Pilgrimage has long been a treasured gift in the Church. It offers a tangible way to seek deeper intimacy with the Lord. It is a journey that engages both body and spirit, inviting the pilgrim to encounter grace in new and unexpected ways. Throughout history, countless individuals have embarked on these journeys, each pilgrimage unique yet carrying the same call to trust and surrender. I am blessed to say that pilgrimages have played a real role in my own faith journey. While they have all looked a bit different, with some involving much more travel than others, each has facilitated a unique encounter with the Lord where he has spoken to my heart in whatever specific season of my life I was in. I even met my husband on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2020!
God gave our family an immense gift this year, the opportunity to travel to Ireland, in dedication to Our Lady of Knock. We had yet to go on a pilgrimage as a family, and during this year of Hope, we were excited for the opportunity. Little did we know, the Lord would invite us to trust and surrender in very intentional ways!
Our journey took an unexpected turn before it even began. Just as we were preparing to board our flight, I noticed a strange rash spreading quickly across our five-month-old son’s body. Within moments, what had been a few red marks turned into large welts, and he was becoming increasingly lethargic. My husband and I were suddenly faced with a decision—do we take the risk of continuing with our plans, or do we surrender everything, including our long-held hopes for this trip to prioritize our child’s health? Beyond our concern for our son, so many thoughts flooded my mind—what about the financial burden? Would this all be for nothing? Would others think we were overreacting? How would our oldest child handle this sudden change?
In that moment, we had no choice but to surrender. Our family came first, and we had to trust that God was present in this unexpected detour. I felt close to Our Lady in a way like never before. As I held our son completely aware of his helplessness, I was being asked to trust that the Lord had a plan. Instead of boarding our plane, we found ourselves in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. Amid the stress of that night, one great grace stood out—our two-year-old son’s unwavering trust and love. Despite his own excitement about flying, he focused solely on his little brother, climbing onto the hospital bed to hold his hand, offering comfort in a way that left us in awe. His childlike faith reminded us of what truly mattered—love, trust, and surrender.
After hours in the emergency room, the doctors remained unsure of what had caused the reaction, but thankfully, our son’s condition improved, and we were able to go home. Waking up the next morning, everything felt like a blur. We weren’t sure what to do next, but we knew we needed to pray. It happened to be the first day of our CMF Novena to Our Lady of Knock, so we turned to her, praying the rosary and beginning the novena. The words of the prayer struck deep.
“Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland, you gave hope to your people in a time of distress and comforted them in sorrow… Help me to remember that we are all pilgrims on the road to heaven. Fill me with love and concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who live with me. Comfort me when I am sick, lonely or depressed.”
In that moment, we realized that our pilgrimage had already begun—not in the way we had planned, but in the way God had intended.
When we got out of the way, surrendering our plans to the Lord, he was able to show up. After we finished our rosary, we were immediately notified that our pediatrician was out of town for the weekend, and we should try and get into another doctor there who was on call. We were able to get into the office with 20 minutes to spare. After everything we’d been through in the last 24 hours, we were grateful to be assured that our son had in fact had an allergic reaction to something, causing his eczema to flare. The doctor did not see any problem with us continuing our trip if we were able to do so. The final unknown was our flights. The idea of what a flight would cost booking the day before terrified me. Miraculously, we were able to switch the flights for our whole family at no cost to us. Again, the Lord was showing us he was with us, he would take care of us, and we did not need to worry. We were shocked and relieved. As a chronic planner, I was amazed at how easily the unknowns and concerns were solved and taken care of.
And just like that, our family of 4 was boarding an airplane , headed for Ireland. This time, we were putting pilgrimage, prayer, trust, and surrender at the forefront.
St. Augustine tells us,
“In all trouble you should seek God. You should not set him over against your troubles, but within them. God can only relieve your troubles if you in your anxiety cling to him. Trouble should not really be thought of as this thing or that in particular, for our whole life on earth involves trouble; and through the troubles of our earthly pilgrimage we find God.”
I wish I could say the rest of our pilgrimage was smooth sailing. But as anyone who has traveled with young children knows, there were plenty of bumps along the way. The kids were tired and jet-lagged, and there were moments of exhaustion. Yet through it all, the Lord’s guidance was unmistakable.
A beautiful sign of His goodness came during our visit to Knock. On the final two days of our novena—the very days we spent at the shrine—we were blessed with the most incredible weather. The sun shone brightly, the air was warm, and flowers had just begun to bloom. Our oldest, taking it all in, kept calling Knock “Mary’s house,” joyfully reminding us that we were visiting her home, spending time with her and her Son (and plenty of sheep too!). Our time there felt like a moment set apart, much like the apostles’ longing to remain on Mount Tabor. We, too, wished we could stay in that place of peace.
Trust and surrender are not new themes for our family. They’re the very words engraved inside my husband’s wedding ring—the foundation we’ve returned to time and again throughout our marriage. And in Knock, those words echoed back to us in ways we never expected. Though bringing our little family here had cost us much—lack of sleep, unexpected medical detours, and plenty of logistical challenges—again and again, we heard the quiet reassurance: It is good that you are here.
There was the elderly Irish woman who told us how much hope it gave her to see our young children brought to Our Lady. Then, the mother of thirteen who shared her own story of trust—walking through the struggles of her own child’s illness and the joy of seeing two of her sons become priests. Her hospitality and unmistakable trust in the goodness of the Lord was astounding. Through these encounters, it became overwhelmingly clear: Catholic families have a mission to be a light in this world, a witness to hope.
We left Knock with a renewed sense of purpose. The Lord was calling us to continue this journey—not just the physical pilgrimage, but the daily pilgrimage of our family life. Our vocation as husband and wife, as parents, is to keep seeking Him, to keep placing our trust in Him, and to bring our children along with us on that path. In living this trust and surrender, in embracing the joys and sacrifices of family life, we can reflect His hope to the world. Our Lady of Knock reminded us of that truth, and for that, we are deeply grateful.
As we left Knock, I kept returning to the realization that pilgrimage isn’t just about traveling to a sacred place—it’s about allowing the Lord to transform our hearts. This journey had reminded us that surrender and trust are at the core of discipleship, not only in the big moments but in the daily realities of family life.
Every Lent, we are all invited to embark on a pilgrimage of our own. It may not involve crossing an ocean, but it is no less real. It is an opportunity for Christ to speak directly into our hearts, just as He did for us in Knock. As Pope Benedict XVI reminds us in Verbum Domini, “Christianity is the ‘religion of the word of God,’ not of ‘a written and mute word, but of the incarnate and living Word.’” Christ is living and seeks intimacy with us!
While journeying with Christ is not just for Lent, this season gives us a unique opportunity to ask, How am I being called to seek Christ at this time? How is He speaking into my life this year? Taking these questions to prayer, discussing them with a trusted friend, priest, or spiritual director, can help guide our steps. In this way, Lent itself becomes a kind of yearly pilgrimage—a time to walk intentionally toward Christ, to recognize His presence in new ways, and to trust in the journey He is leading us on.
So as you read this, I invite you to ask yourself: How am I intentionally walking closer to Christ this Lent? How do I respond to unexpected detours, with trust or fear? What am I doing to recognize His presence more fully in my life? And if new stirrings arise in your heart, know that it is never too late to begin.
Our Lady of Knock, pray for us.
