Offaly columnist reflects on Camino de Santiago experience in Spain

SO much of what we read in the Gospels happens on the road. Jesus was always walking, along lakeshores, through villages, across dusty hillsides, and even up to Jerusalem. He met people where they were. He called fishermen from their nets, blessed children in the marketplace, healed the sick on the roadside, listened to the brokenhearted, and shared meals with those who were outcast, abandoned or forgotten.

Walking was His way of being with people. It was His ministry. That is why the words of St. John echo so deeply when he writes: “Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.” (1 John 2:6). The faith filled life is not about standing still. It is not about arriving once and for all. It is about walking, step by step, with Christ and with one another, carrying both our joys and our burdens on the road of life.

Walking the Camino

At the present moment, I am blessed to be walking my annual Self Help Africa charity walk, the Camino de Santiago which this year took us along the Camino De Norte route with eight wonderful and amazing companions. Each day we lace up our boots, hoist our backpacks, and set out on winding paths that stretch through fields, hills, farmyards, roadsides, towns and villages. And each step, for me, has been a prayer.

I have prayed for family members, friends, neighbours and colleagues who are sick and in hospital and for some who are grieving, for young people facing the stresses of exam results, for carers, frontline workers, nurses, and doctors who give so much of themselves, for those suffering the atrocities of war, and for the millions in Africa facing hunger, conflict, and climate devastation. I have prayed for my colleagues and the children and families we work with, and for the many people who quietly asked me to carry their intentions with me. In truth, the Camino has become one long litany of loving prayers, a walking intercession lifted up with each breath and each step.

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The ache of the heart

Yet as I walk, I am also confronted by the truth of my own heart. There is in all of us a deep ache, a longing to be loved, to be seen, to belong. It is a yearning that is beautiful and painful all at once. This ache is holy. It points us toward God. But it also makes life tender and fragile. Love, after all, is its own pilgrimage.

Sometimes we walk side by side, sometimes we drift apart. Sometimes the path is joyful, sometimes heavy with silence. Love, like the Camino, asks of us patience, honesty, forgiveness, faith, hope, charity, mercy and courage. It asks us to keep going, even when everything in us whispers: give up. And yet, when we take even the smallest step forward in love, grace meets us. We discover we are not alone on the road.

Listening to the “Why”

As I walked saying my rosary along the way, I began to hear the “whys” of other pilgrims. Some walk to make a decision, some to find forgiveness, some to heal old wounds, some to seek peace, some simply to slow down and listen to God. Strangers shared their stories with me, sometimes painful, sometimes joyful, always honest and always testimonies never planned. And in those moments, I saw that vulnerability is not weakness but courage. It is strength. When we dare to open our hearts, God meets us there. As St. Paul writes, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Lessons of the road

The Camino is a teacher. Some days you walk alone, some days with others, but always you are moving forward. Sometimes the road is smooth, sometimes it is rocky and steep, but the call is always to take the next step. And isn’t this what faith, love, hope and life asks of us too? To keep going, even when the way is hard, even when we do not know what lies ahead, even when all we can do is put one foot in front of the other. Isaiah promises us: “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Signs of God’s Presence

There were mornings when I looked up and saw the sky ablaze with sunrise, and I remembered that God’s mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22–23). There were nights when the stars stretched across the heavens like a galaxy of light, and I stood in awe, feeling small yet deeply loved. The psalmist knew this feeling well: “When I consider your heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what are mere mortals that you are mindful of them?” (Psalm 8:3–4). And yet, God is mindful of us. He cares about our steps, our tears, our laughter, our wounds, our prayers. He cares about you.

Love the little things

The Camino also showed me how love lives in the simplest acts: sharing bread at a table, treating someone’s blister, waiting for a weary walker to catch up, offering encouragement on a long climb. These small gestures of kindness carry the spirit of Christ. These are the sacraments of the road. They reveal Christ more clearly than any sermon. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35). And so I began to see the Camino as a living metaphor for love. Love of self, learning to accept our limits, to be gentle with ourselves, to see our own worth as beloved children of God. Love of others, offering patience, encouragement, forgiveness, and care. Love of God, trusting that the road, however winding, is leading us closer to His heart.

