Pilgrimage 2027: Via Di Francesco! Florence to Assisi
REGISTRATION w/ DEPOSIT DUE: October 1, 2024 Pilgrimage Dates: June 14 - June 22, 2025St Franics is arguably one of the worlds most beloved saints. True, he was known for his vow of poverty, his care for nature as a way of loving God, his work for the poor. But did you also know he was known for his joy and merriment. He was known as the “Dancing Saint”.
We invite you to join us as we drink in the rugged beauty of Italy’s “Green Heart”, the region of Umbria
Florence to Assisi
September 13th – 28th, 2027
You Are Invited to Adventure with Soul Care Seattle for a 15 night, 16 day, 172 mile trek by foot (10 days of walking).
Why? Pope Francis’ chose the name Francis in order to send a strong, unmistakeble message to the world that his papacy would be about the virtues of deep humility, prayer, service, and respect for nature. (Brown, “Pilgrim Roue: The Way of St Francis”) Recognizing the heart of Jesus in these virtues, we long to soak in them. Ponder them in a world removed from our own, yet so similar.
Togeher we will explore the rolling hills, lush forests, rivers, lakes and charming, mideval hilltop towns of Umbria, the stomping grounds of St Francis & St Clare (St Clare, foundress of the Poor Clares and the first woman to write a monastic rule, conemporary of and co laborer with Francis.) Though they founded separate orders, The Franciscans and Poor Clares, the two shared a profound bond of love rooted in a lived passion for God. Side by side hey lived lives of renouncing the wealth and power they were born into to live among the poorest of the poor, caring for all of God’s creation with the love and respect it is due.
Through their lives we find ourselves challenged to see life more colorfully. To, as St Ignatius says, “Find God in all things”. In the same way, we will find ourselves pilgrim students, finding beauty in all things; seeing all the created world through the eyes of lovethe Creator’s love.
Noticing the creator’s delight in all things asks us a very important question. A question that must be answered. “Am I, as I am, truly delighted in by God?” Only then will we grow in peace and ultimately joy.
Only by learning to receive love more wholy can we boh love and serve in love, without selfish ambition.
Along with St Francis (The Dancing Saint) and St Clare, we invite you to pilgrim with us into and as a part of God’s beloved Umbria.
Choose your own adventure… Physical? Nature? Spiritual? Cultural? Reflective? Food? Wine? Friendship? Although you may know your physical destination, who can say where your interior pilgrimage will lead you. No two people have the same pilgrimage to walk.
A Soul Care Seattle Pilgrimage…
…is a journey for the curious, the searchers, the one needing to find their way back, the one needing to discover something new.
…is a journey for the questioning, the christian, the curious, the deconstructing, and the doubting. It is for all who can physically make the journey. It is for all who are willing and able to walk and give themselves to what The Journey will reveal.
…is a journey for the individual in the context of community. No two people have the same ‘camino’. Married, single, or partnered – each pilgrim has their own story, and will walk their own path in freedom of judgement. It is a journey into our authentic selves as the beloved.
… is a journey into the unknown, the uncomfortable, the uncontrolled. Surrounded by beauty and history we abandon convenience for inconvenience, control for the unknown, and immediate gratification for the simple pleasure of a bed at the end of the day. We journey into the interior spaces that only slowing of time and the release of control can afford.
…is a journey of heart and mind, of spirit in hopes of a deeper connection with God, others, and our authentic selves.
…is journey full of beauty, memories, good food, and fun!
About Via Di Francesco (The Way of St Francis):
To walk Italy’s way of s Francis is o come o know his man. his mountainous green and natural itinerary offers the solitude that Francis loved, the nature he adored, and he embodied.
Sandy Brown, Pilgrim Route The Way of S Francis
We’ll gather in Florence, Tuscany; a city filled with stunning archicture including the iconic Duomo, home to Michelangelo’s David. From there we will take a private transport to La Verna; LaVerna, the ancient mount dedicated to the Goddess Laverna, goddess of thieves. It is here among the caves of theives that St Francis received the stigmata. We will have two nights here in the monastery for prayer, exploration and rest before beginning our journey on foot. From there, we begin our way to Assisi; mountain top to mountain top, staying in mideval villages, farms, and monasteries along the way. At just the right time, we enter the jaw-dropping city of Gubbio for a much welcomed two night stay. Jaw-dropping for its charm and cuisine; Gubio will send us off well rested for our final three day push to Assisi!
Our Journey
We will begin our journey in Vigo, Spain (details for the extended are linked below) – the last 100km of the Camino Portugues that travels all the way from Lisbon to Santiago.
Together, we will travel the ancient paths along the ‘coastal route’ of the Camino beginning together in Vigo, Spain and ending in Santiago de Compestela, Spain.
