Resources for Veterans

Warriors on the Way (501c3) is a PTSD and Moral Injury healing Pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago for Combat Veterans.

Warriors on the Way is a purpose designed pilgrimage for Combat Veterans by Combat Veterans. Capitalizing on the latest research in PTSD and Moral Injury care, pilgrim veterans will join in the tradition of pilgrims who have been walking the Camino de Santiago since the 9th Century. Today the Camino welcomes pilgrims of all backgrounds from around the world with an established route with full logistical support. This means that while each day may be long, the weight each pilgrim must carry will be light (a max load of 18lbs).

The Society of St James is a happy to provide sacramental and financial support to this important mission.


ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MILITARY PILGRIMAGE (PMI)

During World War II, members of the French military visited the site of St. Bernadette’s apparitions, offering prayers for peace. In December of 1944, U.S. military personnel joined British, Belgian, French, and Russian military representatives for a Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. After the War, French soldiers and their chaplains invited German soldiers and their chaplains to gather to pray together. The purpose of this initiative was to heal physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds and to reconcile the past between these former adversaries by recognizing their common identity as Christians in search of peace. The first official PMI was celebrated in 1958—13 years after the war and one-hundred years after the apparitions. Today, the PMI continues to take place for one weekend each May, drawing active-duty members and veterans from over 40 nations.

Go to the Warriors to Lourdes website for more information and how to apply to participate in this great pilgrimage Veterans.