WALKING THE RAMPARTS
A Pilgrimage with Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross
June 11 – 21, 2025
Avila and Toledo, Spain
Join Pilgrimage Leaders Jackson Droney and Bryan Berghoef to delve deeper into the interior castle of your life, trusting that God is at work in each of us.
Well and good if all things change, O Lord God, provided I am rooted in You. – John of the Cross
Free Info Sessions
Join pilgrimage leaders Jackson Droney and Bryan Berghoef on Zoom to discern about the rightness of this pilgrimage for you. Choose a date below to register in advance.
We are living in turbulent times – a time full of “sacred upheavals.”
Our world continues to face numerous challenges on the other side of a global pandemic. Racial injustice, police brutality, gun violence, and environmental deterioration all weigh heavily. Economic and social changes abound. Political life and institutional life seem stuck. We are left wondering: how can we go forward? Where do we go from here?
Perhaps the answer is “Go deeper.”
God remains active amid all the loss, grief, and stuck places – in our personal as well as our communal lives. Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross remind us that detachment and delving deeper are the ways of the contemplative. Their teachings on spiritual deepening and the dark night of the soul have stood as contemplative guideposts for nearly five centuries. They challenge us to let go of old assumptions and temptations, of what is comfortable and familiar. Their wisdom about following God suggests a way through the impasses of our times. And beautifully, it is not something we have to work harder to attain. They invite us to experience “infused contemplation” – that which is received, not manufactured.
We invite you to join us in the sacred city of Ávila, Spain to learn from Teresa as we walk the same city walls she knew, as well as the ramparts of the interior castle of our lives. And in historic Toledo, one of Spain’s World Heritage Cities, we will turn to John and consider the communal dark nights of the present, while surrounded by the deep history of that place. Reflecting on our inner and communal journeys, we will embrace a pilgrim’s spirit of discovery and be open to what is and who we are.
Look inside: what do you see? As you look outside, how are you noticing and experiencing a dark night in this present moment? What might you release? Spiritual practice helps us see that life and our journeys are not binary—either/or, good/bad. And so, as we journey through the communal dark night, may we hear Teresa and John’s invitation to embrace the nighttime, personally and communally, while trusting that the dawn awaits.
PILGRIMAGE ITINERARY
WALKING THE RAMPARTS PILGRIMAGE ITINERARY: ZOOM GATHERINGS
The pilgrimage leaders will hold three monthly orientation meetings (via Zoom) with the pilgrim community. These meetings will be held at 7:00 PM Eastern on March 16, April 13, and May 18, 2025. Attendance at these 90-minute orientation meetings is required as they will provide a space to check in, offer important logistical information, and support the spiritual development of our pilgrim community. There is also an Optional Travel Meeting for Registered Pilgrims on January 5, 2025.
WALKING THE RAMPARTS PILGRIMAGE ITINERARY: ONSITE/IN-PERSON
Day One
Wednesday, June 11: Arrival in Avila
We gather at our lodging in Avila, Spain in the late afternoon, beginning with an opening circle of introductions and setting our intentions for the journey ahead.
Days Two through Five
Thursday, June 12 – Sunday, June 15: Avila
We spend four days in Avila exploring the interior castles of our lives and walking in the footsteps of St. Teresa. Time will be spent in seminars, listening circles, and opportunities to experience the Holy’s presence in some of Avila’s most well-known sites. Pilgrims will also have ample free time, and one of these days will be spent in silence to reflect on our personal deepening with the Holy.
Day Six
Monday, June 16: Travel to Toledo
Pilgrims will have a “free day” in Avila before traveling by bus to Toledo in the late afternoon.
Days Seven through Ten
Tuesday, June 17 – Friday, June 20: Toledo
We spend four full days in Toledo exploring St. John’s teaching on Dark Night of the Soul and what it may mean for our communal journey. This time will include seminars, listening circles, and opportunities to experience the Holy in some of this ancient city’s historic sites.
Day Eleven
Saturday, June 21: Departure
Pilgrims depart for home.
“The pilgrimage provided ample space for me to do important inner work, on my own and with others in the community. I remember now who and whose I am. And as a result, I have re-entered the world with fresh eyes and a gentler heart. I have been challenged to embrace and prayerfully traverse the dark nights and impasses within my own life, the Church, and the nation.”
-Caitlan Gartland, past pilgrim
PILGRIMAGE LEADERS
BRYAN BERGHOEF
Bryan Berghoef is the pastor at Holland UCC in Holland, Michigan, where he lives with his wife Christy and their four children…
He is a graduate of Shalem’s Going Deeper: Clergy Spiritual Life and Leadership Program and previously co-led a Shalem pilgrimage to Iona. Bryan is also the author of Pub Theology: Beer, Conversation and God. He is a co-leader of Walking the Ramparts: A Pilgrimage with Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross.
JACKSON DRONEY
Jackson Droney is Shalem’s Director of Operations and Online Learning, overseeing Shalem’s finances, HR, online courses, and all the nuts and bolts that make Shalem hum…
He loves discerning with others how organizations can identify and live more deeply into their purpose, and is excited to be part of organization development work at Shalem. Jackson is a graduate of Shalem’s Personal Spiritual Deepening Program, Young Adult Life and Leadership Initiative (known now as Crossing the Threshold), and Soul of Leadership program. Prior to working at Shalem, Jackson spent several years working in federal politics, as a staffer on Capitol Hill and as a lobbyist for not-for-profit electric utilities. He holds a B.A. from Syracuse University and a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management from Georgetown University. At Shalem, Jackson also serves on the faculty of the Crossing the Threshold program and leads Shalem pilgrimages to Spain. He is a student at Luther Seminary and is a candidate for pastoral ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
COST
$3,200 per person, double occupancy
Single room: $400 additional and subject to availability
Included in the Pilgrimage Fee:
- Nightly lodging
- Breakfast each morning
- Dinner (except one night)
- Bus transportation from Avila to Toledo, and from Toledo to Madrid Barajas Airport on the morning of June 21 (for those who want it)
- Tickets for entry to historical sites that are part of the programed itinerary
The price does not include:
- Airfare to and from Spain; ground transportation to Avila
- Lunch
- Dinner one night
- Tickets for entry to sites not part of the pilgrimage itinerary that pilgrims may wish to visit on their free time
Payment Schedule:
Due upon application: $500 non-refundable deposit
Due on February 15, 2025: First installment of $1350
Due on March 15, 2025: Second installment of $1350
Due on March 15, 2025: $400 single room supplement for pilgrims who will be staying in a single room
Cancellation policy:
If you must cancel your reservation, refunds will be made as follows: cancellations received on or before March 5, 2025: 100% of monies received minus $500 non-refundable deposit; cancellations received between March 6 and April 12, 2025 50% of monies received minus $500 non-refundable deposit; no refunds will be made for cancellations received after April 12, 2025. Shalem reserves the right to cancel the pilgrimage for any reason, in which case you will receive a full refund of all monies paid.
APPLY NOW
Application deadline: 2/1/25
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Christine (Chris) Jeffrey is the Registrar for the Walking the Ramparts Pilgrimage and can be contacted at chris@shalem.org.