Regulations of the Pilgrimage

A pilgrimage is a form of retreat carried out on the road. Apart from forms of piety typical for a retreat, a pilgrimage includes practice of asceticism and penance. To make it possible to harmoniously combine those devotional practices and achieve the goals of the International Walking Pilgrimage of the Catholic Tradition, we establish the Regulations of the Pilgrimage (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations).

The Regulations are a set of rules that the pilgrims willfully oblige themselves to follow. Observance of the Regulations is very useful for many reasons. We gain many spiritual goods for ourselves (e.g. development in Christian perfection by humbling our will), for people whose intentions we carry (e.g. through sacrifices) and ultimately for the Pilgrims (e.g. through good example). He who obeys the Regulations is certainly a good apostle. Additionally, by complying with the regulations we help the Pilgrimage’s staff (e.g. priests, Order Service, Medical Service) to properly do their job. This leaves them time for more fruitful activities (e. g. prayer). The Regulations do not bind under the pain of sin. However special considerations must be taken into account. By violating the Regulations, we deprive not only ourselves but also other pilgrims of spiritual goods.

We pray that your pilgrimage bears fruit!

1. The Pilgrimage

1. The International Walking Pilgrimage of the Catholic Tradition (hereinafter referred to as the Pilgrimage) is a pilgrimage of Catholic communities under the spiritual care of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X or congregations cooperating with this Fraternity.
2. The pilgrimage sets off on August 4 from Warsaw-Radość, from the Church of the Immaculate Conception of Blessed Virgin Mary and heads to Jasna Góra, where it arrives on August 14 and ends with a solemn Holy Mass on August 15.
3. Pilgrims decide to participate in the Pilgrimage for religious reasons and throughout its duration they take care to maintain the spirit of retreat and penance.
4. The organizer of the Pilgrimage is the Father Damian de Veuster Foundation (hereinafter referred to as the Organizer).
5. The Pilgrimage is made up of all Pilgrims under the leadership of the Pilgrimage Leader. The leader of the Pilgrimage is always a priest to whom other people working for the Pilgrimage report. These people perform their tasks and give orders to other Pilgrims on behalf of the Pilgrimage Leader.
6. The pilgrimage is divided into two groups.
7. Spiritual care for the Pilgrims is provided by priests, seminarians, monks and nuns from the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X or from congregations cooperating with this Fraternity.
8. Medical care during the Pilgrimage is provided by the Medical Service according to the capabilities, competences and authorizations of the people working there.
9. The Order Service is responsible for managing the traffic of cars on the roads and the pilgrimage procession.
10. Food for the Pilgrims is provided by the pilgrimage kitchen.
11. The Pilgrimage Quartermaster designates places to pitch tents. Moreover, during the Pilgrimage, the Quartermaster handles matters related to the reception of Pilgrims joining the Pilgrimage along the route.
12. Luggage transport is provided by the Transport Service.
13. Persons working in the above-mentioned services may use the kitchen, washing facilities, etc. out of turn.
14. Other people may also support the Pilgrimage, depending on their capabilities and the Pilgrimage’s needs.
15. Pilgrims’ private cars cannot accompany the Pilgrimage.

2. Registration for the pilgrimage

1. Registration for the Pilgrimage is accepted on the date specified in the announcement.
2. A pilgrim is an adult person who has completed the application form and paid the participation fee. Each adult Pilgrim confirms with his signature that he has read the regulations and undertakes to comply with them.
   
3. A pilgrim may also be a minor who remains under the care of parents or legal guardians who also participate in the walking Pilgrimage. If the parents or legal guardians of an underage Pilgrim do not take part in the Pilgrimage themselves, but want their children to take part in it, they must register their children for the Pilgrimage and complete the Declaration of consent to the child’s participation in the International Walking Pilgrimage of the Catholic Tradition (hereinafter referred to as the Declaration). In the Declaration, parents or legal guardians must name the minor’s guardian for the duration of the Pilgrimage (hereinafter referred to as the Guardian). Only an adult person taking part in the Pilgrimage can be a guardian. The completed and signed Declaration should be submitted to the Organizer on the day the Pilgrimage begins or on the day on which the underage Pilgrim joins the Pilgrimage.
4. When registering, you must provide the Pilgrim’s name and surname, home address and telephone number. In addition, you can provide the name, surname and telephone number of the person whom the Organizer should notify if necessary.
5. Pilgrims sign up for the group of their choice. The organizer reserves the right to change the assignment of a pilgrim to a group in order to maintain an equal number of pilgrims in both groups.
6. Pilgrims receive a pilgrimage badge in the color of the group to which they are assigned, badges for marking their luggage, as well as an extract from the regulations and information about the route and program of each day of the Pilgrimage.
7. The participation fee covers the costs of organizing the Pilgrimage and is announced every year before the registration deadline.

