Tim Bete

Wanderings of an Ordinary Pilgrim Tim Bete

When on a pilgrimage with his family, poet Tim Bete decided not to take along a camera but rather a notebook. He jotted down thoughts, ideas and images that struck him while traveling through Portugal, Spain, France and Italy. He wrote a handful of poems during the pilgrimage and after returning, meditated upon the pages of the notebook until they became additional poems. Some of the poems are about places Tim visited, while others were simply inspired by Scripture and prayer during the journey. As he reflected on his longer pilgrimages, many of his ordinary, routine pilgrimages came to mind-things such as his commute to work each day and the slow passing of seasons. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we meet God as much on the road as at our destination. This book of poetry will provide an experience of our most-loving God, who is even more excited about journeying to us than we are to Him.


PRAISE

"Simply incredible! As someone who has arranged Catholic pilgrimages for three decades, I can confidently say Tim captures the deeply personal and transformational journey that is a pilgrimage."
-Milanka Lachman, LCHS, President & Owner, 206 Tours

"What I especially love about these poems is the way in which this ordinary pilgrim, as he describes himself, keeps circling back to the God who, surprise of surprises, was there all along...here is a poet who returns us again and again to the God who really matters."
-Paul Mariani, poet and biographer, is an emeritus professor of English at Boston College and winner of the John Ciardi Award for Lifetime Achievement in Poetry

"A landscape of sensation and memory both of everyday occurrence and Catholic sacramental life in a language deeply familiar to Catholic Christians but refreshingly elevated for non-Catholics as well. These poems from an insightful poet sensitive to the movement of the Spirit in the world, and his journey to know God's will for his life, provide 'fodder for prayer' and a reason to contemplate our own pilgrimage."
-Matthew Gambino, Director, CatholicPhilly.com