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Walkers plan Ignatian Camino to raise funds for refugees


A week from today, a group of walkers will be setting out on a 200K trek from Barcelona to Montserrat, to raise funds for Aid to the Church in Need projects in northern Iraq, and the Jesuit Refugee Service UK.

These pilgrims will be walking the 'Camino Ignaciano' (the Ignatian Camino or Ignatian Way), following the route that St Ignatius himself walked hundreds of years ago, from the Shrine of St Peter Claver in Verdù across Catalunya to the Abbey of Montserrat and Manresa.

The Mount Street Community Superior, Dominic Robinson SJ, will be guiding the group. He said: "We will start at Verdù, on September 25th at the Shrine of the 17th century Jesuit Saint of the Slaves, Peter Claver - a fitting place to reflect on the evils of human trafficking of modern day migrants to Britain and those stuck in perilous conditions in the Middle East. We're hoping again for a generous response. In our first year we raised £35,000 for Syrian refugees."

Walking the Ignatian Camino is being established as an official Apostolic Work of the Society of Jesus. The trail runs from in a village near the small town of Azpeitia, the birthplace of St Ignatius, then east to Montserrat where Ignatius the pilgrim laid down his sword and vowed to follow Christ. And finally onto the chapel known as 'La Cueva' (the cove) near Manresa where he composed the Spiritual Exercises.

It gives the modern pilgrims the chance to literally walk in the footsteps of St Ignatius, passing through many of the same towns and villages he would have done, pray at the same churches where he worshipped, and marvel at the same natural landscape.

Fr Dominic says its: "spiritually uplifting, raising awareness and funds for refugees, and, despite the challenge of 200 km in eight days of walking mountainous terrain, it is also a lot of fun.

"Ignatius' own Camino led him to reflect on how the gift of his personal freedom represented true detachment from worldly concerns and desires, and ultimately his indifference to what life would turn out to be for him in God's plan."

You can follow the pilgrims progress on farmstreetcamino.blogspot.co.uk and Dominic Robinson on twitter @dtr_sj.

*One of the walkers will be Jo Siedlecka, editor of ICN. She will also hopes to be writing about the trip each evening on ICN and all our social media platforms.

Please support their worthy causes by donating here: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Farm-Street-Camino-Walkers

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