3. Pilgrims take an obligation in particular to:

1. Observe the Regulations, follow the instructions of spiritual guardians, Order Service, Medical Service, Transport Service and the Quartermaster.
2. Take part in the life of the Pilgrimage by: daily participation in Holy Mass, receiving the sacraments, joining in common prayers and songs, listening to conferences, remaining silent during the holy silence, and willingly carrying the cross, plaques, banners, loudspeakers (tubes) and other things.
3. Dress neatly, appropriate to gender (women cannot wear trousers) and in a manner consistent with Christian modesty, i.e. clothing cannot be tight or transparent, a shirt or T-shirt must have at least short sleeves (possible neckline for women – moderate) , trousers must be at least knee-length, and a dress or skirt must reach below the knee.
4. To make the pilgrimage in the group to which they are assigned to and wear a pilgrimage badge in a visible place.
5. Keep parking and accommodation areas clean (garbage can only be thrown away in designated areas).
6. Not smoke tobacco, or if it is impossible, do it as rarely as possible, but always discreetly and away from Pilgrims and other people.
7. Not purchase, bring or consume alcohol, unless as a guest of your hosts for an overnight stay, but always in moderation. A pilgrim who appears to have abused alcohol may be removed from the Pilgrimage.
8. Not use mobile phones while walking.
9. Not carry any signs, flags or symbols of any associations or organizations in a visible place without the express consent of the Pilgrimage Director.
10. Not distribute any publications without the consent of the Pilgrimage Director.

4. Order of march and stops

1. During the march, Pilgrims form a column, the beginning of which is marked by a board with the name of the pilgrimage, and at the end by a board with the inscription “end of the walking column”.
2. It is forbidden to march in front of the cross and stay behind the board with the inscription “end of the pedestrian column”.
3. It is forbidden to make the pilgrimage in a group to which you are not assigned.
4. It is forbidden to remain on the road during a stop.

5. Order during the overnight stay

1. The quartermaster designates places for pitching tents and places for celebrating Holy Mass and space for kitchen, showers and toilets.
2. The quartermaster designates sectors for pitching tents separately for women and men, as well as a sector for families with small children.
3. Night curfew applies from 22:00 and ends one hour before Holy Mass (sung).
4. It is prohibited to organize accommodation on your own. 
5. It is forbidden for women to stay in men’s sleeping places, and for men to stay in women’s sleeping places.
6. It is forbidden to occupy the shower queue for more than one person.
7. People working in the pilgrimage services and parents with small children are allowed to enter the designated shower cabins out of turn. 

6. Order of dropping off and collecting baggage

1. Pilgrims hand over their luggage for transport in the morning after the end of Holy Mass. Baggage should be checked in as soon as possible; you should not delay checking in your luggage until start of the Pilgrimage’s procession.
2. Access to luggage is not possible during the day.
3. In the evening, Pilgrims collect their luggage from the moment dinner begins. It is not possible to leave any piece of luggage in the luggage car overnight.
4. The Transport Service is not responsible for luggage not collected by Pilgrims in the evening.
5. Luggage is accepted and handed over by the Transport Service.
6. The maximum luggage weight is 25 kg/person.

7. Final provisions

1. A pilgrim may be given a public warning for violating the Regulations. The admonition is intended to make the Pilgrim aware of what he should work on in particular during the Pilgrimage in order to achieve the greatest possible spiritual benefits.
2. A warning may be issued by the Pilgrimage Leader, and on his behalf also by the Guide, Quartermaster and members of the Order Service.
3. A Pilgrim may be removed from the Pilgrimage for a gross violation of the Regulations. The decision to remove a Pilgrim from the Pilgrimage is made by the Pilgrimage Leader or a priest authorized by him.
4. Civil liability for damages resulting from any action or omission to act by anyone rests entirely with that person. This applies to both the Organizer and members of the Traffic Service, Medical Service, Transport Service and all other pilgrims. However, civil liability for any damage caused by a minor falls entirely on his or her parents or legal guardians.
5. Neither the Organizer nor any member of the Order Service, Medical Service or Transport Service shall be liable for any damage suffered by Pilgrims as a result of failure to comply with the Regulations.
6. The binding interpretation of the Regulations is made by the Pilgrimage Leader or a priest authorized by him.

8. The Spiritual Group

1. The Pilgrimage Spiritual Group is part of the Pilgrimage. It is made up of people who, for whatever reason, do not go on the journey but want to participate in the spiritual goods of the Pilgrimage.
2. Anyone who wishes to do so and obtains the consent of their confessor may participate in the Spiritual Group.
3. Participants of the Spiritual Group join spiritually in prayer and penance with the Pilgrims on their way by practicing pious exercises (prayer, ascetism and penance).
4. Each participant of the Spiritual Group must consult the scope of his pious exercises mentioned above with his or her confessor.