Saint Paul University is offering a unique interactive course next spring that will allow students and the public alike to traverse part of a major historic Christian pilgrimage, the Camino de Santiago. 

Designed to blend elements of local history, art and culture with personal and spiritual reflection, the course lays out a 10-day journey across the Navarre region of Spain where attendees will walk and learn the sociocultural narrative of a pilgrimage that has been taking place since the ninth century. 

Louis Patrick Leroux, rector of the bilingual Catholic university in Ottawa, is the brain behind the innovative course. During his time visiting the Navarre region last fall, Leroux was already in the process of looking for the ideal pedagogical experience to convey Saint Paul University’s values. 

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“In a discussion with my colleague Anna-Maria Moubayed, who was doing her postdoctoral studies (in Spain), she told me about this part of the Camino de Santiago, the Camino De Compostela, where women would walk a route that was safe, without problems and where people looked out for them,” he said. “She was very keen to introduce a program about this but I knew this could not be just a class or a seminar. I felt that we needed to reconnect with experiential learning and walk part of the Camino together.” 

Known as the Way of St. James in English, the Camino de Santiago has become one of the most significant Christian pilgrimages. Despite a full distance of 825 kilometres, upwards of 400,000 pilgrims make the trek each year in search of spiritual enlightenment amidst the beautiful cultural exploration. 

It’s a journey, both bodily and divine, that Leroux hopes Saint Paul students will undergo as well from from May 4 to 14 as they explore the meaning and purpose of the Camino like so many pilgrims before them.

“We are looking at 10 days of walking, discovering different places of historical, spiritual, economic and social-culturalness amidst personal self-reflection. We expect people to experience a spiritual journey but those who are less spiritual will certainly be on a journey for themselves. I am sure they will be touched by the grace of something,” he said. 

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His hopes can be seen through the experiences of Kathy Conlon, who has completed four separate Camino paths: the Camino Francés, Camino del Norte, Camino San Salvador and the Camino Primitivo.

“Each Camino is a lovely experience with gorgeous scenery and a sense of community, especially on the Camino Francés,” she said. “They come with a sense of gratitude for being present and getting to experience everything from meeting other people, the physical beauty and even the religious history.” 

Those taking part in the Saint Paul Camino trip will begin alongside Moubayed in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port before beginning the walk towards Roncesvalles in Spain. Students will also travel the women’s route to Pamplona and partake in daily seminars, conversations and deep thinking. Leroux emphasizes the simple, yet crucial, themes of walking, thinking and conversing as the main draw to the newly announced course. 

“It is something we (as humans) have always done. You look at the Greeks, you look at Medieval literature and the Song of Roland, they all contain elements of walking, thinking and sharing,” he said. “It is the fact that we are not alone, that we are conversing with others, experiencing something profound together physically — not just reading or thinking about it, but doing it.” 

Saint Paul University recognizes not everyone can participate in the trip due to physical, financial or scheduling restrictions. To ensure all audiences can engage, an online companion seminar taught by Moubayed known as The Women’s Way: Art, Architecture, History, and Cultural Products of the Camino de Santiago was developed to explain the significance of the pilgrimage in a more accessible way. The two courses can be taken separately without prerequisites.

The cost is $1,500 for Ontario students and $1,700 for international students. The course is also open to others not enrolled at Saint Paul University. 

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While the school’s journey next May is too far away for exact numbers, Leroux is hoping for anywhere from 20-25 students for the first intake to ensure fluid conversations and space for personal and spiritual analysis. After the inaugural year, however, he hints that even further exploration could happen.

“We have thrown this out into the world so whoever is interested, please join us. We would love to have you there,” he said. “I think if this works well and if we manage to attract people who are really engaged, we can start looking at other trips such as to Istanbul for our Peace and Conflict Studies program.”