In March of 2019, I set out to do a year of pilgrimages throughout Florida on the First Saturdays of each month. Because I was inspired to encourage pilgrimages (and ‘force’ myself to go), I created the flyers you see below to invite others. It ended up that the trips were not all done on the First Saturdays, and sometimes we went to more than one holy place in a day. The last one I did, number 12, was actually at a church out of state! Of note, not all that many pilgrims participated over the year, perhaps a dozen. Twice, I even went solo. Thus, while the overall pilgrimage plan did not turn out quite as I had hoped, I think that is how it is with God — we merely have to try. He sees our humble efforts and rewards them in ways we never could imagine.
Here are the pilgrimage sites and a little explanation of what transpired.
1. Our Lady of Mercy in Boca Grande
This was the first-ever pilgrimage! It was billed for women, and six women participated. We attended Mass on the way at San Antonio Church and then went to Confession at Our Lady of Mercy. Confession was not scheduled for that day, but the priest came out exactly at the time we arrived. As a group, we prayed a meditation and a Rosary and then had individual prayer time. The day culminated with a massive picnic on the beach sharing the many foods we brought along, such as plantain chips. The women enjoyed their time away and suggested we make future trips open to families as well, which I did.
2. Our Lady of Schoenstatt Shrine in Homestead
This site was recommended to me by a dear Puerto Rican lady named Ame. Five pilgrims attended and got to see this chapel and beautiful grounds. We went to Mass and prayed the Rosary with a large group of pilgrims also present. After Mass in the tiny chapel and spilling out its doors people participated in an Adoracion Mariana, a song, a contemplation, the Divina Misericordia, silence, and another song. A special lunch of homemade empanadas was offered. Other pilgrims shared their desserts. It was at this pilgrimage that the tradition of seeking and savoring a Cortadito Cuban coffee was begun.
3. Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Sarasota
For this journey, four pilgrims headed out to Sarasota, going to Mass on the way with an adorable old Irish priest as celebrant. Inexplicably, the destination church was LOCKED up tight with no one on the grounds at all! However, after that disappointment, it was an excellent time. We drove to Siesta Key and ate lunch at a little local park. The Cuban coffee tradition continued. The church we had wanted to see has a relic of St. Padre Pio on permanent display and available for veneration to the public. The relic is a drop of blood that fell on the altar in the shape of a heart from Padre Pio’s stigmata when he was celebrating Mass in 1956. I was able to finally go back and go inside the church in 2021. When you enter there is a prayer room on the right-hand side with statues and candles. The relic is located on the left wall as you enter, almost behind the door, and is to the left of the crucifix in a niche in the wall. There are also several statues and areas to reflect and pray inside and outside the church.
4. Our Lady of Charity National Shrine in Miami
Three intrepid pilgrims made their way to Miami, stopping for Mass on the way at St. Bartholomew’s. The parish has a Haitian population and there was lots of impassioned singing. A Filipino priest heard Confessions and gave out a beautiful 4-page prayer on forgiveness as well as a prayer card of St. Teresa of Calcutta. The destination Shrine of Our Lady of Charity was right on the ocean! After sitting on the breakwall along the water with the refreshing breeze blowing past us, we prayed together in the small adoration chapel off the main church. The other two pilgrims had a surprise empanada lunch for my birthday en plein air that naturally included a delightful cortadito!
5. San Damiano Monastery of St. Clare in Ft. Myers Beach
For this destination, we were three pilgrims. We began with Mass with the reverent sisters in their tiny chapel at San Damiano followed by prayer. The nuns were warm and welcoming. Their day is set into a traditional monastic framework of prayer and work, and they live in a lovely lake setting. We pilgrims prayed along the outdoor Stations of the Cross which line the water’s edge. We pooled the food we had each brought to have lunch on the lakeside benches where we admired the many turtles.
6. St. Anne Shrine in Lake Wales
On this journey, Mass ended up being at St. Leo’s in Bonita Springs on the way up. We three pilgrims then went in search of coffee and returned to pray at the St. Leo Chapel. There is a charming Mary statue surrounded by palm trees in the center of the lake. Then it was time for the long drive north to visit St. Anne Shrine. This site is like visiting an ancient Roman ruin if such a thing had been sacred. It was built over 100 years ago by French Canadians who traveled south and wanted to honor St. Anne de Beaupre with a church and grounds; long since torn down. The replica of the Lourdes Grotto, a crumbling statue of St. Thérèse, and the timeworn mosaics beneath one’s feet seem mystical. Being wooded, shafts of light permeate the area, as if rays from Heaven. It is a very peaceful and graced place of healing beautified by a French sculptor after his son was cured of tuberculosis last century.
We decided to end our visit by praying the Rosary (and promptly got eaten by mosquitos).
7. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Immokalee
As we could not make it to this inviting and stately new church as planned in July, I went on this pilgrimage by myself in September. Immokalee is a unique migrant farmworker town practically in my backyard. Most residents are materially poor and hail from Central and South America as well as from Haiti. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the parish they all share. The Mass I went to was a typically high-spirited Haitian one which I loved all the more as I tried to comprehend the Kreyòl language (even though I only speak some French) and take part in the unfamiliar charismatic customs. I had the experience of being one of only two “white” people at Mass. The emotion of the singing and the joy of the blessing of their newly-completed and freshly-consecrated house of worship were contagious. Outside, the grounds are beautiful as well.
