A Pilgrim’s guide to everywhere.
"Don't even think about making a pilgrimage without reading this book. It's that good, and pilgrimage is that important.
Watson packs her pages with fascinating history, theology, spiritual counsel, and the good practical advice of a seasoned traveler.
But wear your seatbelt for her chapter on the pilgrimage of the Eternal Word. It will take you to depths and heights you never knew existed. Making a Pilgrimage will change your experience of any destination you choose, and all for the better."
-Mike Aquilina
Award-winning writer and host of The Way of the Fathers podcast
Making a Pilgrimage urges readers to seek out the holy places that remind us of all we believe: that God entered into our world and desires us to seek and find him.
Explore first the biblical roots of pilgrimage, then discover the wisdom of pilgrim saints, spiritual writers, and the author's own travels as a guide to the Holy Land, Rome, and other sites of significance. Making a Pilgrimage offers invaluable advice for those planning pilgrimages, including a list of Catholic pilgrimage sites throughout the world.
All of life is a pilgrimage. This book can help you learn to make the most of it.
Not just for the Jubilee.
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“Joan has so much knowledge and understanding of Holy Scripture, tradition, and history, she can take Scripture that I’ve heard 100 times and still teach me something new about it. She has deep insight but still makes the knowledge accessible to an ordinary person like me, searching for more in the Bible and beyond. She has spent literally years studying and learning from the best, and has done the work for those of us who can’t.
It’s such a gift to be able to share in her thoughts and knowledge. I will gladly read any book she publishes, and this one is perfect for even beyond 2025.”
-Elizabeth,
a real life person in the pew
In Opening the Holy Door, Scripture teacher and veteran tour guide Joan Watson examines sixteen panels of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica, guiding readers to pray and reflect upon the deeper meaning of these images by contemplating them through the lens of Scripture. With a unique combination of an attentive gaze and imaginative prayer, Watson guides you to experience, panel by panel, each image as a focal point in the Scripture narratives.
This book is not for a single year; it’s a spiritual companion for anyone seeking answers and hope in a fractured world.