One of the most famous spiritual journeys in the world touched the heart and the soul of a man who has dedicated his life to telling stories.
Joe Ruff, editor-in-chief of The Catholic Spirit, recently returned from walking 80 miles of the Camino de Santiago in Spain and Portugal with his brother, Paul, assistant director of human formation and director of counseling at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul. After an invitation from Paul in December, the two decided to make this spiritual pilgrimage.
Joe Ruff joined “Practicing Catholic” host Patrick Conley in a program set to air at 9 p.m. April 11 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM to talk about the trip. He noted that the two kept in special prayer their brother Jerry, who died in 2021. They carried prayer intentions for his widow, Vivian, along with others submitted by people they knew.
The walk was rigorous and physically demanding, but the spiritual rewards were great, Joe Ruff said. They began most days praying the rosary and taking time for private reflection, and marveled at the many churches and stunning landscapes on their route, which took them through parts of both Spain and Portugal.
“It was an amazing pilgrimage,” Ruff said. “It was spiritually, physically, psychologically enriching.”
He said doing it with his brother Paul was “hugely important” and the two experienced “the providence that happens on the Camino.” He recalled a man they met on the journey who agreed to take their picture, then poured out his heart to them and explained he was doing the Camino in honor of his brother who had died in the last year.
The man, whose name was Ben, felt he hadn’t done enough to be there for his brother before he died, and the two Ruff brothers offered words of encouragement.
“Paul invited Ben to forgive himself, noting the mercy of God and the difficulty we often have in accepting God’s mercy,” Joe Ruff said. “That’s an example of the kind of story that we carry as ‘peregrinos,’ as pilgrims on the Camino.”
Ruff said walking a portion of the Camino fits in with this Jubilee Year declared by Pope Francis with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” He reminded people that even if they can’t travel abroad to undertake the Camino, they can find a spiritual pilgrimage right here in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
To hear Ruff tell more about his pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago, tune into “Practicing Catholic,” which repeats at 1 p.m. April 12 and 2 p.m. April 13.
As part of the program, Steve and Ellen Untz talk about their late son, Charles, who died 25 years ago but whose legacy of faith lives on.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, “Practicing Catholic” can be heard after it has aired at archspm.org/faith-and-discipleship/practicing-catholic or choose a streaming platform at Spotify for Podcasters.
