If you're having trouble viewing this email, you cansee it online.
American Pilgrims Newsletter
May 2026
2027 Gathering Scheduled for Estella, Spain
We are delighted to share that our 2027 Annual Gathering will take place June 1-4 in Estella, Spain—along the Camino Francés—during a Jacobean Holy Year. This is more than a Gathering, it is a chance to be on the Camino together.
Invited by our longtime partners, Los Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Estella-Lizarra, we will step into the living rhythm of pilgrimage: walking ancient paths, sharing meals, and experiencing Acogida Jacobea—the spirit of welcome that has sustained pilgrims for centuries. Imagine time on the trail with fellow pilgrims, followed by evenings of music, conversation, and shared community.
While this Gathering will feel new, you will still recognize the traditions that shape our time together: learning, shared rituals, and a deep sense of connection.
Join us because moments like this are rare. To experience the Camino in community—during a Holy Year, alongside those who care for it every day—is an opportunity few pilgrims have. Whether you’ve walked many miles or are just beginning to feel the call, this Gathering offers connection, meaning, and belonging.
We know you may have questions. We invite you to explore the full announcement and FAQs for details on travel and participation. More information will be available soon. We hope you’ll consider joining us for this unforgettable shared journey.
Buen Camino!
Allison & Tom, 2027 Gathering Co-Chairs
2026 Gathering Gratitude
A Letter from the 2026 Gathering Committee Co-Chairs
Dear Pilgrims,
This year, the 2026 Gathering welcomed nearly 300 pilgrims from 33 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and countries around the world—including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands, France, and Spain—truly reflecting the global spirit of the Camino.
This year’s theme—Echoes from the Camino: The Gifts We Carry. The Gifts We Share.—came alive in every corner of the Gathering. Through inspiring presentations, creative expression, music, film, and heartfelt storytelling, we explored how the Camino continues to echo in our lives long after we return home.
This year’s program featured an incredible mix of new voices and returning favorites. We were thrilled to welcome first-time Gathering presenters like Kathryn Barush, Casa Susi’s Susi & Fermín, and the inspiring “Walking American Couple,” alongside beloved returning favorites like Adam Wells, Maryjane Dunn, and George Greenia. Many more voices shared gifts of service, creativity, healing, faith, and connection. Amy and Dave Donselar moved their focus from behind-the-scenes to the main stage when they shared their experience of service while serving as hospitaleros at Betania in Pamplona.
This year also introduced exciting new traditions. Second Breakfast / Café con Leche quickly became a favorite daily ritual—bringing pilgrims together over coffee and sweet treats between sessions. Hospitality throughout the weekend was elevated with Spanish-inspired culinary experiences, including our Welcome Reception, Hora del Vermut, and the vibrant Mercado del Camino Happy Hour and Camino de los Sellos.
Most importantly, this Gathering was powered by volunteers.
Pilgrims serving pilgrims is what makes this event so special. From registration and hospitality to AV, transportation, community service, and behind-the-scenes logistics, hundreds of volunteer hours made this Gathering possible.
Special thanks to the Austin Chapter, Capital Area Chapter, and Albuquerque Chapter, whose extraordinary efforts and visible spirit helped make the weekend shine.
At its heart, the Gathering is about connection.
It is about reunions and new friendships, especially for the 87 pilgrims attending their very first Gathering, many of whom arrived as strangers and left as family.
It is about shared stories and shared meals.
It is about laughter, tears, music, prayer, and inspiration.
And it is about hearing the echoes of the Camino in one another.
Thank you to every presenter, volunteer, donor, entertainer, vendor, chapter leader, and attendee who made the 2026 Gathering of Pilgrims such a meaningful success.
Until we gather again—
Buen Camino,
Martin & Rachel, 2026 Gathering Co-Chairs
2026 Gathering Montage
Record-Breaking Year for Grants
In 2026, we are delighted to report grant funding for 23 vital infrastructure projects totaling $179,600 that will honor our mission to give back to Camino communities that have given us so much.
This funding reaches across the diverse tapestry of the Camino de Santiago, from the beloved Francés to the rugged Primitivo and “The Forgotten Way”—the Olvidado—ensuring the yellow arrows remain clear and the spirit of hospitality stays vibrant.
