The Camino

Saturday - July 6, 2013 - 20 peregrinos participated in the very first El Camino de los Santos - in Illinois - walking from Yorkville, IL to Plano, IL - a 13 kilometer trek.  It took approximately 3 hours 15 minutes from beginning to completion - which includes about 20 minutes for breaks - check ins and receiving 4 sellos.  Everyone who participated had a great time and thanked us profusely for designing this experience.  We hope to repeat this again and in early August we are aiming to walk this Camino both ways for a total of 26 kilometers.  Unfortunately conflicting commitments Saturday prevented those participating from being able to walk the full Camino. 

Starting at site of St. Gianna Molla Shrine - Yorkville, IL

The Camino begins

City Trekking

City trekking

Father Michael arrives with his water 

Highway trekking 

 Highway

 Getting off the highway 

 Heading into the grass

 The Camino "feel"

 

Back on city sidewalks 

 Bright Safety Orange event shirts 

 2nd check point 

Taking a break 

Sellos #2 - Red - Yorkville - Foxes

Getting her sellos 

Morning Prayer 

Father Matt - Charplain Arlene - Deacon Dale 

Time to head out 

Bridge time - water feature 

 Keeping feet dry 

Heading into tall grass 

Walking a quiet country road 

About 2/3 completed at this point 

Check point #3 - Reapers purple sellos 

Last break - time to head out 

Starting the last 2 kilometers 

On to the Shrine 

Street trekking 

 Thank You Knights for the shirts 

Arriving at the Shrine 

Welcome peregrinos

Pilgrim  prayers 

Hail Mary 

Thank you Pat for helping out 

Father Matt in Prayer 

 Final pilgrim prayers 

As a training tool for Arlene and myself this proved valuable - again - we picked up hints and tips and discovered more ways to enhance our planned Camino later this year.  At this point we have fallen in love with the Camino expereince and see this as one of the new directions that we will follow as we continue to evangelize and bring others closer to God and closer to themselves.

Buen Camino

Dale and Arlene Metcalfe