PILGRIMAGE FOR UNITY
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The 2019 New Mexico Pilgrimage for Unity is dedicated to our founder, Mike Pitchford

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This spring Mike was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer; he is receiving palliative chemo treatments; he is still engaged in the planning for this year’s Pilgrimage.  He is journeying on and we are journeying with him.  If you would like to honor Mike’s vision and ensure the continuation of the NM Pilgrimage For Unity, you can donate thru PayPal using the button in the footer of any page of this website.

Mike is an exceptional Christian man in so many ways.  As he tells it, “In the summer of 2015, I made a 500 mile pilgrimage on foot along the Camino Francés as part of the Camino de Santiago across northern Spain.  My motivation for walking the Camino was two-fold.  First, it was to serve as a rite of passage.  I was not only celebrating my retirement from the company where I had worked for over thirty years, but I realized that I had to leave behind some bad habits and attitudes that had developed in me over those years.  It was time to let go of those.  Second, the pilgrimage was meant for me to begin to discern what I was going to do with my life going forward."

At the time of the Camino Francés pilgrimage, Mike was enrolled in the St. Norbert Master of Theological Studies (MTS) program through the New Mexico campus.  Upon his return, he decided to focus his MTS thesis on pilgrimage, specifically how pilgrimage might serve ecumenism.  His thesis, A Study of Pilgrimage Systems: What Constitutes Powerful Ecumenical Pilgrimage?, was completed in August, 2016; upon graduation, Mike began to bring into reality the concluding vision of his thesis: a New Mexico Pilgrimage for Unity.

With a small group of four interested colleagues, Mike planned and re-planned routes, housing, meals, devotional services, special conversations with local religious leaders; he arranged for safety equipment, shopped for snacks, cut through red-tape…and with two vans, one port-a-potty, 30 pilgrimages, two spiritual directors and a support staff of four…the first NM Pilgrimage for Unity became a reality in September, 2017.  It was a labor of love that resulted in spiritual growth, insight and community for all who walked with him.

A steering committee was formed to work with Mike in 2018…and this time there were evaluations from the previous pilgrimage to guide the committee and fresh new enthusiasm.  Again the 2017 NM Pilgrimage for Unity was a spiritual success; the numbers were slightly higher, 33 Pilgrims and a larger support team of 8…At the conclusion of this walk, everyone felt a tradition was initiated.

A new steering committee was convened; they adopted a new financial model “Pay as Led”, a bold move to establish sustainability by disclosing the actual cost of the pilgrimage per person and suggesting a range of payment options.  This meant that Pilgrimage would no longer rely on donations for more than half the total expenses; instead interested folks were asked to provide scholarships so that no Pilgrim would be turned away.

The Steering Committee is humbled by the huge gift Mike has given to our ecumenical community in New Mexico.  Through walking together new relationships are forged, theological division are minimized and ecumenical acceptance grows: pilgrims learn to depend on their brothers and sisters in Christ…and Christian unity is expanded.  As we dedicate this year’s Pilgrimage to Mike, we honor his labors of love and pledge ourselves to live by the motto of the first Pilgrimage: That All May Be One.

Michael D. Pitchford was born on Thursday, March 27, 1958, in Homestead, PA. He passed away in his home, on Wednesday, February 5, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Pamela C. Pitchford, married for 36 years; his sons, Adam M. Pitchford and Dana, and Scott M. Pitchford; mother-in-law, Edith S. Trombley; and his grandsons, Westley O. Pitchford and Malcolm E. Pitchford.

He is also survived by 8 siblings, Edward Pitchford and Shelby, Mary Grace Dietz and Buzz, Jeffrey Pitchford and Johna, James Pitchford and Dolores, Steven Pitchford and Michelle, Perry Pitchford and Jonita, Eric Pitchford and Barbara, and Natalie Murphy and Shawn; and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward “Bucky” Pitchford and Margaret “Peg” McElhinny Pitchford.

