Father Michael Tate’s Huon Valley pilgrimage now a world-wide phenomenon
It was started eight years ago by a Catholic priest and now it has spread across the world. Find out why it is so popular.
Tasmania
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A Tasmanian Catholic priest says it is “amazing” a local pilgrimage – an antidote against a “loneliness epidemic” – has become a world-wide phenomenon.
Father Michael Tate AO, who founded the Way to St James pilgrimage through the Huon Valley, said this year’s event had already sold out after reaching its capacity of 180 people with about 120 from interstate.
He said 900 people had registered from 24 countries around the world for a global pilgrimage held on the same weekend in January.
“I think we’re living in dark times, sometimes at a personal level, but as a society, I think in Australia there’s a restlessness,” Father Tate said.
“People know something is wrong. I think our social, communal life is breaking down with extreme individualism.
“We come together for great moments like watching that opening batsman at the MCG, either in person or on television, sport, brings us together, but there seems to be a scourge of loneliness.
“People find that on the pilgrimage, whilst they have time for quiet walking and just enjoying the natural beauty and meditating on that at the same time, it has a solidarity.
“The solidarity is not only with the pilgrims who are walking with them but with 1000 pilgrims in 24 countries who are walking the global pilgrimage at the same time.”
Father Tate said the theme of the walk, was “natural beauty contours the soul” and it had struck a chord.
“The word has got around the various networks and people are coming to Tasmania, for that experience, and then they add other things and it’s good for our tourism economy,” he said.
“And where could you get better natural beauty than the Huon Valley and walking alongside cherry orchards in full production.”
The two-day Way to St James pilgrimage is inspired by, and modelled on, the famous Camino de Santiago in Spain, and was first held in 2016.
The Global Camino began in 2021 during the Covid pandemic, as a response to the cancellation of the local pilgrimage.
Last year 800 participants took part in the Global Camino, walking in 48 countries.
Father Tate said walking alongside others in solidarity, provided an important antidote against the “loneliness epidemic” of the modern world.
“Pilgrimage takes you out of the ordinary run of life and sets your heart alight to a different rhythm,” he said.
“We ask participants to walk in a meditative way, to allow the beauty of nature to contour the soul.
“Very few would be able to beat us for world-wide notoriety.
“It’s just amazing that our little Tasmanian pilgrimage has now become a world-wide phenomenon.
“It’s fantastic, it’s unbelievable.”
The 30km pilgrimage starts at Mountain River on January 11 and finishes at St James Church in Cygnet the next day.
Originally published as Father Michael Tate’s Huon Valley pilgrimage now a world-wide phenomenon
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