Sister Maggie walking the Camino Nova Scotia
July 2, 2026, marked my 60th year as a Sister of St. Joseph. Reflecting on the significance of this time, the many blessings and graces, the challenges, rich experiences, the ups and downs of ordinary life, I wanted to experience a different kind of retreat. A friend told me about Camino Nova Scotia. Once I Googled the site, I knew this was exactly what I had on my heart to do. The pilgrimage would be an opportunity for personal growth, and spiritual nourishment, as well as a physical challenge. For me it would involve a willingness to let go of my need for control and surrender to the unfolding of each new day.
Camino Nova Scotia is sponsored by the Atlantic School of Theology. Dr. Rob Fennell, of the Atlantic School of Theology was aware that many people he knew would have loved to walk the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain, but finances, employment, and family responsibilities were often real barriers. Thus, Camino Nova Scotia was born, using trails in beautiful Nova Scotia. After exploring former rail tracks that were now walking trails in the province, four trails were chosen as suitable for a pilgrimage experience.
Sister Maggie training at the Rec Centre
At the beginning of March 2026, I registered to be a pilgrim walking the South Shore from Bedford, Nova Scotia to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. It would be a 6-day experience with 5.5 days of walking. I began training March 18th at our indoor walking track in Hay River, Northwest Territories. When I first started, I could walk only 35 minutes before I needed to stop. Gradually I was able to walk for one hour easily. I did not concentrate on distance but on endurance. I soon realized that as my endurance improved, so did the distance. I trained every second day from March 18th indoors until our snow and ice finally left the first of May. Then I could walk outside!
Listening to my body, especially my arthritic knees, wearing excellent hiking sneakers and Merino wool lightweight socks, eating healthy snacks and drinking sufficient water, kept me in shape to advance my progress. On May 18th I walked my longest distance of 7.5 km in 2.5 hours.
Leaving from Yellowknife
I flew from Yellowknife, NT to Halifax, NS on July 3rd. I was filled with mixed emotions. Joy, expectation, apprehension, excitement, openness, were a bundle of emotions. I was overwhelmed with the support of prayers, encouragement and positive energy from my Sisters in community and friends. I knew I would be okay!
Fellow pilgrims on the journey
Our first day together was July 5th, 2026. 13 pilgrims gathered in Bedford with a supportive team of three. I knew no one. There is a saying that “Strangers are friends we have not met”. How true! The bond that developed among us during the week was amazing.
Each day we were up at 7 am. A healthy breakfast was ready, supplies to make our lunch were laid out, and our sleeping gear and belongings packed and put in the cargo van. At 8:30 we gathered for morning prayer, singing hymns, and a short reflection. Then we went to the trail to begin our walk. That day I managed 14.5 km and the next day 23 km. Usually walking about 6 hours each day, stopping for lunch at our leisure, walking at our own pace, we arrived at our place of rest for the night. We slept in churches along the way. Each evening at 8:30 we gathered for prayer and sharing how our day unfolded. Then lights out at 10 pm.
My camino companion, Victoria
I was by far the slowest walker and Victoria from Ontario walked with me. We had wonderful conversation and sometimes walked in silence. The scenery was beautiful including wildflowers, lakes and rivers, a mother doe and her fawn. One day as we walked, coming down an incline were a group of children from a day home, running and waving at us, big smiles on their faces and full of young energy. This was the last sight we ever thought we would encounter! I must say that the children gave us new energy!
I had decided to walk very intentionally for specific persons in my life who are experiencing challenges of one kind or another in their lives. These folks helped me to walk as I prayed with each step.
Completing the Camino Nova Scotia
Our last evening, Keith, who led the prayer sessions reflected how all week we had been gathering pollen through what we saw, conversations we shared walking, being together at meals and helping each other whether with encouraging words or helping to roll sleeping bags and sleeping mats. Then Keith asked, ”What is the honey that you will make with this pollen as you leave from here?“
And that is the question I take to prayer these days. The experience will stay with me weaving in and out of my prayer, my ministry, and relationships.
-Sister Maggie Beaudette, CSJ
Photo Credits: Maggie Beaudette, Joy Waterbury