Sacred Steps Podcast

Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com

Author Kevin Donahue (http://www.sacredstepsbook.com) answers the question, "It is safe to walk pilgrimage now?" and shares timely COVID updates for the Camino de Santiago, Via Francigena, Kumano Kodo, the California Missions Trail, as well as pilgrim routes in Britain.  

COVID-19 PILGRIM RESOURCES:

• COVID-19 Pilgrimage Updates at OneStepThenAnother
• CAMINO DE SANTIAGO:
  • Spain’s Travel Health Guidance
  • American Pilgrims on the Camino (USA)
  • Confraternity of St James (UK)
  • Australian Friends of the Camino (AUS)
  • The Canadian Company of Pilgrims (CAN)
  • Confraternity of Saint James of South Africa (SA)
  • The Camino Society Ireland (IRE)
  • More Global Pilgrim Societies (EU, Asia, Africa, S.America)
  • Camino de Santiago
• VIA FRANCIGENA
  • “10 Rules of a Traveller” document
  • Via Francigena organization
  • Via Francigena
• PILGRIMAGE IN BRITAIN
  • U.K. COVID-19 Restrictions
  • British Pilgrimage Trust
  • England’s Pilgrims Way
• KUMANO KODO
  • Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Board
  • Kumano Kodo
• CALIFORNIA MISSIONS TRAIL
  • Restrictions within California
  • California Missions Trail

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW ONLINE:

• Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com
• Pilgrimage Book - Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal
• Stream the Video Podcast on YouTube 
• Connect on Facebook
• View on Instagram

MEET THE HOST:  Kevin Donahue

Husband. Father. Backpacker. Pilgrim. Author.

In 2019, Kevin Donahue set off from his home in the United States to begin a pilgrimage journey spanning both years and miles, walking across continents to the ancient end of the world, to kneel at the tombs of eight Apostles. Available for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal, is Kevin's first-hand account of the people and places found along the way to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

BOOK: 

Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal

Available from print and digital booksellers for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is the first-person account of a reluctant pilgrim navigating the eternal questions of faith while walking along the world’s revered paths. The book follows one man’s journey through Portugal and Spain on the Camino de Santiago, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean connecting California’s Missions Trail, across England’s ancient Pilgrims’ Way, and onward towards Rome via Europe’s forgotten footpaths on a journey of soulful discovery. More than a travelogue, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is a first-hand account of a pilgrim's journey and the people and places he finds to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com

Pilgrimage guide and author Bret Thoman (http://http://stfrancispilgrimages.com/) joins author Kevin Donahue (http://www.sacredstepsbook.com) to discuss walking the Jesus Trail from Nazareth through Galilee and two Italian Caminos: The Way of St. Francis to Assisi and the Via Lauretana to Loreto.

PILGRIMAGE GUIDE BRET THOMAN

• GUIDE SERVICE: http://stfrancispilgrimages.com
• BOOK:  A Knight and a Lady: A Journey into the Spirituality of Saints Francis and Clare
• BOOK:  St. Clare of Assisi: Light From the Cloister
• BOOK:  The St. Francis Camino: A Spiritual Walking Pilgrimage from Greccio to Assisi
• BOOK:  Following Francis and Clare: Twelve Walking Excursions in Assisi, Mount Subasio, Spoleto Valley, Rieti, and Laverna

THE JESUS TRAIL

• WIKI:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Trail
• WWW:  https://jesustrail.com/
• MAPS:  https://jesustrail.com/route-maps

SUBSCRIBER CONTENT:

For more information on pilgrimage, podcast updates, and previews from Kevin Donahue's upcoming book, sign up for complimentary access to our subscriber-only content at https://www.sacredstepsbook.com/#preview. 

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW ONLINE:

• Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com
• Pilgrimage Book - Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal
• Stream the Video Podcast on YouTube 
• Connect on Facebook
• View on Instagram

MEET OUR GUEST:  Bret Thoman

Pilgrimage guide Brett Thoman has led over 80 group pilgrimages and personally journeyed with 1,600 people of more than 20 different nationalities. Destinations include all of Italy, the Holy Land, Spain and Portugal, Medjugorje, Poland, and more. Groups have originated in the US, Canada, Ireland, Guam, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. Bret has a master’s degree in Italian and a certificate in Franciscan studies.