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Life as pilgrimage

Life, like the Camino, is not always fair. It is sometimes heartbreaking and fragile. But it is also full of blessings: family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, community, beauty, laughter, and the many small moments of grace that brighten the day. Cherish those blessings. Nurture the people who walk beside you. Say the words of love while you can. Forgive when you can. And never be afraid to show compassion. As St. Peter reminds us, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)

When the road feels long

There are days when the road feels long. There are moments when we are tempted to give up. But the Camino teaches resilience: just take the next step. And life teaches the same. When the weight feels too heavy, remember the words of Jesus: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). He is not only the destination. He is also the Companion of the journey. He walks with us, beside us, and at times, carries us when we can go no further.

A pilgrim’s prayer

So this week, wherever your path takes you, I invite you to walk it as a pilgrim of faith and love. Take one step of prayer for someone in need. One step of gratitude for blessings received. One step of courage when the way feels overwhelming. One step of trust that God is guiding you. Life is not about how quickly we reach the destination. It is about how we travel, with love, with hope, with kindness, with faith, with forgiveness. My prayer for you this week is simple: Lord, walk with us on our journey. Teach us to see You in the faces of those beside us. Give us strength when the road is long, patience when it is slow, and joy when beauty surrounds us. Help us to love as You loved, to serve as You served, and to trust that with each step, we are coming closer to You. Amen.

Beatitudes of a pilgrim

And so, I finish with some Beatitudes for Pilgrims of Faith and Love: Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you begin your journey not knowing what you will find—for God Himself walks ahead of you. Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you carry not only your own burdens but the prayers of others—for you are sharing in the love of Christ. Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you slow your pace so another can keep up—for you will discover the joy of true companionship. Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you look up at the stars and remember how small you are—for you will also know how deeply you are loved. Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice—for you are living the Gospel on the road. Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you forgive, even when it costs you—for you will feel the freedom of grace. Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you walk in silence and discover God speaking in your heart—for He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you love—because love is the only road that will truly lead you home. We are all pilgrims. Let us walk together—in faith, in hope, and above all, in love.

Thought for the week

As your thought for the week, keep going forward no matter what challenges life throws at you. Don’t be afraid to give help or receive help along the way. Life, like the Camino, is a journey, not a race, and the experiences you encounter along the path are meant to be savored. Every step, every interaction, every moment of struggle or joy shapes the story of your life. We are all walkers, pilgrims on this journey called life. Let us use it to love and bless one another as we go. Look at your life’s experiences and ask yourself: what am I doing with them? Are you holding on to your dreams, or just watching them pass by? As the saying goes, happy are those who dream dreams, but even happier are those who strive to achieve them. Go after them. Life is short, don’t let it slip through your fingers.

As I concluded my pilgrimage, I carried with me the memories of breathtaking landscapes, new friendships, and the invaluable lesson that the human spirit is most profoundly revealed not in grand gestures, but in the humble acts of service, kindness, love, faith and support we extend to one another. Each step reminded me: the true essence of humanity lies in loving, helping, and walking together through life’s highs and lows.

And so, I leave you with a prayer that has guided me on this journey of life, and may it guide you on yours: "Will you let me be your servant? Let me be as Christ to you. Pray that I might have the grace to let you be my servant too. We are pilgrims on the journey. We are brothers and sisters on the road. We are here to help each other. Walk the mile and bear the load. I will hold the Christ light for you in the night time of your fear. I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear. I will weep when you are weeping. When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you. I will share your joy and sorrow till we’ve seen this journey through. When we sing to God in heaven, we shall find such harmony. Born to all we’ve known together of Christ’s love and agony. Amen." Take this week as an invitation: to step forward with courage, love openly, serve humbly, and embrace the journey of life, love and faith in all its beauty. Walk well, pilgrim, and let your life be a blessing to those beside you. ( P.s...If you would like to join us in 2026 to walk part of the Camino De Santiago please drop me a line at ronan.scully@selfhelpafrica.org )