A Decade of Pilgrimage in CISVA
In July 2025, after two years of planning, a group of CISVA administrators came together to participate in the 10th Anniversary CISVAAA El Camino Pilgrimage. Our pilgrims included:
Waldemar Sambor – St. Helen’s School
Neva Grout – Our Lady of Mercy
Rosaleen Heffernan – Our Lady of Assumption
Deirdre O’Callaghan – Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Brenda Krivuzoff – St. Mary’s, Vancouver
Elaine Grant – St. Michael’s
Maria Katsionis – Our Lady of Fatima
Ged Wright – Our Lady of Good Counsel
Josie Spagnuolo – Vice Principal, Our Lady of Good Counsel
Rachelle Warman – St. John Paul II, Port Alberni
Jolie Wright
(The first five members also participated in the 2015 pilgrimage.)
Over seven days, our group walked nearly 200 km along the Portuguese Coastal Route, beginning in Oia, Spain, and journeying to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, home to the shrine of St. James the Apostle. Each morning began with the Pilgrim’s Prayer, followed by opportunities to visit centuries-old churches, attend Mass, and encounter God in new and meaningful ways. Along the path, our pilgrims met religious sisters and brothers, as well as fellow travelers, exchanging stories of faith and encouragement.
In Santiago, the group joined the international community of pilgrims at the Cathedral for the Pilgrims’ Mass, witnessing the dramatic swing of the Botafumeiro incense thurible. At the close of the pilgrimage, prayers were shared with colleagues from the Superintendent’s office and association via FaceTime, uniting our wider community in thanksgiving.
This pilgrimage was deeply spiritual, allowing each participant to encounter God’s presence, grow in faith, and carry the graces of the Camino back to our school communities.
A Tradition of Pilgrimage and Service
The inspiration for this journey began in 2023, when Superintendent Sandra Marshall gifted scallop shells to all principals at the August Principals’ Meeting. She encouraged us to consider the Camino as a call to spiritual leadership, echoing the testimony of a retreat speaker who had shared her own pilgrimage experience.
This 2025 pilgrimage carried added significance. Ten years earlier, in 2015, seven CISVA principals walked 250 km along the Camino Francés Route, beginning in Ponferrada, Spain. That pilgrimage, guided by the school theme “Live the Joy of the Gospel,” also included principals Michael Yaptinchay (St. Augustine’s) and Marian McDermott (retired). Together, they carried prayer intentions from every CISVA Catholic school, placing them at the altar of St. James. The 2015 group also launched a fundraising initiative for four RCAV Catholic charities—The Door is Open, the Refugee Sponsorship Program, Prison Ministry, and the Men’s Shelter. Over the past decade, CISVA schools have continued this tradition, raising more than a quarter of a million dollars to support those most in need.
Looking Forward in the Jubilee Year
This Jubilee Year offers our Church a moment of renewal, and for CISVA, the Camino pilgrimage provided strength and courage to live and proclaim our faith within our schools. At the 2025 August Principals’ Meeting, our pilgrim group shared the story of this journey and encouraged colleagues to continue supporting Archdiocesan charities, particularly during Catholic Schools Week, February 1–7, 2026.
As Catholic educators, may we inspire one another to walk together in faith, serve the poor and marginalized, and continue to proclaim the Gospel with renewed hearts.