MEET THE HOST:  Kevin Donahue

Husband. Father. Backpacker. Pilgrim. Author.

In 2019, Kevin Donahue set off from his home in the United States to begin a pilgrimage journey spanning both years and miles, walking across continents to the ancient end of the world, to kneel at the tombs of eight Apostles. Available for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal, is Kevin's first-hand account of the people and places found along the way to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

BOOK: 

Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal

Available from print and digital booksellers for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is the first-person account of a reluctant pilgrim navigating the eternal questions of faith while walking along the world’s revered paths. The book follows one man’s journey through Portugal and Spain on the Camino de Santiago, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean connecting California’s Missions Trail, across England’s ancient Pilgrims’ Way, and onward towards Rome via Europe’s forgotten footpaths on a journey of soulful discovery. More than a travelogue, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is a first-hand account of a pilgrim's journey and the people and places he finds to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com

Australian author Claude Tranchant ("Boots to Bliss", "Boots to Freedom") joins author Kevin Donahue (http://www.sacredstepsbook.com) to discuss overcoming loss, finding empowerment, and walking the Camino de Santiago again at age 72. 

AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR  CLAUDE TRANCHANT

• BOOK:  Boots to Bliss (Amazon)
• BOOK:  Boots to Freedom (Amazon)
• WWW:  Author Website

CAMINO DE SANTIAGO

• Beginner's Guide to the Camino de Santiago
• Recommended Gear List for the Camino de Santiago
• How to Select a Backpack for the Camino de Santiago
• How Much Does it Cost to Walk the Camino de Santiago?

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW ONLINE:

• Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com
• Pilgrimage Book - Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal
• Stream the Video Podcast on YouTube 
• Connect on Facebook
• View on Instagram

MEET OUR GUEST:  Claude Tranchant

Following a painful divorce, Claude Tranchant set out from Australia at age 64 to begin a 100-day solo pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. Along the way, she overcame loss, found empowerment, and discovered bliss. Her best-selling book, Boots to Bliss, recalls the story from Vezelay, France to Santiago de Compostela, Spain and beyond. In her new book, Boots to Freedom, Claude finds her inner happiness and emotional freedom through walks across Australia, Nepal, and once more on the Camino de Santiago in her early 70s. 

MEET THE HOST:  Kevin Donahue

Husband. Father. Backpacker. Pilgrim. Author.

In 2019, Kevin Donahue set off from his home in the United States to begin a pilgrimage journey spanning both years and miles, walking across continents to the ancient end of the world, to kneel at the tombs of eight Apostles. Available for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal, is Kevin's first-hand account of the people and places found along the way to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

BOOK: 

Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal

Available from print and digital booksellers for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is the first-person account of a reluctant pilgrim navigating the eternal questions of faith while walking along the world’s revered paths. The book follows one man’s journey through Portugal and Spain on the Camino de Santiago, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean connecting California’s Missions Trail, across England’s ancient Pilgrims’ Way, and onward towards Rome via Europe’s forgotten footpaths on a journey of soulful discovery. More than a travelogue, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is a first-hand account of a pilgrim's journey and the people and places he finds to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com

Pilgrim Kevin Considine joins author Kevin Donahue (http://www.sacredstepsbook.com) to discuss his global pilgrimages: the Kumano Kodo, the Shikoku pilgrimage across 88 temples, and his journies across Europe including eleven Caminos to Santiago de Compostela.  

Kevin Considine's Pilgrimage Routes

• Blog
• Camino de Santiago
• Via Francigena
• POST:  How the Camino de Santiago differs from the Via Francigena
• Key Differences between the Via Francigena and the Camino de Santiago
• 88 Temples Pilgrimage - Japan

CAMINO DE SANTIAGO

• Beginner's Guide to the Camino de Santiago
• Recommended Gear List for the Camino de Santiago
• How to Select a Backpack for the Camino de Santiago
• How Much Does it Cost to Walk the Camino de Santiago?