These often-modest projects make a huge difference in the daily lives of pilgrims and go far beyond simple dollars; they represent the relationships we build with associations that steward the Camino in-country, and ensure we are doing our part to support the Way for generations to come.
In 2026, high-impact projects include:
Structural improvements in albergues: bathroom renovations in Frómista and Sahagún, heating & cooling upgrades in Bordeaux, a new water heater for the monastery in Carbajal, updated windows in Astorga Paz y Bien, and roof repairs at La Divina Pastora in Burgos;
Interior upgrades: 65 mattress replacements in Oviedo along with the purchase of new mattresses at albergues on the Camino Primitivo and Camino de Argar, kitchen and community room improvements on the Camino Mozárabe Sanabrés;
Pathway safety: improved way-marking and the repair of a foot bridge on the Camino Olvidado;
Camino accessibility: the purchase of a new adaptable bicycle to enable pilgrims with disabilities to experience the magic of the trail.
This grants cycle marks a continued step forward in a Grants Program established in 2008 with a single $10,000 grant to an albergue on the Via de la Plata. Since that time and thanks to our members’ generosity, more than $1,000,000 has been donated to fund approximately 200 infrastructure projects in Spain, Portugal, and France.
We are grateful to 20 bilingual American Pilgrims members who reviewed applications against a set of criteria that helps us evaluate need and impact. We also thank the Grants Committee members for their many hours of dedicated work to advance our mission to give back to the Camino de Santiago.
Our funding comes from the generous donations of American pilgrims like you and your dues. ¡Gracias por todo!
Grantee Spotlight - DisCamino
In 2026, American Pilgrims is donating $10,000 to DisCamino de Santiago for the purchase of a new bicycle adapted for pilgrims with disabilities.
This bicycle will be added to the fleet of bicycles and tricycles that DisCamino already utilizes to enable pilgrims with disabilities to experience the Camino. In 2025, DisCamino helped 150 pilgrims with mobility issues arrive in Santiago from various routes including the Plata, Portugués, Francés, and Primitivo. DisCamino has been operating for 16 years and has received American Pilgrims funding in the past, helping more than 800 pilgrims with disabilities arrive joyfully in Santiago.
American Pilgrims interested in volunteering with DisCamino are encouraged to send an email to discamino@discamino.orgor a WhatsApp message to Javier Pitillas at +34 618241124.
Meet the Board: Allison Venuto
As my board term comes to a close this year, I find myself both reflective and deeply grateful. Serving on this board has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my life. This time brought me the privilege of working alongside some of the most dedicated, thoughtful pilgrims who believe in our mission and show up – again and again – to make our mission possible.
Being termed out does not mean I am leaving as I remain committed as ever to our work, our impact and our future. I look forward to staying actively involved in new ways. One way you’ll still find me involved is by helping create opportunities for pilgrims to connect with each other, including co-chairing the 2027 Gathering.
If there is one thing my board service has affirmed, it’s that involvement matters. Whether you volunteer your expertise, join a committee, mentor a new pilgrim or someday consider board service yourself, your engagement truly shapes what we can accomplish together. You don’t need to have all the answers – a willingness to care and contribute keep our pilgrim spirit alive.
I encourage each of you to find a way to lean in a little more. There is room for your voice, your skills, and your leadership here.
Thank you for the trust you’ve placed in me, for the friendships formed, and for the meaningful work we continue to do side by side. I am excited to cheer on the next chapter – with you.
Buen Camino! Allison
Camino Diplomacy is Alive and Well
The American Pilgrims Board of Directors welcomed leaders of associations from France, Netherlands, Canada, and Spain to the 2026 Gathering to discuss pilgrim support and ways to enhance the pilgrimage experience. We received several letters of thanks, including this note below.
Dear Friends and Fellow Members of American Pilgrims:
Once again, it was a joy to see you all. I would like to express my gratitude for the wonderful days we spent at Mo Ranch and for all your kindness and hospitality while we were there. We always feel right at home.
Witnessing that pilgrim spirit during those four days gives us the energy to continue our work on the Camino upon our return home.
We will meet some of you in Palencia, where we will have the opportunity to greet one another again; as for the rest, we are sure to see you again in Estella.
