Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Joy
Hi Annie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As a Cradle Catholic, I’ve always wanted to take a Catholic pilgrimage to deepen my faith, but in my mind, it was years away – traveling overseas is expensive and takes a lot of planning and – well, money.
Fast forward to 2022, when my oldest son was preparing to receive the sacrament of confirmation. The church we attended had a very DIY/family-oriented approach to confirmation, with one of the requirements being a pilgrimage to either the cathedral or a local shrine.
That’s when it clicked: Catholics have pilgrimage opportunities EVERYWHERE. A pilgrimage is defined as a “journey of a pilgrim; especially: one to a shrine or a sacred place.” Traveling far away is not even required!
While visiting Fatima or dipping your toes in the Jordan River can be a life-changing experience, so can partaking in Adoration at the cathedral or visiting a holy site in the next state over.
That’s the inspiration behind Catholic Travel U.S.A.: To introduce pilgrims to “A Journey of Faith, Just Outside Your Door.” Our site has state-by-state maps, featured pilgrimages (many pertaining to that month’s feast days), and even a fun quiz that tells you where to go on your next pilgrimage.
It has been so much fun to research and share these places. I had no idea how many potential pilgrimage opportunities there are in the Baltimore area (and on the East Coast in general).
There’s the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, the Baltimore Basilica, St. Leo the Great in Little Italy… and that’s just scratching the surface!
My brother, Joe, and I have been working on this since mid-2022, and I am so proud of how far the site has come in such a short time.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Thankfully, it has been pretty smooth sailing for Catholic Travel U.S.A. (albeit many late nights and a few technology struggles along the way)! In the next year, we are looking for new and unique ways to keep growing and serving our audience, and we even plan to welcome a travel/pilgrimage planner very soon.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve been a writer for over 10 years now, with my work being read by thousands daily. While my education is in broadcast journalism, I shifted my focus to writing to stay home and raise my boys. (Best decision ever!)
For 8 years, I wrote daily for a popular travel site, but I have since resigned to focus on more of my own projects (like Catholic Travel U.S.A. and a Substack I recently started). I have also written two books, “On This, Your Baptism Day,” and “Miscarriage and the Saints,” both available on Amazon.
What makes you happy?
First and foremost, my faith and family bring me the most joy and happiness. Other things that make me happy are writing, reading, traveling, hosting friends, and watching “Mystery Science Theater 3000” reruns.
Regarding Catholic Travel U.S.A., I love receiving feedback from our readers who have discovered (and taken!) a pilgrimage they found on our site. It makes all those late nights and all that research worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.catholictravelusa.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catholictravelusa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553536241745
- Other: https://hianniejoy.substack.com/