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW ONLINE:

• Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com
• Pilgrimage Book - Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal
• Stream the Video Podcast on YouTube 
• Connect on Facebook
• View on Instagram

MEET OUR GUEST:  Kevin Considine

A global pilgrim, Kevin Considine has walked many of the world's most celebrated routes across more than 50 countries, including the 88 Temples Pilgrimage, the Via Francigena, and eleven different journies across the Camino de Santiago, including a walk from his ancestral home in Ireland to Santiago de Compostela. Since retiring In 2013, Kevin has become a global nomad seeking adventure. Some of his stories can be found online at his blog: The Senior Adventurer.  

MEET THE HOST:  Kevin Donahue

Husband. Father. Backpacker. Pilgrim. Author.

In 2019, Kevin Donahue set off from his home in the United States to begin a pilgrimage journey spanning both years and miles, walking across continents to the ancient end of the world, to kneel at the tombs of eight Apostles. Available for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal, is Kevin's first-hand account of the people and places found along the way to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

BOOK: 

Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal

Available from print and digital booksellers for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is the first-person account of a reluctant pilgrim navigating the eternal questions of faith while walking along the world’s revered paths. The book follows one man’s journey through Portugal and Spain on the Camino de Santiago, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean connecting California’s Missions Trail, across England’s ancient Pilgrims’ Way, and onward towards Rome via Europe’s forgotten footpaths on a journey of soulful discovery. More than a travelogue, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is a first-hand account of a pilgrim's journey and the people and places he finds to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com

Camino de Santiago pilgrim Johnnie Walker (http://www.wewalkforyour2020.org/) joins Author Kevin Donahue (http://www.sacredstepsbook.com) to discuss the Camino in the age of Covid and his emotional "We Walk For You" Camino, in which Johnnie carried prayer requests across the Camino Frances for those who could not walk this year. 

WE WALK FOR YOU CAMINO 2020

• Johnniewalker
• Stephen Shields

DONATE TO SUPPORT PILGRIM ORGANIZATIONS

• American Pilgrims on the Camino (USA)
• Confraternity of St James (UK)
• Australian Friends of the Camino (AUS)
• The Canadian Company of Pilgrims (CAN)
• Confraternity of Saint James of South Africa (SA)
• The Camino Society Ireland (IRE)
• More Global Pilgrim Societies (EU, Asia, Africa, S.America)

CAMINO DE SANTIAGO

• Beginner's Guide to the Camino de Santiago
• Recommended Gear List for the Camino de Santiago
• How to Select a Backpack for the Camino de Santiago
• How Much Does it Cost to Walk the Camino de Santiago?

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW ONLINE:

• Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com
• Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal
• Stream the Video Podcast on YouTube 
• Connect on Facebook
• View on Instagram

MEET OUR GUEST:  Johnniewalker

Johnniewalker is retired and lives in Santiago. He has walked thousands of kilometers on pilgrim routes in Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Japan. He has so far written 15 books about the Camino to Santiago including a range of guidebooks and three Spiritual Companions for pilgrims, with proceeds donated to pilgrim causes and charities. In his professional career he was founding Director for Scotland for the National Lottery Charities Board, Chief of Staff to the First Minister of Scotland, and founding Chief Executive of UnLtd the UK wide Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs which was awarded the Millenium Legacy of £100 million.

MEET THE HOST:  Kevin Donahue

Husband. Father. Backpacker. Pilgrim. Author.

In 2019, Kevin Donahue set off from his home in the United States to begin a pilgrimage journey spanning both years and miles, walking across continents to the ancient end of the world, to kneel at the tombs of eight Apostles. Available for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal, is Kevin's first-hand account of the people and places found along the way to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

BOOK: 

Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal

Available from print and digital booksellers for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is the first-person account of a reluctant pilgrim navigating the eternal questions of faith while walking along the world’s revered paths. The book follows one man’s journey through Portugal and Spain on the Camino de Santiago, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean connecting California’s Missions Trail, across England’s ancient Pilgrims’ Way, and onward towards Rome via Europe’s forgotten footpaths on a journey of soulful discovery. More than a travelogue, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is a first-hand account of a pilgrim's journey and the people and places he finds to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com

English author and columnist Andy Bull (www.andybull.co.uk) joins Author Kevin Donahue (www.sacredstepsbook.com) to discuss Andy's new book - Pilgrim Pathways - exploring twenty walks across England's ancient footpaths. A Kent native, Andy shares his local insights on one of Kevin's upcoming pilgrimage walks: England's Pilgrims' Way to Canterbury.