- Sept 13 – Sunday – Florence
Sept 14 – Monday – LaVerna
Sept 15 – Tuesday – Laverna
Sept 16 – Wednesday – Pieve Santo Stevfano
Sept 17 – Thursday – Rifugio Pian della Capanna / Montagna
Sept 18 – Friday – Sansepolcro
Sept 19 – Saturday – Citerno
Sept 20 – Sunday – Citta Di Castello
Sept 21 – Monday – Pietralunga
Sept 22 – Tuesday – Gubbio
Sept 23 – Wednesday – Gubbio
Sept 24 – Thursday – Biscina or (San Pietro in Vigneto?)
Sept 25 – Friday – Valfabbrica
Sept 26 – Saturday – Assisi
Sept 27 – Sunday – Assisi
Sept 28 – Monday – your pilgrimage in daily life..
Camino Portugues is selected for it’s cooler weather, manageable distances, coastal views, and lighter foot traffic. It offers pilgrims the needed time to journey on foot; slowing down, unwinding, and disconnecting.
Pilgrims will have ample time and space to explore the benefits of the unknown, of the lack of control, and of discomfort. Pilgrims will find plenty of opportunity to explore their interior life in solitude or community, as they see fit, while treading the coastal and inland paths of NW Spain.
Inclusions & Pricing: (Registration Closes Oct 1, 2025… See links below to register)
- Pilgrim Package: Single Occupancy $2,394, Double Occupancy $2,062 (three partial scholarships will be available based on need, email renee@soulcareseattle.com)
- 4 advance group sessions for spiritual, physical, practical, and logistical preparation (zoom available for those outside the greater Seattle area) November 12, January 21, March 18, May 13
- Daily optional morning prayer / reflection gathering
- Ignatian prayer guide while on the camino
- Spiritual Care along the journey as desired
- 8 nights ‘standard accomodation’ – double or single occupancy as reflected in the pricing
- Breakfast Daily
- Baggage transfer
- Logistical assistance along the Camino
- Daily optional evening de-brief
- Dinner Celebrations in Vigo and Santiago
- Optional transition BBQ at The Layne in late July
- Not included:
- Travel, hotel, and food expenses to Vigo, Spain and from Santiago, Spain (to be arranged independently by pilgrims)
- Lunches, dinners, snacks, drinks, etc. (Group dinner is provided in Vigo and Santiago)
- Transport of more than one piece of luggage
- Medical expense and incidentals
- Optional extension at the beginning (Porto to Vigo)
- Travel Insurance
Extending your pilgrimage:
- For an even deeper and formative time of Silence, Solitude, and inner Stillness, consider joining us for the “extended pilgrimage”! We’ll take nine nights for seven days of walking 159 kms before a day of rest and meeting up with the whole group to begin the next week’s treck to Santiago de Compostelo. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
About your guides:
The 2025 pilgrimage will be led by seasoned pilgrims and spiritual directors, Renee and Dan Huie. Having sojourned this life together for the last three decades as a couple (as an RN, small business owners, parents, city dwellers, travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, spiritual directors, retreat leaders, and co-founders of Soul Care Seattle), Renee and Dan have found no greater joy than journeying with others – sojourning together through the interior spaces of the heart and soul, or traveling to some of the most evocative sights. In addition to daily journeying with others through interior spaces as directors at Soul Care Seattle, Dan and Renee have recently walked the 27 day, 400 mile Camino Ignaciano from Loyola to Manresa, Spain in 2022 and will be completing St Cuthbert’s Way in Scotland in 2024.
About You:
To be clear, this is not a tour. We have chosen a moderate route, but you must posess the following:
- Comfortability with discomfort, unknowns, unpredictability, other cultures and, of course, other people
- The ability to walk on uneven surfaces in excess of 13 miles in one day with a day pack and then do similarly the next day with or without blisters 🙂
- Walk each day for seven days
- The ability to transport yourself to the next city, town, or home in the event of illness, exhaustion, or injury. The group will not be able to wait
- A spirit of adventure and curiosity
- A willingness to roll with the punches and embrace the journey
REGISTRATION AND DEPOSIT DUE BY OCT 1, 2024
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: CLICK HERE!
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL THOUGHTS AND IDEAS: CLICK HERE!
EXTENDED PILGRIMAGE DETAILS AND PRICING: CLICK HERE!
REGISTRATION FOR VIGO TO SANTIAGO – JUNE 14 – JUNE 22, 2025: CLICK HERE!
AND
TO ADD THE EXTENDED PILGRIMAGE FROM PORTO TO VIGO – JUNE 5 – JUNE 14, 2025: CLICK HERE