Mike graduated from Carnegie Mellon University (Chemical Engineering) and the University of Pittsburgh (MBA). He worked for Intel Corporation for over 30 years, with his final position as Program Manager. After retirement in 2015, he received a Master of Theological Studies degree from St. Norbert College, through the MTS program at the Norbertine Abbey in Albuquerque, with a thesis that created the Pilgrimage for Unity in New Mexico. Ecumenical Pilgrims have walked this pilgrimage for the last 3 years. He walked the Camino de Santiago through Spain twice since retirement. He was also involved in the New Mexico Council of Churches, the EIM Commission, and the Emmaus Journey, among others.

Services will be held at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 5415 Fortuna Rd SW, Albuquerque, NM, on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. Friends and family will be received beginning an hour before the mass. Pallbearers will be Adam Pitchford, Scott Pitchford, Ed Pitchford, John Bash, Matthew Paine, and George Huggins. Honorary Pallbearers will be Hass Aslami and Rod Etemadi. A Memorial Service will be held in Pittsburgh, PA at a later date. His final resting place will be in Georgetown, Kentucky. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made “In Memory of Michael Pitchford” at www.unbound.org, a non-profit that supports children, adults, and the elderly all over the world.
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The Pilgrimage for Unity and the 3-day New Mexico Pilgrimage for Unity are committed to healing and building up the Body of Christ by providing opportunities for profound, shared spiritual experience and dialogue.  
Support the Pilgrimages for Unity!  Your donation helps heal and build up the Body of Christ by removing financial barriers to participation in the pilgrimage for pilgrims of limited economic means!

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Contact:  info@nmpilgrimage.org

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  • Home
    • Contact
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  • 2023 WPPCU
    • 2023 WPPCU Merton
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    • 2023 WPPCU Resources >
      • 2023 WPPCU Day 1
      • 2023 WPPCU Day 2
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      • 2023 WPPCU Day 5
      • 2023 WPPCU Day 6
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    • 2023 WPPCU Fr Fihas
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    • 2023 WPPCU Registration
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  • Past Pilgrimages
    • 2022 Offering Of Gratitude >
      • 2022 OOG Resources
      • 2022 OOG Pic Upload
    • 2022 Pentecost Pilgrimage >
      • 2022 PPIP Letter
      • 2022 PPIP Resources
      • 2022 PPIP Pictures
    • 2022 WPPCU >
      • 2022 WPPCU Pictures
      • 2022 WPPCU Devotions and Resources >
        • 2022 WPPCU Devotions Keynote
        • 2022 WPPCU Devotions D1
        • 2022 WPPCU Devotions D2
        • 2022 WPPCU Devotions D3
        • 2022 WPPCU Devotions D4
        • 2022 WPPCU Devotions D5
        • 2022 WPPCU Devotions D6
        • 2022 WPPCU Devotions D7
        • 2022 WPPCU Devotions D8
    • 2021 11 Offering of Gratitude >
      • 2021 11 Offering of Gratitude Pictures
    • 2021 06 26 Golden Way >
      • Golden Way pictures
    • 2021 Pentecost Pilgrimage >
      • 2021 PPIP Daily Devotions
      • 2021 PPIP Blessings
      • 2021 PPIP Pictures
    • 2021 WPPCU >
      • 2021 WPPCU Intro Video
      • 2021 WPPCU SongsCards
      • 2021 WPPCU Daily Devotions
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    • 2020 Pentecost Pilgrimage
    • 2019 Pilgrimage >
      • 2019 Dedicated To Mike
      • Archbishop's Radio Interview
      • 2019 Participants
      • 2019 Route - Pictures
      • 2019 Schedule
      • 2019 Steering Committee
    • 2018 Pilgrimage >
      • 2018 Participants
      • 2018 Route - Pictures
      • 2018 Schedule
      • 2018 Staff and Volunteers
    • 2017 Pilgrimage >
      • 2017 Participants
      • 2017 Route - Pictures
      • 2017 Schedule
      • 2017 Staff & Volunteers
      • 2017 Sylvia's Resources
  • Resources
    • Practical Resources
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    • Resources For Reflection
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