Something for everybody
Families with children under 12 or seniors who prefer a minimum of walking can make a ‘modified’ pilgrimage.
More time is spent in camp in prayer, confessing, receiving spiritual counsel or sermons, singing, and enjoying the fellowship of other pilgrims.
Children also learn catechism and play with other young pilgrims.
Modified pilgrimage participants are organized into their own distinct brigade and thus pray together at Holy Mass. They also walk with the rest of the column, typically at step-off in the mornings, and as the main column approaches camp in the evening.
Special transportation arrangements and help in bivouacs are organized by the Vice-Director for Modified Events with (limited) assistance from the Company of St. René Goupîl.
Special overnight accommodations for families & seniors in 2021
For all pilgrim families or seniors, and also for those families ONLY who opt to bring an RV, camper or full-size van to transport the family between camps & to provide sleeping quarters, there are a few options.
Day-0 Thursday – Pilgrims may park an RV, camper or family van in the main parking lot at the check-in & step-off location at St. Mary Church in Hamburg, PA. Pilgrim-organizers ask the vehicle owners to give a minimum donation of $7 to the parish upon arrival. There are no hook-ups, no electricity, and only remote access to water on the church campus.
NOTE WELL: There are campgrounds in and around Hamburg that offer hook-ups etc. (Search online for those.) Mtn. Springs Campground & Resort, for example, is located in nearby Shartlesville, directly off I-78, roughly 5 miles west of the check-in & step-off location at St. Mary’s Church. E-mail Mtn. Springs Campground, or dial 610-488-6859.
- Day-0 Thursday (continued) — Pilgrims must check-in before 9:30p.m. at St. Mary’s Church campus in Hamburg, PA. Organizers strongly encourage pilgrims to camp at the church’s campus, which is also the location of holy Mass, breakfast, and step-off early Friday morning. Pilgrim-organizers ask each pilgrim or family pitching a tent there to give a free-will donation of $5 per pilgrim or $7 per family to the parish secretary, Laura, or to the Pastor, Fr. Loeper, upon arrival.
- Day-1 Friday — Pilgrims overnight at a farm, the home of a generous Mennonite Family. Pilgrims bringing an RV or other vehicle will pay a fair price to the Farmer, Jacob Brubaker, upon arrival Friday. Overnight stay on the farm for all others is covered by the registration fee.
- Day-2 Saturday — Pilgrims overnight at the farm-home of pilgrim-leaders Reuben & Tessa DeMaster. Pilgrims bringing an RV or other vehicle are asked to give a fair gift to The DeMasters upon arrival Friday. Overnight stay for all others at Willow Haven Farm is covered by the registration fee.
- Day-3 Sunday — See the blog for posts telling about special events Sunday. Look for posts on the same blog about hotels/motels along the pilgrimage route, Thursday to Sunday.
Please see the FAQs page for more about the modified Pilgrimage. Or contact the Vice-Director via e-mail.