Katherine Murphy, fourth-grade teacher at the Rosarian Academy in West Palm Beach, is spending her summer fulfilling a dream — walking more than 500 miles on a religious pilgrimage called the Camino de Santiago de Compostela (the Way of St. James).
Traveling with her brother, Michael, and carrying everything they need in their backpacks, they plan to finish the journey in about 30 to 35 days. The pilgrimage dates back to medieval times.
“Completing the Camino has been on my dream list, and I feel like there have been several signs from God calling me to walk the Camino this summer,” Murphy said. “One of these was in working in fourth grade and discovering that I would be teaching a unit on Europe in the Middle Ages, including medieval religious pilgrimages. I look forward to returning and sharing this experience with my students.”
The sibling pair left on their European adventure on June 11 and started the Camino pilgrimage June 21 in France and will continue across northern Spain to the cathedral in Santiago, where the apostle St. James is buried.
The Rosarian Academy educates students in early childhood through eighth grade. For more info., visit www.rosarian.org.
ABOVE: Katherine Murphy and Michael Murphy on a practice hike in Okeeheelee Park.
