Travel and Pilgrimages

Visitors to the North Shore of Lake Superior can inspire their faith as they take in the rugged, natural beauty of the region’s woods and waters.

Mountains don't really change that much in 26 years. So it's a fair bet that the view of Mount Meeker and its twin, Longs Peak, from the Camp St. Malo Retreat is the same one St. John Paul II saw when he strolled the camp's grounds in 1993.

Retreats + Pilgrimages

People who make individual retreats in Pacem in Terris’ hermitages make a free-will donation, but the center gets “spiritual paychecks” in the form of letters from former “hermits” that describe their stories and experiences, said Tim Drake, executive director.

Since 1948, lay men from around the region and beyond have used silent retreat weekends at Demontreville Jesuit Retreat House in Lake Elmo as a way to respond to God’s will in their lives through the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius.

Since 1977, the Loyola Spirituality Center in St. Paul has been offering opportunities for people seeking spiritual direction.

Wendy Zeuli of Our Lady of Grace in Edina last year came up with a new way to celebrate Mother’s Day — go on a pilgrimage with her daughter, Katie.

Catholics looking for an excursion that doesn’t require an overnight stay — or plane ticket — might consider the following pilgrimage sites, all within a few hours’ drive from the Twin Cities.