8. Gesu Catholic Church in Miami
and
9. The House of Prayer in Miami
This month, three pilgrims set off for this gorgeous church. For a little background, it was originally called Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church and is now known as Gesù, which is the name of Jesus Italianized. The parish was founded several months before Miami was incorporated as a city in 1896. The first church was built out of wood at a total cost of around $ 3,600. By 1922, the church proved too small, and the bigger one there today seats 800. It is a beautiful temple with polychromed crystal-leaded windows made in Germany, relating events in the life of Jesus and Mary. All the altars are made of Italian marble.
After going to Mass at this magnificent historical sanctuary, we had the privilege of serving lunch to the homeless with St. Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity. Quite a contrast from the one place to the other! It was one of those memorable heartwarming experiences — the sisters put you to work, you meet fellow volunteers of all kinds and then all of a sudden your time is over with them. This time we were preparing food and care packages for survivors of natural disasters overseas.
Now we made our way to the House of Prayer. Or tried to! We finally arrived after getting lost and going to the wrong place, twice. That is the way of the pilgrim — just keep going! Once there, we received a blessing of St. Faustina with her relic.
The famous Cuban restaurant interestingly named Versailles managed to figure into our day before it was time to head back home in the dark.
10. Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables
and
11. St. Jude Melkite Greek Catholic Church in Miami
Miami was the destination for St. Thérèse’s Church of the Little Flower. Two of us went to Mass and Confession, followed by meditation and prayer at Saint Jude Church. We again went to the inimitable Versailles for lunch and Cuban coffee. A long slow walk on the beach at Key Biscayne afterwards rounded out this most pleasing day.
12. St. Vincent Archabbey and Basilica in PA
I ended up at this archabbey, the first Benedictine Monastery in the United States, when I was on a trip North and so was able to make it to 12 sites in a calendar year! Happily, in the past year or so, my husband and I have gone to a few more in Florida. These holy places were always beckoning on my pilgrimage wish list (aka “the spreadsheet”), but in 2019 they were simply too far for my friends or me to take time away for an overnight from our South Florida home base. Sites we visited as a couple include the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at the Mission Nombre de Dios (twice) and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, both in St. Augustine. Also we have journeyed to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Tarpon Springs and the Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea in Key West.
Here is a little tidbit about each of these last four Florida pilgrimage sites we saw and a few pictures:
First, in one of our favorite cities, St. Augustine, there is the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche. The name means the nursing Madonna, and it was founded in 1565, making it the first Mission in America and the site of the first Mass in America as well. Located at the shrine is the Mission of El Nombre de Dios, a 208-foot cross, a museum, the Prince of Peace church, outdoor Stations of the Cross, and a cemetery. The devotion to Mary as Our Lady of La Leche, patroness of Mothers and Mothers-to-be, was brought from Spain in 1603. The intercession of Our Lady of La Leche is often sought by those looking to conceive and have a successful delivery.
Also in St. Augustine is the Cathedral Basilica which has the distinction of being “America’s First Parish”. We snuck upstairs behind the tiny gift shop to view the amazing ceiling up close! (Please don’t tell!)
Lovely St. Nicholas Church is in Tarpon Springs, near Tampa. The strong Greek community there holds one of the country’s most renown Epiphany celebrations to honor the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by having local teenage boys diving into Spring Bayou to retrieve a cross thrown into the water. Epiphany Glendi, a lively gathering with food, drink and live music, follows. We would love to go back one January and make it to the annual Epiphany events.
On our honeymoon in Key West, we hopped off a tourist tram in a soft rain at the Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea. It was named the First Basilica of South Florida in 2012. We took refuge from the elements in the charming primitive-style Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in the churchyard. There is also a Stations of the Cross Garden and an Adoration Chapel.
Remaining on “the spreadsheet” are:
–The Basilica of St. Paul in Daytona Beach
–St. Leo Abbey in St. Leo
–The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Jacksonville
–The Mission Trail of North Florida, as scant as it seems to be; meaning nothing like the still-robust missions of California. This would be an amazing undertaking to research and tackle! Of note, we went to a fascinating talk recently on the forgotten Florida Martyrs.
Benefits of Going on Pilgrimages
What do you gain from going on a pilgrimage? First of all, getting out of town and out of your routine will get you outside of yourself and allows you to share yourself with others and serve others. Second, it leaves ‘room’ for you to talk to and, more importantly, for you to listen to God. Third, by seeking out holy places and people, you learn the inspiring truth about those who came before and you experience staggering beauty. Fourth, as you can see from the flyers above and the descriptions, in addition to the overtly spiritual activities (e.g. listening to religious talks on the way, praying together, etc.) and the holy destinations themselves, you have the totality of the pilgrim experience — of driving together, sharing of personal stories, eating together potluck-style, and spending time in nature. Fifth, going on many pilgrimages, I could rather ‘luxuriously’ spend time with some fantastic people — whether meeting new friends or strengthening bonds with old ones. Sixth, there are always ‘angels’, unexpected experiences and new traditions that appear, occur or develop on “the way”. Seventh, you realize that you will be able to adapt and overcome obstacles on the road, just like in life. Eighth, you come back refreshed. These are some of the many treasures revealed on a pilgrimage. Of course, for the Christian pilgrim, striving to grow closer to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit is its own reward.
Why did I attempt to visit a dozen holy sites in one year? You could say I was hoping for the multiplier effect, but in reality, I know myself well and it kept me focused on my faith as I planned trip after trip and studied about all these remarkable, often surprising, sometimes modest and always wondrous places within several hours drive of my home.
In sum, each pilgrimage — from its first inspiration to the planning to the anticipating and finally the executing — can get you a few steps closer to becoming the person God created you to be, the “the best version of yourself“. Who doesn’t want that?
Prayer Requests
Do you have a prayer request? Please let us know and we will pray for you on our next pilgrimage.
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