Pilgrim Pathways - Available from Trailblazer Guides and Amazon

• View a 37-page excerpt from the book (PDF)
• Walk 3:  Haslemere to Chichester
• Walk 16: The English Camino (Escomb to Durham and Finchale Priory)
• Walk 20: St. Andrew's Way (Earlsferry to St Andrews)
• Walk 1: Walk 1 – The Way of St Augustine (Canterbury to Ramsgate)

England's Pilgrims' Way from London to Canterbury

The Pilgrims’ Way (also Pilgrim’s Way or Pilgrims Way) is England’s ancient pilgrimage route linking both Winchester and London to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at the Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England. Followed by kings and fabled in literature such as the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, the modern route follows the historic Roman road and parallels the North Downs Way. From Canterbury, some may continue pilgrimage to Rome along Europe’s Via Francigena. To learn more about these pilgrim pathways, please visit Kevin's blog online at www.onestepthenanother.com. 

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW ONLINE:

• Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com
• Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal
• Stream the Video Podcast on YouTube 
• Connect on Facebook
• View on Instagram

MEET OUR GUEST:  Andy Bull

Andy Bull is a keen walker, journalist, and author who has written travel pieces for The Times, the Daily Telegraph, The Independent, the Mail on Sunday, and The Tablet. When he wanted to go on a pilgrimage that could be completed in a weekend and found no suitable guides were available, he realized he would have to find a route for himself. He found 20, and Pilgrim Pathways is the result.

Andy has also published two travel books on America, guides to English trails for mountain bikers, and local history books drawing on his Kentish roots. His next project is a book on Britain's Great North Road.

MEET THE HOST:  Kevin Donahue

Husband. Father. Backpacker. Pilgrim. Author.

In 2019, Kevin Donahue set off from his home in the United States to begin a pilgrimage journey spanning both years and miles, walking across continents to the ancient end of the world, to kneel at the tombs of eight Apostles. Available for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal, is Kevin's first-hand account of the people and places found along the way to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

BOOK: 

Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal

Available from print and digital booksellers for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is the first-person account of a reluctant pilgrim navigating the eternal questions of faith while walking along the world’s revered paths. The book follows one man’s journey through Portugal and Spain on the Camino de Santiago, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean connecting California’s Missions Trail, across England’s ancient Pilgrims’ Way, and onward towards Rome via Europe’s forgotten footpaths on a journey of soulful discovery. More than a travelogue, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is a first-hand account of a pilgrim's journey and the people and places he finds to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

PODCAST HOMEPAGE: www.sacredstepspodcast.com

Cicerone Press Associate Publisher Sandy Brown (www.caminoist.org) joins Author Kevin Donahue (www.sacredstepsbook.com) to discuss their pilgrimage experiences, Sandy's newest guidebook, and three of Kevin’s pilgrimage routes: the Camino de Santiago, the California Missions Trail, and the Via Francigena. 

DISCUSSIONS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Sandy Brown's Cicerone Press Guidebooks
  • Camino Frances
  • Way of St. Francis to Assisi
• California Missions Trail
  • Beginners Guide to the California Missions Trail
  • California Missions Facebook Group
  • California Missions Trail GPS File Downloads
  • Sandy Brown's California Missions YouTube Series
• Kevin's Pilgrimage Routes
  • Camino de Santiago
  • California Missions Trail
  • England's Pilgrims' Way
  • Via Francigena

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW ONLINE:

• Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com
• Stream the Video Podcast on YouTube 
• Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal
• Connect on Facebook
• View on Instagram

MEET OUR GUEST:  SANDY BROWN

Sanford “Sandy” Brown is a writer, pilgrim walker, and tour leader from Seattle, Washington USA. He is Associate Publisher at Cicerone Press, where he focuses on international pilgrim trails. Since 2008, Sandy has walked over 10,000 kilometers along the routes of the Camino de Santiago, the Via di Francesco, and the Via Francigena. Sandy shares his insights and tales from his journies on his eponymous YouTube channel. 

