What to Expect
A Pilgrimage Rooted in Faith & Healing
Together we will walk the Portuguese route of the Camino de Santiago, sharing prayer, conversation, silence, and fellowship each day. Fr. David Dufresne (Diocese of Arlington), who has lead 10+ Camino pilgrimages and retreat, will be our chaplain.
You must be 18+ year old to participate.
This pilgrimage is for Life-Giving Wounds alumni and their spouses.
Daily Mass & Shared Meals
Each day includes Mass together as a pilgrimage community, followed by dinner in the evening.
Guided Spiritual Reflections
Pilgrims will receive a guidebook with prayers and reflections for the journey put together by Fr. David Dufresne and the LGW team.
Saints, History & Sacred Places
Daily homilies and reflections will explore the local saints, history, and spiritual traditions of the Camino.
Pilgrimage Details
2 travel days
6 days of walking pilgrimage
1 boat day to split up the walking
1 day exploring Santiago de Compostela
Optional: Book additional day trip options to bookend the pilgrimage
Approximately 15 miles per day
Sunday –Saturday walking schedule culminating with a final Mass on Sunday in Santiago
August 28 – September 6, 2027
Estimated Cost: $2,500 - $3,500 per person [Cost will vary due to flight and lodging choices]
Your Guide
Fr. David Dufresne, who is a priest of the Arlington Diocese and a Life-Giving Wounds Chaplain of the LGW Arlinton chapter, will be our guide for this pilgrimage. He brings a wealth of pastoral insight into the healing journey being an ACOD himself, and he is an very experienced guide of the Camino, having led and made 10 Camino pilgrimage retreats. He knows all of the in’s and out’s of this pilgrimage.
Please watch his LGW Camino Invite video to the right to meet this amazing priest who will be our guide and introduce the Camino to you.
Information Session
Interested in learning more?
Attend an upcoming information session to hear about:
the pilgrimage itinerary,
physical preparation,
accommodations and travel,
costs and logistics,
spiritual expectations,
and how this pilgrimage is uniquely designed for adult children of divorce and separation.
Information Session Date: Tuesday, August 25, 8 to 9 P.M. EST Over Zoom - Register Below
Why the Camino?
For over a thousand years, Christians have journeyed the Camino de Santiago seeking healing, conversion, and encounter with God.
There is something powerful about walking day after day with intention:
leaving distractions behind,
carrying only what you need,
praying with your feet,
and discovering Christ beside you on the road.
Buen Camino — “good journey” — is more than a greeting. It is a blessing.
Buen Camino
Walk the Camino de Santiago with Life-Giving Wounds
August 28 - September 6, 2027
Portuguese Route • Spain & Portugal • Basic Details
What if healing could happen one step at a time?
Join Life-Giving Wounds for a 7-day Catholic pilgrimage along the historic Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of Saint James, walking the picturesque final stretch of the Ruta Portuguese culminating in the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela, where the Apostle St. James the Greater is buried and housed in remarkable reliquary.
On this one-of-a-kind pilgrimage you will have the chance to walk in the footsteps of St. James the Apostle, alongside fellow adult children of divorce and separation, and spouses.
Part healing retreat, part ancient Christian pilgrimage, this experience is designed to help you encounter Christ, discover deeper peace, and journey in community with others who understand your story.
Whether you are seeking clarity, healing, prayer, friendship, or simply the invitation to walk with God in a new way, the Camino offers space for grace to unfold.
FAQs
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Will a priest be on the pilgrimage? What about other Catholic guides on the trip?
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Yes, Fr. David Dufresne will be our guide, spiritual director, and offer daily Mass and confession throughout our trip. Alejandra Gutzeit from Life-Giving Wounds will also be a guide. She is fluent in Spanish and English and will help with any logistical details of the trip. Furthermore, Dr. Daniel Meola and Alex Wolfe will also be attending and available for spiritual conversation throughout the pilgrimage.
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Will kids be able to attend this pilgrimage? Will spouses or significant others who are not ACODs be able to attend?
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This will be an adult-only pilgrimage due to the nature of the pilgrimage. We will determine on a case-by-case basis for babies who are nursing or toddlers under 3 years old. Note that if you are planning on bringing a baby or young child under three that you will need to be comfortable walking the enire route with the child strapped on your back because parts of the pilgrimage are usuitable for strollers. Spouses and significant others who are not ACODs are welcome to join us. Please contact us to discuss any questions you may have.
Do you have accomodation and flight information? Can I use my own airline points and make my own flight arrangements?
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How will I meet up with other pilgrims if traveling separately? And how will I communicate with them and our guides throughout the trip?
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Yes, we will provide suggestions and contact information for accomodations for all price points from free/donation based hostels to simple private rooms to hotel information for each overnight stop. One night we will be staying at a convent and will assist with booking this reservation. Likewise, we will provide suggested airline flight information for you to book on your own so you can use your airline points and make your own flight arrangements in case you want to add on extra side trips to bookend the pilgrimage. If the group is interested in it, then we can check available group rates through our licensed travel agent.
We will provide the necessary meet-up information for the first stop and every day after that. During the pilgrimage, we ask all pilgrims to download the Signal app to their phones, so we can set up a group on there and have encrypted chats with one another and the leaders, so we do not rely on celluar phone service, which can be variable and spotty at times, and to protect participants private cell phone information if they do not want to share it with the whole group. In Fr. David Dufresne’s experience, this is the best way to communicate with the group and the leaders.
We will provide a comprehensive travel packing list. And yes a special electrical adapter is needed in Europe to charge your devices and must be bought in advance of the trip.
Do I need a passport and visa to travel to Europe?
Yes, you will need to apply for a passport or renew it, and always pay to expedite your passport application. Starting in 2027, a Visa may be required as well and we will get you the necessary information on that as that is a new requirement they are rolling out.
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Will we need to train for this pilgrimage to be physically fit? And will we have additional meetings for it to build community once we register?
We will provide a comprehensive travel packing list based on Fr. David’s experience. And yes a special electrical adapter is needed in Europe to charge your devices and must be bought in advance of the trip.
We will be capping this initial LGW pilgrimage to 25-30 pilgrims, including our guides, for logistical reasons and for what is best suited to build community amongst all the pilgrims, so it is first-come, first serve! Don’t delay in registering!
It is recommended that you do some training for this walking pilgrimage and we will provide details for what that will entail. We will schedule two training hikes for those who live near Washington, D.C. or nearby. And yes, we will have at least two Zoom meetings to build community and spiritually prepare for this trip. There will also be an in-person “shell ceremony” for those who are also local to Washington, D.C., or nearby.
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Please contact Aleajandra Gutzeit for all preliminary questions. She can be reached at alejandra@lifegivingwounds.org