Bri CampbellLast Updated: September 11th, 2020Holy Land, Pilgrims' Stories, Spiritual Reflections
In late 2019, I had booked and planned a trip to Poland and Germany for May of 2020 with a fellow coworker here at Tekton Ministries. We were going to explore the homeland of St. John Paul II and then end our pilgrimage with a quick stop in Germany, where we were going to attend … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: August 28th, 2024Italy, Saints, Spiritual Reflections
Have you ever prayed fervently for something to happen only to have the exact opposite thing occur? And you couldn’t understand why in the moment, but later on it became really clear? If so, you are in good company! St. Monica, like most mothers, worried about her son, the future St. Augustine, and the state of his soul. When … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: August 25th, 2020Saints
St. Gregory the Great – Pope Gregory I – shaped the papacy and reformed the liturgy in such a stunning way that it made him one of the greatest popes in history. His influence has had a permanent effect on the Catholic Church. Here are just a few highlights of this great pope: He wrote more than 850 letters. He wrote an extensive commentary … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: September 16th, 2020Saints, Spiritual Reflections
Crowning Mary with a garland of flowers while singing songs and celebrating a special Mass was a favorite tradition in my Catholic school. It’s from this simple act repeated every year for 12 years that made Mary queen of my heart. Mary’s queenship is a direct result of the doctrine of her Assumption, naturally flowing to when she was crowned Queen of Heaven. … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: August 13th, 2020Canada, Featured Pilgrimages, Saints
The Gulf of St. Lawrence was named after the saint we celebrated earlier this week by the French explorer Jacques Cartier as he first sailed into the gulf on August 10, 1535, the feast of the martyr St. Lawrence of Rome. It is fitting then, to explore today some of the other saints now connected … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: August 6th, 2020Pilgrims' Stories, Saints, Spiritual Reflections
After five too many months of being stuck in my Indianapolis home for a series of quarantines, curfews, and stay-at-home orders, I most excitedly hopped a plane and made my way to the great state of Colorado. This summer has been a rough one. I found myself surprised when I learned of kids starting school … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: September 15th, 2020Saints, Spiritual Reflections
St. Ignatius of Loyola, whose feast day we celebrate on July 31st, has gifted the church with a unique expression of spirituality. His Spiritual Exercises are integral in the lives of the members of the Society of Jesus, more commonly called the Jesuits, which he founded in 1540. Though few others are able to participate … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: July 23rd, 2020Camino de Santiago, Ebooks, Pilgrims' Stories, Saints
It’s a long-running joke in my family to respond to a question of how to get somewhere with “Oh, you can’t get there from here. You have to go somewhere else to start.” It seems like an odd comment – and not very helpful – but in the pilgrimage world, it is not uncommon to … Read More
What do St. Edith Stein, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. John of the Cross all have in common? Apart from residing in Eternal Paradise together, these three saints lived their lives in the Carmelite order, leaving the world behind to live in a community devoted to prayer, contemplation, and being in union with the … Read More
July 11th is the feast of St. Benedict of Nursia, a first century saint whose works still have an effect on the world today. Born in 480 into a life of wealth and nobility, Benedict left it all behind at the age of 20. Studying in Rome, he was not pleased with his life there … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: July 1st, 2020Spiritual Reflections
The month of July is dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus – a devotion that has existed within the Church since the 16th century. July also happens to be a big month for the United States, the month in which the most uniquely American holiday occurs – Independence Day, or the Fourth of … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: June 25th, 2020Medjugorje, Pilgrims' Stories, Spiritual Reflections
“If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15 I made my first pilgrimage ever in September, 2018 to Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is a place of alleged apparitions … Read More
Andrea JLast Updated: June 19th, 2020France, Spiritual Reflections
Did you know that the months of the year have different themes in the Catholic Church? The traditional dedications for the months are:January – Holy Name of Jesus February – Holy Family March – St. Joseph April – Blessed Sacrament May – Blessed Mother June – Sacred HeartJuly – Precious Blood August – Immaculate Heart … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: July 15th, 2020Featured Pilgrimages, Italy, Spiritual Reflections
This year, I’ve been particularly noticing the great amount of celebrations within the Church calendar, especially those since Holy Week. I don’t know if it’s just a special quirk of extra attentiveness, or if the tumultuous events that have filled 2020 so far have kept me looking out for the hidden brightness in our world … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: June 4th, 2020Germany, Pilgrims' Stories, Saints
Fifteen years ago, when I was living in Germany, I learned the story of the Passion Play at Oberammergau and decided I would attend in 2020 – the year I turned 40 – as a birthday gift to myself. Last year, as soon as tickets were available, I made all my plans for a wonderful … Read More
