Benedictine Pilgrimage
I made my trip to Spain in March of 2020, on the “eve of the pandemic.” I was traveling with fellow members of the student choir as an undergraduate at Saint Anselm College, a Benedictine institution. We were embarking on a “choral tour” which was, in many ways, meant more to be a sightseeing trip than a pilgrimage— but for me, it became deeply spiritual.
A visit to the monastery at Montserrat was built into our travels, because of the Benedictine roots of our college. I experienced a profound impression of true holiness in this place. In a time when the world felt caught on the cusp of disaster, everything stopped at Montserrat. This was a site truly apart from the world. I am a deeply anxious traveler, and this trip to Spain was no exception — but our visit to Montserrat brought me a deep sense of peace. I was fortunate to see many beautiful places over the course of my time in Spain, but none felt quite like the monastery. The contemplative Benedictine charism at Montserrat felt “like home”— not unlike the abbey I spent my four years of undergrad living alongside. I did not travel to Spain with the consciousness of making pilgrimage, but I undoubtedly felt God on that mountain, and in the many places in between. Pilgrimage found me in Spain; the trip made a pilgrim out of me. The next time I find myself on European soil, I hope to return to Montserrat with intention — and without the impending pandemic, this time.