By Violeta Rocha
Special to The Texas Catholic
For years, the St. Cecilia Catholic Parish community has prayed the Stations of the Cross inside the church. This Lent, a group of parishioners took that devotion a step further, walking 100 kilometers — an average of about 13 miles a day — over six days in Spain. Their goal: to help make a long-held dream a reality by building an outdoor Stations of the Cross garden at the parish.
Leading the pilgrimage are Estela Valdez, principal of St. Cecilia Catholic School, and Lydia Torrez, the school’s advancement consultant. It marks the third time the two women have walked the Camino de Santiago, a network of historic pilgrimage routes across Europe that converge at the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, home to the tomb of the Apostle James the Greater.
“Walking the Camino is a very meaningful journey,” Torrez said. “It gives me the chance to step back, reflect on my blessings, and thank God for his creation and for the wonderful people we meet along the way.”
Joy and gratitude
The pair’s first pilgrimage, in spring 2022, raised $50,000 to renovate the grotto of Our Lady of Fatima at the school. This year, the group — now seven members — hopes to raise $5,000 to support construction of a new outdoor Stations of the Cross.
The pilgrims planned to meet in Villalba, northeast of Santiago, to walk the Northern Way, a route through Galicia that will take them across five stages through scenic rural landscapes.
Torrez said she was especially excited to follow in the footsteps of the Apostle James, as well as to see Roman ruins, small chapels along the route, and devotional offerings left behind by past pilgrims.
The pilgrimage began March 16 and concludes March 21.
A parish priest’s blessing
Father Cruz Calderón, pastor of St. Cecilia, expressed gratitude for the project.
“Walking the Way and praying the Stations of the Cross outside the church helps us remember all the love Jesus has for us,” he said. “When life is difficult, walking with Jesus gives us strength — not to highlight our weakness but to embrace the strength he provides.”
The planned outdoor Stations of the Cross will feature 12 statues, each about three feet tall, arranged around the parish garden. Father Calderón hopes they can be installed as soon as possible.
Those wishing to support the pilgrims’ fundraising efforts can donate at stceciliacatholic.org/el-camino.
Editor’s note: A version of this story first appeared in the March 2026 print edition of Revista Católica Dallas, the official Spanish-language magazine of the Diocese of Dallas.
Cutline for featured image: St. Cecilia Catholic School’s Estela Valdez, left, and Lydia Torrez have trained with the St. Cecilia Catholic Parish community over recent months for the 100-kilometer walk they will make March 16–21, marking their third time on the Camino de Santiago. (MARÍA OLIVAS/Special Contributor)
