A Reflection of Gratitude on the Well-Read Mom Pilgrimage
Written by Nicki Johnston
A Note from Well-Read Mom: As we enter into this holiday season, Well-Read Mom invites you to pause with us and reflect in gratitude on the many ways our Well-Read Mom family has been a blessing. It is our sincere hope that as we embark on this Advent journey you may enter into the seasonal preparations as a pilgrimage—seeking an intentional journey to the manger. It is our prayer that you may reclaim the busyness of the holiday season as a time of preparation and peace which deepens your connections with family, friends, and the true reason for the season. Happy Thanksgiving!
I had hoped to participate in the Well-Read Mom pilgrimage in 2022, but I injured my foot in a car accident that spring, and walking 38 miles wasn’t possible. As I endured foot shots and a medical boot and worked through physical therapy and daily ice baths, one goal was to be able to make this pilgrimage in 2023. I knew it would be difficult, but I also knew that if it were the Lord’s will for me to walk to the site where His Blessed Mother chose to appear in America, He would give me the strength to do so. I also planned to pray for healing.
I was more nervous than expected as my husband dropped me off at the park where we were to gather. My foot had been hurting a lot—the most it had since right after the accident—and my husband insisted that I not be discouraged or let that deter me from setting off on my walk. Perhaps it was spiritual warfare.
Thankfully, the day that we gathered was beautiful, and we walked the entire first day on a recreation path teeming with beautiful wildflowers. I was mostly seeking silence on this pilgrimage, and after a short prayer, we set off quietly. It was exactly what my soul needed and gave me a chance to settle into the walk.
As an introvert, I enjoy being alone. Yet we aren’t called to live a solitary life, but one of community. When we stopped for our first break, we introduced ourselves to one another. We shared the intentions we brought with us on this pilgrimage. Immediately, we were connected with each other, uniting our own intentions—both personal and those we brought with us from our family, friends, and Well-Read Mom groups at home—with those of the other women there. We began journeying again, alternating between praying the rosary aloud and praying silently on our own, yet in community.
When we were able to chat, the connections came easily. We replaced the small talk I typically dreaded in group settings with meaningful conversations about our families, the spiritual life, and, of course, reading. When in need of a conversation starter, we could always fall back on “Which was your favorite book last year?” or “How long have you been a part of Well-Read Mom?”
Inevitably, these conversations quickly turned from shallow to deep as we opened up to one another over our love of literature, the joy we experience in our Well-Read Mom groups, and, most importantly, our shared faith. When we arrived at our destination, I wasn’t yet ready to stop walking. My foot ached, but my soul sang. We celebrated Mass, ate dinner, and then enjoyed much-needed sleep.
But pilgrimages aren’t supposed to be easy, and the second day offered us plenty of opportunities to practice rules 1 and 2 of pilgrimage: “Don’t complain.” (If you’re curious about rules 3-5, you’ll have to join us next time!) The weather was cold, rain poured on us all day, and we got lost, delaying our breaks and adding to the scheduled miles. It was hard, but with the crucifix always before us, we were able to unite ourselves and our intentions to Christ and His suffering.
I meditated on Jesus’s Way of the Cross and how much easier my walk was in comparison. I recalled Elisha from Tolstoy’s “Two Old Men” (from the Year of the Giver), and I tried to emulate his pilgrimage by whispering prayers to myself or going over the lives of the saints in my mind. I thought of Kristin Lavransdatter (from the Year of the Family), walking barefoot with her baby strapped to her, breasts bursting with milk, and of the two old women (from the Year of the Giver) forcing themselves to place one foot in front of the other for their survival in the Arctic.
The journey brought to mind the women I walked for and the intentions of our group, of all those suffering for whom we were there. I prayed to Mary and offered her all of the intentions I carried with me. And, bolstered by the sacraments (having attended Mass before departing and receiving the gift of Confession and Spiritual Direction that morning) and by the solidarity I felt with this amazing group of women, we finished our long, hard second day of walking. We were welcomed with cold beer, delicious warm Italian food, and the promise of a hot shower.
The arc of this spiritual journey wasn’t lost on any of us. Colleen, the Director of Vision and Outreach for Well-Read Mom and leader of the pilgrimage, spoke to our group about the third day of pilgrimage being the Day of Resurrection. It certainly was. We woke ready to finish our journey and eager to set foot on the spot where Mary appeared to Adele Brise in 1859. Each step brought us closer to our destination, and I could feel Mary’s presence palpably as we journeyed on. I also longed for my family, who had traveled with me from Kansas to Wisconsin and camped while I was on pilgrimage. I knew they would be waiting to greet us as we arrived at the shrine for Mass.
As I walked down the country road, I spotted one of my son’s bright red shirts, and I could barely contain my excitement at having finished this walk and being reunited with them. I gently pushed through our group of walkers and then ran to the corner to greet my husband, four sons, and father-in-law. I was overcome with all of the emotions of the three days, the spiritual and physical healing that had taken place, the peace and clarity I felt thanks to all the silence, and the tremendous honor of being able to pray with and for so many other people.
We knelt on the ground and sang praise. Then we made our way down to the crypt, to venerate the spot of Mary’s apparition and to light a candle for all of our intentions, amidst the growing crowd of people who had journeyed here for the Solemnity of the Assumption. We celebrated in the best possible way: with Holy Mass.
I didn’t get a chance to ride the bus back with my fellow pilgrims, and I would have loved to have had an opportunity to hear about the many graces bestowed on them during this journey. I would have shared about how I had come seeking physical healing—which, thanks be to God, was granted; my healed foot a small yet meaningful miracle—and how I received spiritual healing that I didn’t even realize I needed.
Instead, I stayed behind at the shrine with my family. We participated in the Eucharistic procession around the grounds, and then we left, I forever changed, to begin the rest of our vacation.
Nicki Johnston
Nicki Johnston is a home educator, a CGS catechist, an avid reader and an amateur naturalist. She lives in Kansas with her husband, Graham, and their four young sons.
About Well-Read Mom
In Well-Read Mom, women read more and read well. Our hope is to deepen the awareness of meaning hidden in each woman’s daily life. We long to elevate the cultural conversation and revitalize reading literature from books. If you would like us to help you select worthy reading material, we invite you to join and read along. We are better together! For information on how to start or join a Well-Read Mom group visit our website wellreadmom.com
