Father William Lugger, pastor of St. Casimir Parish in Lansing, completed his 31 day walk of the El Camino Trail in Spain. “It was the most difficult walk I have ever taken, physically, spiritually, emotionally and psychologically,” he shared and added, “You make your plans, but God delivers what He wants.”During his time in Spain, Father Lugger hiked 12 to 15 miles a day. He began at 8:30 a.m. and arrived at the next hostel around 3:30 p.m. With other hikers not fluent in English and him not fluent in Spanish, opportunities for conversation were limited. In fact, during his walk Father Lugger did not encounter another hiker for 25 days.
He found he could not hide or find shelter from the terrible storms, wind and rain that assaulted him. He said it was hard on his body climbing the steps and walking on cement. But after he completed the walk, he shared, “It was a beautiful experience. I am glad I did it. My highlight was concelebrating the Mass at the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral with another American priest and other priests.” Before he returned home, Father Lugger spent five days in Barcelona and said the cathedral they are building there simply took his breath away. By Jan Hoffbauer
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