"Still-grimage" Making a Jubilee Pilgrimage Wherever You Are

The Catholic Church liturgical year isn’t like regular years. It’s a cool year. It starts with Advent and ends with the Feast of Christ the King. January can insist that it goes first, and December can insist that it’s the most wonderful, but the Church year will just smile, light up more incense, and follow its own rules. 

The excellent news for us is that this Church year is a Jubilee Holy Year. 2025 marks the 2,025th anniversary of Jesus’ Incarnation and a year of special grace, with a particular emphasis on the graces of reconciliation and pilgrimage. 

The Jubilee invites us to become “pilgrims of hope” who engage our body-soul nature in making pilgrimages to sacred places. If you can travel to Rome or another sacred place beyond your usual routine, somewhere that takes you into unfamiliar beauty, I think you should. It’s a worthy expense that you will never regret. Immersing yourself in holy places and walking in the actual footsteps of the saints connect you with the universality of our faith. Pilgrimage is an experience of integration of the body and soul. We move our bodies through a tangible course of sacred places, and our hearts and souls open in new and profound ways. 

Happily, the Church has also designated locations all over the globe as Jubilee pilgrimage sites. And of course, God is everywhere, and you can find Him anywhere you happen to be. 

I have a special love for this practice of “still-grimage”: you know, like “stay-cation,” but make it holy. You can make a Jubilee pilgrimage wherever you are. Here’s how.

Choose a specific time. 

Set aside a designated day, afternoon, or even just a few hours to make your still-grimage. You need to make this a concrete commitment, or it’s likely to remain a “that would be nice” instead of an actualized benefit for your soul. 

Choose a location. 

The Archdiocese of New Orleans has a list of designated Jubilee Pilgrimage sites at http://nolacatholic.org/jubilee2025. You can check the USCCB Jubilee website for a list of the Jubilee pilgrimage sites around the country. 

Plan an itinerary.

Plan an itinerary starting with confession and Mass times. 

The Jubilee grace of plenary indulgence is an unfathomable gift; avail yourself of it by completing the required practices. Making a pilgrimage is one of the requirements for receiving this indulgence. You must also receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist and offer certain prayers. We use this free online search tool to find accurate sacramental schedules around the world. 

Sacred and Historic Spaces

Dig into the history and spiritual significance of your chosen location. 

You’ll be surprised what amazing things have happened in the familiar places of your regular life. Even learning about the buildings and fixtures can reveal some incredible stories and holy people. In New Orleans, we are blessed with churches and shrines that are packed with historic and spiritual meaning. 

After you’ve selected your pilgrimage site, dig a little deeper for other holy sites in your area. 

Pilgrimage often includes contact with the saints in their own homes, convents, towns and in their own words. Is there a servant of God, venerable, blessed, or saint who lived or ministered nearby? Is there a dedicated museum or shrine, even a small one? Even better if he or she is buried somewhere you can visit and pray. 

Develop a plan for prayer and reflection. 

You can pray lectio divina with the daily Mass readings, make use of saints’ quotes for contemplation, or journal with questions for contemplation. Bring a Bible, journal and a writing implement. Download a prayer app like the Ascension app, which offers the entire Bible along with scholarly, but accessible commentaries, video reflections and other enriching content. You don’t have to do everything you might plan, but it’s helpful to have some concrete structure for your still-grimage. 

Don’t forget your senses. 

St John Paul II reminds us: “The body, in fact, and only the body, is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and the divine. It has been created to transfer into the visible reality of the world, the mystery hidden from eternity in God, and thus to be a sign of it.” We ought to engage the great gift of our bodily senses for the even greater good of revealing the divine. 

Beauty: Pilgrimages are punctuated with beautiful art, architecture and even landscapes for contemplation. Where in the area can you immerse yourself in beauty? Remember that it need not be an explicitly religious location – the Creator has given us all of creation as a revelation of His love and goodness. Is there a beautiful park, forest, hilltop, or body of water nearby where you can stroll in silent prayer? Is there an art museum you can duck into and let the visual beauty fill your soul? 

Music: Make a playlist to stir your heart –singing is “praying twice,” according to the great St Augustine. Don’t limit yourself to spiritual music, but add any music that calls you to authentic contemplation. You can start with these: a not-your-typical Marian playlist; a playlist inspired by the saints; a hurricane-themed playlist; and a “divine romance” playlist of secular songs that shimmer with spiritual analogy. 

Food: Don’t forget good food. Look along your route for a restaurant whose dishes will make you praise God all over again. Even better: Find a restaurant that connects to your still-grimage theme. 

Carry intentions for others. 

An ancient pilgrimage practice is to carry the intentions of loved ones with you. Before your pilgrimage, invite friends to send you their special intentions so you can pray for them through the experience. I'm a believer in the particular power of intentions written on physical cards that you can deliver to the sacred place. 

Bring companions. 

We are made for communion. Even on a one-day still-grimage, you’ll be surprised how deeply bonding the shared experience will be. And there’s always, always something you didn’t notice or see or think that’s noticed or seen or thought by someone else. Invite friends or even a small group to join you.

This post was originally published on Aimee’s blog Thy Ship. Visit thyship.com for more from Aimee and to find links to her recommendations.