock, Md.,  will lead the pilgrimage, 443-519-8476, or St Peter Church 301-678-6339.

The Camino: Walking from Annapolis to Ocean City, MD

You have seen paintings, pictures or documentaries of famous walks before: Moses leading the Jews thru the Red Sea; Jesus leading His band up to Jerusalem; medieval pilgrims going on the original Camino in Spain; Gandhi leading the “Salt March” in India; Martin Luther King to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington;  the Pope leading the Way of the Cross by the Coliseum in Rome. Now, it’s our turn. A band of about 20 pilgrims, teens and elders, are now walking from Annapolis to Ocean City, 100 miles. We’re renewing the ancient practice of pilgrimage: the word means “to go thru”—to walk and talk, enjoy God’s creation, to witness the Faith, thru a land, for a religious purpose. We are walking to preserve and promote our religious freedoms—to practice our Christian Faith as our esteemed leaders—Pilgrims, Puritans and Revolutionaries,  civil rights marchers, abolitionists, so that we will always be able to proclaim Christ as Lord and Leader. One pilgrim is just 11 years young, Philomena, the name means “lover of strength,” and she is bright and eager and very spiritual! Another pilgrim, Timmy, says he loves walking a lot, but loves Jesus more! Eun Yea walked across Korea during the uprising decades ago there to flee communism and survived, came here to the USA for freedom, and is still waking at age 70! Walking on the Eastern Shore  we will encounter folks and spread the Faith, witness our goal, heal and help others, like we did last Fall walking to Philadelphia to see the Pope, as we witnessed a car accident and helped a crying victim by singing to her: she “rebounded,” smiled and then hugged our singers!  God will provide many surprises for us and challenges—rain, flies, sore feet and smelly bodies, yet thru all this we will sacrifice for Our Lord and realize freedom is not free—we must work for it and encourage others to preserve and promote religious liberty in our beautiful land.  We will pray along the Way and rely on the help of “visiting angels”  to help us (a garden hose, anyone?!) and also remember, when the going gets tough, a pilgrimage motto: “It’s all part of the Pilgrimage”—that “I can do all things thru Christ Who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13 ). And, God willing, reaching our destination, the bountiful ocean, we’ll eat some taffy, swim, play and pray  and, by the way, to answer one of the most frequently asked questions,  we will drive home!  

 

Rev. John J. Lombardi , Pastor of St Peter Catholic Church, Hancock