Pilgrimages with Fr. Ernie Davis

09/24/2025

I’m in Cahors on the Cele River after walking two and a half days from Rocamadour. And I’ve learned something, after all the hikes and “pilgrimages” I’ve led. A pelerin/pilgrim is quite different from a randonneur/hiker. A randonneur is a bit of a wanderer, a tourist. It is possible to be a spiritual tourist.

A pilgrim is something else. A pilgrim is on a journey with a goal, an encounter with the God. Our earthly pilgrimages are practice for the great pilgrimage to heaven.

As I journeyed from Le Puy with St. Jean Pied de Port as my goal, it seemed vague. Why go to the place where many begin a Camino to Santiago? As Fr. Adam at Conception Abbey asked me years ago, “What’s the point?”

The point is not the place, but the reason for desiring the encounter.

It became clear to me that Rocamadour was the goal. It was very powerful. My pilgrimage was complete.

Cahors is a secondary ending. Its great point as a place of pilgrimage is an encounter with the Resurrection of Christ. Its relic as a focus of faith has been the linen that wrapped the head of Christ . Read the Gospel according to John. Is it really? The linen is a maybe. The resurrection is real.

Bon Chemin!

09/11/2025

Public WCs along the Camino in Spain were rare, here in France for the first few days I have been seeing two or three a day.

Pilgrim crosses show that this was a route in both directions - to Le Puy for the Virgin Mary, and from Le Puy to Santiago.

Finding a bed in a Gite can be a challenge. It seemed like 200 people left the Cathedral on Monday morning. That’s huge. And it seems most try to head for the major towns. But Gites are also located in the villages and are happy to welcome us. It seemed like all the Gites in Aumont-Aubrac were full, but this one in Les Estrets has empty beds. — at Le Gévaudan.

09/10/2025

This is the third day of walking on the Chemin du Puy, part of the network of Camino trails that all lead to Santiago, Spain. Most of the walkers - a mix of adventurers and spiritual pilgrims - are French.

Churches are open, and wayside pilgrim crosses are frequent. Masses might not be frequent , but villagers look after their churches, flowers are fresh and the Blessed Sacrament is present.

Language is an interesting uniter and divider. There’s a great spirit that unites people who are walking together. French people make the effort to speak a little English, Canadians speak both, some Americans speak a bit of French and the Polish guy who just walked up to the picnic site ((having walked from Poland) is speaking to the German girls in English. And English certainly unites us Americans, Canadians and Austrailians.

09/08/2025

The Pilgrims Mass and blessing at the beginning of the pilgrimage from Le Puy today was not as dramatic as the concluding mass 1000 miles from here they celebrate in Santiago , but it was more dramatic than any other pilgrims Mass. At the conclusion, the grate in the Cathedral floor opens up and newly blessed pilgrims are sent down a long flight of stairs, then down through Le Puy and up the other side. Today was a grand walk, as varied and beautiful as any other, through fields and villages and forests to the village of St. Privat d’Alliers.

09/07/2025

I spent today in Le Puy, France, one of the beginning points of the Chemin/Camino leading to Santiago, Spain, in about 1,000 miles. My goal, God willing, is only half. Valerie and I walked the Spanish half several years ago. At Mass, and climbing to the statue of Our Lady of France, the Chapel of St. Michael, I prayed for many of you. Then I found the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine and Carondelet.

09/05/2025

I spent the whole day at Notre Dame Cathedral, a real luxury of time. The Cathedral was alive with people, mostly tourists, but boldly putting worship at the center. Noon Mass was well attended and fully celebrated. And for the First Friday veneration of the Crown of Thorns, the nave was almost full! Take a look at the picture. Many who had been seated closer to the front left after they had made their veneration. I took the photo from the back so you could see how many were still waiting. Tomorrow I head to Le Puy for a couple of days before beginning the Camino/Chemin Du Puy on Monday.

09/04/2025

I’m back in Paris for the second time and I’m enjoying returning to places I visited before on a Pilgrimage from Lourdes to Liseux. Tomorrow -Friday - the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre stand watch over the Crown of Thorns. While I’m here, LP Pilgrimages are taking place in the Holy Land - the first in a long time. I’ll be leading one there in March 2026.

09/03/2025

07/01/2025

Yesterday I was invested as a member of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. All the peoples of the holy lands of Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Cyprus need peace, and we need to return as pilgrims. Our March 3- 13 2026 pilgrimage is still on schedule as we pray for an end to fighting, a return of hostages, and reconciliation. The Christians in the holy lands have an essential role, and deserve our solidarity.