#94 Going on Pilgrimage with Joan Watson

In this week's show, I talk with my friend and colleague in ministry, Joan Watson. After years of working in the Diocese of Nashville as the Director of Faith Formation, Joan took her dream job with Verso Ministries in South Bend, Indiana. Her new role is to prepare the hearts and souls for pilgrims before, during and after their pilgrimage. 

Joan shares,  

"One thing I think it's important to remember about pilgrimage is that it is the spiritual journey. It doesn't necessarily have to be internationally. It doesn't necessarily need to be someplace far away. Because really, a pilgrimage is actually just a microcosm of our life.

That's something, so our new podcast with Verso is called In Via. On the way, on the journey, and the podcast really focuses on the fact that we're all on this journey, like the spiritual life, the Christian life, daily life is a journey, and I think this pairs so well with your ministry, Jennie, because I think we can get kind of bored and stuck in a rut and not know where we're going.

But when we begin to view our lives as this journey, ultimately, hopefully this journey to heaven, but this journey that we are accompanied by different people along the way, we have different experiences along the way, we fall off the path sometimes along the way, but that our whole life is a journey.

When we begin to see life that way, we realize that every life, every day is exciting. Every day has a new opportunity. And so occasionally on this pilgrimage of life, that's when St. Augustine first uses the word pilgrimage. To talk about the Christian life, not to talk about a trip to the Holy Land or a trip to Rome."

Listen to the podcast to hear Joan share insight, aha moments and how a pilgrimage can impact your faith life. She also share about an upcoming pilgrimage to some unique and not so well known Marian sites. 

Here is how you can connect with Joan.

 joanmwatson.com IG: 

Joan.M.Watson Youtube: YouTube.com/joanwatson (No M in this)  

Marian Pilgrimage - June 20-30, 2024 Info here: https://versoministries.com/marian2024    

Jennie is a Catholic speaker, Life Coach, Podcaster, Weekly Radio Show Host on Nashville Catholic Radio and Radio Maria USA, and founder of Catholic Moms in the Middle. After 26 years of working in Catholic education, Jennie felt God calling her "to step out of the boat" to serve in a new way. In her new ministry as a Catholic Life Coach, she now equips and encourages middle-life moms to reconnect with who they are and their unique God-given purpose so they can MAGNIFY Christ in their corner of the world.