Michael Rucker | Finding hope on the Camino

My friend Bill Artz is an American pilgrim who has developed a love for the Camino and finds later in life that he has a talent for poetry. What a wonderful gift to discover and YOU will discover some of Bill’s poems in this week’s episode. We also talk about Bill’s role in the American Pilgrims on the Camino and how APoC helps communities on the Camino though a special grants program funded by events and members. The 2027 American Pilgrims on the Camino Annual Gathering is being held in Estella Spain, June 1-4 next year.

The Australian Friends of the Camino does a wonderful job brining pilgrims together, not just in Australia, but all around the world. Its members volunteer in albergues, it provides advice and support for pilgrims and the board and members epitomise what pilgrimage is all about - love and light. I was lucky enough to be asked to chair a panel discussion on the opening night of the Australian Friends of the Camino on Queensland's Sunshine Coast last weekend.

Dave Newlin was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, but he decided his condition was not going to stop him walking the Camino. This is a wonderful story about resilience, believing you can, support from those you love, and believing that the best is yet to come. I loved this interview, and I know you will too.

Deb and Justin Hansen have written Meriam & Oden's Guide to Walking The Camino. It's written from the perspective of their underwear! It's a light-hearted and fun look at what can make or break your Camino - and a playful and insightful take on the ancient pilgrimage. Much has been written about walking the Camino de Santiago..but never from the dark, murky and sometimes dangerous perspective of a Pilgrims’ underpants. You can find your copy of the book here

Australian Lisa Sweeney is a two-time Camino pilgrim who never really felt like she belonged. Of Irish decent, Lisa and her husband decided to walk the National Famine Way in Ireland and it changed her life forever, she'd found where she belongs. The National Famine Way is a 165km pilgrimage walking in the footsteps of 1490 men, women and children forced off their land and sent abroad during the Potato Famine in the 1840s. This is a wonderful discussion about history, its impact on us and the world. You can find the National Famine Way here.

Stacey Wittig is an American pilgrim, writer, and spiritual traveller - her new book A Spiritual Guide to the Camino Francés: Sacred Places Christian Pilgrims Don't Want to Miss, is not just another Camino guide, it's an opportunity to learn more about what we walk past on the Camino. Every year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims walk the Camino Francés, and along the way, they pass ancient churches, chapels, monasteries, and sacred sites—often without realizing the spiritual depth these places have held for Christian pilgrims for centuries.Stacey's book is a place-based companion for pilgrims who want to walk with greater awareness, intention, and reverence. There are reflections to do each day, journalling prompts, prayers, passages from the Bible and directions to the places on the Camino you simply must see. You can find Stacey's new book here

Michael Rucker was a highly acclaimed music industry executive - and he knew his life was broken. He decided to start to walk, and walking led him to the Camino and a slow repair that has brought him untold joy. This is a wonderful conversation about finding hope on the Camino, learning to trust your heart and allowing God to bring you home. Michael's new book Under a Canopy of Grapes - Letting Go and Coming Home on the Camino de Santiago is out now. You can find it here

Canadian pilgrim Rocco Rossi has walked 23 Caminos. Today, he launched his first novel, a book set on the Camino called "Finding Grace". I loved it and you will too. In this episode of My Camino - the Podcast, Rocco and I talk about how and why we're drawn to the Camino, the process of writing, and we discuss Grace - both the concept and the character. You can find Rocco's book here

This week we launched our musical Camino for 2027. We're walking from Leon to Santiago de Compostela and it will be a trip of a lifetime. All the details are at my website. To launch I spoke with the American pilgrim Theresa Okamoto and my younger sister Amanda Mullins about their experiences. It's all about stepping out of your comfort zone to discover what's possible. Join us in 2027 for the trip of a lifetime!

Genevieve Quigley is Editor of Sunday Life, the magazine in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. Gen wrote a few weeks back about walking the Camino with some friends. I knew I had to interview her. We were joined by her friend Tara Trehy, who was the group's organiser and spreadsheet pilgrim. This interview is a great reminder not to judge, not to have pre-conceived ideas of what's right and wrong, but rather to find your own pilgrimage - on the Camino and in life. You can find Gen's article here