Youth Pilgrimage to Cormac
Via Vocationis — The Way of Vocation
Each July, St. Mary’s Parish in Wilno hosts a walking pilgrimage to St. Ann’s Shrine in Cormac. Pilgrims carry their own packs, camp along the way or sleep in parish halls, pray together morning and night, and arrive at the shrine on foot — the way pilgrims have arrived at holy places for centuries. For most of them it is the hardest and best week of their year.
A Week on the Road
Prayer, Friendship, and the Long Walk
The days are built around walking, but the pilgrimage is more than a hike. The group sets out from St. Mary’s in Wilno and makes its way to Cormac over several days, camping along the route. There is Mass and the opportunity for Confession, talks from priests and young adults on vocation — on what God might be asking of a person’s life — and time set aside for silence.
There is also swimming, sports, and music around the campfire — long evenings with nothing scheduled. Pilgrims eat together, sleep outdoors, and carry what they need on their backs. Friendships form quickly on the road, and they tend to last.
What they remember afterward is rarely the distance. It is the conversations that happen on the road, the friendships formed with other young Catholics from across the diocese, and the moment the shrine finally comes into view.
Host: St. Mary’s Parish, Wilno
Ages: 13–30
When: The last week of July
Destination: St. Ann’s Shrine, Cormac
Accommodation: Camping, with some nights in parish halls
Registration & Information: Contact the organizing team at youthonthehill@gmail.com
Requirements: Signed waiver form
What to Expect:
- Several days of walking, carrying your own pack
- Camping outdoors
- Daily Mass and the opportunity for Confession
- Talks on vocation and time for silent prayer
- Swimming, sports, and music around the campfire
- Evening meals and overnight stays in parish halls
- Arrival at St. Ann’s Shrine on foot
Pilgrims are supervised by the parish’s trained adult leaders who have undergone a police check for the vulnerable sector.
A priest travels with the group. For questions about registration, cost, or what to bring, contact the organizers at youthonthehill@gmail.com.
The Diocese of Pembroke is glad to share news of pilgrimages and events hosted by our parishes.