Warmest regards, Juan Carlos Pérez
President, International Fraternity of the Camino de Santiago (FICS)
Lunch with the American Pilgrims Board and International Colleagues
Seeking a Volunteer with WordPress Experience
We are looking to add to our technology team and need someone with significant experience using WordPress. Experience with image management, and creating and updating pages/posts is a must. It's a bonus if you have experience with plug-ins, creating patterns, and configuring blocks. Our short-term need involves assisting the team with a content migration. This could involve up to 20 hours over the next six weeks. But we would also appreciate ongoing help with content updates and the quarterly go-live of La Concha articles.
We are grateful to the many volunteers who donated their time and talent to the 2026 Gathering beginning with organizing the San Antonio Mission Walk, your tremendous on-site support, and not ending until you waved good-bye as the last bus pulled out of Mo Ranch. While we may not be able to name all of you here, you have our heartfelt thanks for your selfless and smiling service.
You brought the magic so thank you!
La Concha Publication Schedule Update
Team La Concha has made a change to its upcoming publication schedule for the 2026 editorial year. This change is necessary to allow American Pilgrims web volunteers to focus on time-critical website maintenance and webhosting transition priorities.
As a result, the previously planned Spring 2026 La Concha will be published instead as a Summer 2026 issue, likely in late June. La Concha's original 2026 editorial calendar had a summer issue planned for release in early August, an autumn issue in early November, and a winter issue in early 2027. With the upcoming issue shifting to a mid-summer release, we will eliminate the subsequent issue planned for release in August, and then we will move up publication of the autumn issue to earlier in the season.
Watch for the next issue of La Concha coming this summer; in that issue, we will provide details on the Autumn 2026 issue submission deadlines and theme.
Thanks for your understanding and flexibility as the organization navigates this webhosting transition. Please direct any questions about the schedule change to laconcha@americanpilgrims.org.
Madrid Albergue Available to Hospitaleros Traveling To or From Service
The Albergue de Comendadoras de Santiago opened in Madrid last year to serve international pilgrims passing through the city on their way to or from their Caminos. Reservations can also be made by those on their way to or from hospitalero service.
The Madrid albergue project received significant financial support from American Pilgrims on the Camino. More information about the reservation process can be found by logging into your member account at americanpilgrims.org and navigating to the Madrid Albergue page.
Support Our Mission
Your Gift Makes a Difference
As we continue our American Pilgrims journey together, we want to express our sincere gratitude for your ongoing support and involvement in our community. Your active participation has been instrumental in helping us achieve so much along the way.
We invite you to donate today and help us reach new heights in our mission. Every contribution, regardless of size, plays a vital role in supporting important programs, including enhancements to the Camino infrastructure through our grants initiative and the nearly 60 local chapters throughout the country that educate and help new pilgrims prepare for their journey.
As an all-volunteer organization with a platinum-level GuideStar rating, you can be assured that your donation will be put to good use. Your generosity fuels the spirit of the Camino, advances our mission, and empowers pilgrims around the world. Thank you for being a valued member of our community and for considering a gift of support.
Stay Connected with American Pilgrims!
Please take a moment to log into your American Pilgrims membership account and ensure your contact information is up to date. Keeping your details current helps us stay in touch with important updates and community news.
Plus, you can now add a profile picture to personalize your account!
Visit your membership account to make any updates. Thank you for being part of our pilgrim community!
Welcome Back!
If you are returning from the Camino, welcome home!
There are plenty of opportunities to meet with fellow pilgrims and share your experience.
Check out our calendar of local, regional, and national events.
Or consider writing for LaConcha, our digital magazine.
Membership Gifts
As a cherished fellow American Pilgrim, you know two of the pillars that we all strive to share in our pilgrim hearts are gratitude and community. At this time of the year, we are grateful for our Camino experiences and for our beloved pilgrim friends.
If you'd like to give the gift of membership to a special relative or Camino friend, you can click here to learn more.
Thank you for your membership and interest in American Pilgrims on the Camino.
The American Pilgrims Newsletter is published monthly (more or less) for the members of the American Pilgrims on the Camino by the Communications Committee. Unless otherwise indicated, all content is provided by members of the Board of Directors. Editor: Thom Ryng.
While Thom is on a long Camino from April through June, Tracy Pawelski is Acting Editor.
