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STEUBENVILLE -- A book by Franciscan University of Steubenville President Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, about a 500-mile pilgrimage through Spain has been reissued 20 years after he made the journey.
"Hiking the Camino: Stories and Lessons from Walking 500 Miles with Jesus" recounts Pivonka's 2006 pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago, an ancient route leading to the tomb of St. James the Apostle in Santiago de Compostela.
Pivonka made the monthlong pilgrimage with his friend and fellow Franciscan, Father Joe Lehman, TOR, to mark the 10th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.
The book was originally published in 2009 under the title "Hiking the Camino: 500 Miles with Jesus." The new edition includes a new introduction in which Pivonka reflects on the pilgrimage two decades later and considers how the experience has influenced his life since.
"I'm a bit further along than I was 20 years ago, but today's path seems oddly similar," Pivonka writes. "The lessons, memories, and stories continue to enlighten my present journey."
Pivonka also writes about events that have taken place since the original book was published, including his return to pilgrimage in 2024. That year, he joined Franciscan University students and faculty on part of the Way of St. Francis in Italy as part of a pilgrimage course connected to the university's Austrian Study Abroad Program.
The revised edition retains stories from the original pilgrimage, including reflections on prayer, friendship, suffering, perseverance and the challenges of walking hundreds of miles.
Ave Maria Press published the 160-page paperback, which is expected to begin shipping Sept. 11.