His latest guidebook, the Camino de Santiago: Camino Francés was released in January 2020 by Cicerone Press. Prior to that, he wrote the popular guidebook The Way of St Francis: from Florence to Assisi and Rome.  His latest work on the Via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome is scheduled to be published in three parts, with the first available in 2021. 

MEET THE HOST:  Kevin Donahue

Husband. Father. Backpacker. Pilgrim. Author.

In 2019, Kevin Donahue set off from his home in the United States to begin a pilgrimage journey spanning both years and miles, walking across continents to the ancient end of the world, to kneel at the tombs of eight Apostles. Available for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal, is Kevin's first-hand account of the people and places found along the way to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

Connect with Kevin online through his blog (One Step Then Another)  or Facebook Page (@sacredstepsbook).

BOOK: 

Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal

Available from print and digital booksellers for Easter 2022, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal is the first-person account of a reluctant pilgrim navigating the eternal questions of faith while walking along the world’s revered paths. The book follows one man’s journey through Portugal and Spain on the Camino de Santiago, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean connecting California’s Missions Trail, across England’s ancient Pilgrims’ Way, and onward towards Rome via Europe’s forgotten footpaths on a journey of soulful discovery. More than a travelogue, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal recalls a pilgrim's journey and the people and places he finds to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

Podcast Homepage - sacredstepspodcast.com

Author Kevin Donahue (http://ThePilgrimsTable.com) introduces the Sacred Steps Podcast, available on your podcast app for Apple and Google, on Spotify and Stitcher, and as an online video stream at YouTube.  

A companion to Kevin's pilgrimage journeys and books (The Pilgrims Table | Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal), the Sacred Steps Podcast walks virtually alongside authors and pilgrims, connecting a community of pilgrims from across the globe.  

Press "SUBSCRIBE" to have upcoming episodes downloaded automatically to your app. To join the podcast as a guest or share suggestions for an upcoming episode, please visit www.sacredstepspodcast.com

DISCUSSIONS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Sacred Steps Podcast
• Leave a Voice Message for the Podcast
• BOOK:   The Pilgrims' Table
• BOOK:  Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal
• YOUTUBE:   CAMINO 101 Beginner's Vidoes

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW ONLINE:

• WWW:  sacredstepspodcast.com
• FACEBOOK:  Connect on Facebook
• YOUTUBE:  Stream the Video Podcast on YouTube  
• INSTAGRAM:  View on Instagram

MEET THE HOST:  Kevin Donahue

Husband. Father. Backpacker. Pilgrim. Author.

Kevin Donahue began walking pilgrimage routes in 2019, joining the historical footprints of pilgrims seeking places and people to inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love. His passion for these historic footpaths and reflections from the journeys form the basis for his books: Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal and The Pilgrims’ Table.

Kevin's pilgrimage walks include: Camino de Santiago, Via Francigena, California Missions Trail, Way of St. Cuthbert to Holy Island, and England's Pilgrims Way to Canterbury

BOOKS BY KEVIN DONAHUE: 

Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal | Free Preview

At the crossroads of history and faith, a reluctant pilgrim embarks on a modern pilgrimage along some of the world’s most revered footpaths. Along the way, he discovers the places and encounters people that inspire questions and enlighten answers about faith, hope, and love.

Available from print and digital booksellers, Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage Journal conveys both the historical context and the modern experience of pilgrimage through Portugal and Spain on the Camino de Santiago, along America’s Pacific Coast connecting the California Missions Trail, across receding tides to Holy Island, from London to Canterbury along Britain’s historic Pilgims’ Way, and onward towards Rome via Europe’s Via Francigena on a journey of discovery.

The Pilgrims’ Table | Free Preview
Brought together by fate for a memorable dinner, five pilgrims recall their emotional journeys along Spain’s Camino de Santiago. Powerful and moving, The Pilgrims’ Table is an emotional look at the transformational power of pilgrimage.

Born from the intersection of my experiences with those of other pilgrims,  The Pilgims’ Table is the story of five pilgrims from divergent paths who come together at a Spanish albergue. The deeply personal stories shared over dinner transform their outlook on pilgrimage and connect them as one pilgrim family.