Walking in faith: Rob’s pilgrimage for CAFOD
On Sunday 2 March, Rob set out on an incredible walk from Brentwood Cathedral to Westminster Cathedral – a 26-mile pilgrimage along the Elizabeth line, which he works on. This challenge is part of Rob’s ‘Virtual Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage’, a personal commitment to walk 744km from 14 January until Holy Saturday, all while raising funds for CAFOD’s vital work supporting communities worldwide.
Rob began his journey at 7.38 am from Brentwood Cathedral, where he was blessed and sent off by Fr John Harvey and CAFOD Community Coordinator Chris Driscoll. He was accompanied by friends Dan and Tony, with Alice, Roger and Luca joining him later in the afternoon as part of his own Big Lent Walk. Blessed with sunshine, the group visited various churches along the route until they reached Westminster Cathedral at 6.30 pm in time for evening Mass.
Reflecting on the challenge, Rob said:
“Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus endured unspeakable pain and was put to death. The pain during the walk was nothing compared to that day. I am proud to bear my cross and bring awareness to the vital work CAFOD does around this broken world.”
A journey of faith
Rob’s story is one of unexpected rediscovery of faith. Raised in the Church of England, he attended services as a child but gradually drifted away. Before last year, he hadn’t stepped inside a church since his son’s birth in 2017.
Everything changed in 2024 during a trip to Barcelona. While visiting Santa Maria del Pi, a 15th-century Gothic church, Rob experienced a profound moment of clarity.
“I’d been wanting to visit a church for a while. I wasn’t sure why. But as soon as I stepped inside, I felt like a burden had been lifted, as if someone had removed heavy armour I’d been carrying. I knelt in the chapel and simply said, ‘Tell me what you want from me.’ You could say it was a religious experience.”
That moment stayed with him. Months later, prompted by his fiancée and son, Rob decided to return to attend St Mary & St Helen’s Cathedral in Brentwood. He was warmly welcomed by his local priest, Fr John Harvey, and, since June, attends Mass every Sunday. Rob is now undertaking his RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) and has also founded a community on X who pray the rosary together every night at 10pm, and who have supported him through his conversion.
“Finding God and becoming Catholic has been one of the best things to happen in my life. I’d been yearning for something more, and I finally found it.”
Walking with purpose
Since reconnecting with his faith, Rob has been determined to give back to the community that has given him so much. His Virtual Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage is a testament to this commitment.
This journey will culminate in a deeply symbolic moment. The final 10 metres of the pilgrimage will be walked down the aisle of Brentwood Cathedral during the Easter Vigil Mass, where he will be confirmed into the Catholic Church.
“Taking on this challenge while preparing for my confirmation felt like the right thing to do. It’s a way to test my faith and put it into action. Fundraising for CAFOD allows me to support communities affected by conflict and poverty. I want to make a difference and hope to raise at least £1,000.”
A pilgrim of hope
Like many Catholics, Rob is embarking on a pilgrimage of faith during the Jubilee Year of 2025. At first, he wasn’t familiar with the Jubilee, but a Catholic friend explained Pope Francis’ call for Catholics to be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.
“My RCIA sponsor told me that, by taking on this challenge, I’m embodying exactly what Pope Francis is asking us to do. I guess he’s right – I’m honoured to be a Pilgrim of Hope this year.”
Determined to complete his challenge, Rob is continuing to take on long-distance walks throughout Lent and is joining his local parish to participate in the Big Lent Walk. His next major pilgrimage will take place on Saturday 22 March when he and his friends will embark on a 40-mile trek from Brentwood Cathedral to St Peter-on-the-Wall in Bradwell-on-Sea, one of England’s most spiritual sites.
If you’d like to support Rob’s Virtual Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage or follow his journey, visit his fundraising page.