VENTNOR – Walking along the city’s boardwalk, Mary Dixon and Phyllis Kanarkowski discovered they were journeying a similar life path.
“I lost my husband, Gene, last year, and this is a good way to start a new journey, mentally and physically,” said Dixon, of Mary, Mother of Mercy Parish, Glassboro.
Kanarkowski agreed. The parishioner of Saint Damien, Ocean City, also recently lost her husband. “Even though it’s cold and dreary here, I’m at peace. This walking is persevering, going forward.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Way of Saint James
The women were among the nearly 120 pilgrims to gather in the cool wind, under cloudy skies, for the “Way of Saint James” walk the morning of April 20. Sponsored by VITALity Catholic Healthcare Services of the Diocese of Camden, the event for seniors and their families included a 2.5-mile stroll on the boardwalk, Mass at Saint James Church (Holy Trinity Parish) and lunch.
The annual event is inspired by the Camino de Santiago, or Way of Saint James – a 500-mile pilgrimage through France and Spain that attracts hundreds of thousands of trekkers a year.
Indeed, the morning was good training for Dixon. She will be starting the Camino on May 1 from Sarria, France, and walking the 100 kilometers to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the endpoint of the pilgrimage and the oft-cited resting place of Saint James the Apostle.
Dixon knows the Ventnor pilgrimage, and the one she is about to embark on, was and will be “reflective and restorative. I’m going to have Gene by my side; I have his rosary with me.”
Also soon to leave for Europe was Michelle McKeever. She and her husband, John, live in Limerick, Pa., but have a second home in Marmora, where they belong to Saint Maximilian Kolbe Parish.
“I’ve been training for a couple of months, walking six miles a day in Valley Forge Park,” McKeever explained. When she heard the VITALity event advertised on KYW radio, she knew it would be the perfect last prep, as she would be leaving April 23 for France and her five-week pilgrimage.
Dixon, too, reflected on the recent loss of a beloved family member. “My mother, Rita, died last May. She was so devoted to Mary, and I’m saying the Rosary as I walk. She’s with me in spirit and in heart.”
“It’s very grounding to be walking today; it’s slowing my soul down,” she added.
The prayer intentions of all the pilgrims April 20 were carried in a basket along the walk, and later placed before the altar during Mass.
Beforehand, registering attendees received matching yellow T-shirts to wear, a sign of unity.
“This is a time to support the health and well-being of seniors as they come together in an outward sign of faith,” said Christine Willard, VITALity’s manager of Parish-Based Senior Programs.
Deacon Jerry Jablonowski, VITALity’s executive director, agreed. “We’re nourishing their bodies and souls as they keep friendship with God.”
As a distance runner, Pete Cotellese of Our Lady of Hope Parish, Blackwood, is no stranger to 5Ks and half-marathons, though this was his first time on the VITALity walk. With each foot forward, came gratitude.
“I’m reflecting on how lucky I am, with five sons and my beautiful wife, Roseangela, who is with me here today,” he said.
Entering his 60s soon, he said he is excited for what lies ahead. “It’s the first step in my new journey, my next chapter of life.”
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