Walking Together: Compass Rose and New Zealand Anglicans
When the Compass Rose Society hosts, it’s never just an event—it’s a chance to show the Anglican Communion what unity looks like in action. That was the case in August 2025, when the Society welcomed pilgrims from across the globe to Albuquerque and northern New Mexico for the closing days of the Indigenous Anglican pilgrimage to Navajoland, which welcomed pilgrims from New Zealand/Aotearoa, Brazil, Canada, and the United States.
The Diocese of Navajoland had hosted the first part of the journey, opening its sacred sites, ministries, and hospitality to the pilgrims. Then it was the Compass Rose Society’s turn. Under the leadership of Bishop Daniel Gutiérrez, CRS President and a native New Mexican, the Society brought pilgrims into encounters with Indigenous leaders, sacred places, and stories that connected local community to global Communion.
Welcoming Leaders in Albuquerque
The Compass Rose portion began at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. Here, pilgrims were greeted by Monique Fragua of Jemez Pueblo, who shared how the Center works on behalf of New Mexico’s nineteen Pueblos.
Then came a special moment: Deborah Haaland, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior and member of Laguna Pueblo, addressed the pilgrims. As the first Native American to serve in a U.S. cabinet role, Haaland spoke about representation, resilience, and the importance of Indigenous leadership in public life.
For the Compass Rose Society, this was more than a reception. It was a vivid picture of the Society’s mission: to bring together voices across the Communion and lift up those who have often been unheard.
A Global Meeting in Santa Fe
The next morning, pilgrims traveled to Santa Fe for a gathering at Holy Faith Episcopal Church. There, they met with Tom Udall, former U.S. ambassador to New Zealand. His presence was especially meaningful for Archbishop Don Tamihere and the Māori pilgrims, underscoring ties between the Pacific and the American Southwest.
For Compass Rose, the meeting with Udall represented how the Society’s work often extends beyond the church, building bridges that connect cultures, countries, and communities of faith.
Pilgrimage to Chimayó
From Santa Fe, the group traveled to the Santuario de Chimayó, one of the most beloved pilgrimage sites in the United States, often called the “Lourdes of America.”
Here, Bishop Gutiérrez led the pilgrims in prayer. The adobe chapel, surrounded by mountains that have been sacred to Native and Hispanic communities for centuries, became a place of shared thanksgiving for the global group. For many, it was the most moving moment of the Compass Rose portion—a reminder that pilgrimage is not just about place, but about the prayers and people who gather there.
Visit to Picuris Pueblo
The Compass Rose pilgrimage then continued to Picuris Pueblo, one of New Mexico’s nineteen sovereign Pueblos, where pilgrims joined in the very beginning of a Feast Day celebration. They were welcomed by Pueblo leaders and had the chance to learn about the pueblo’s history and unique traditions.
For the Society, this was not simply a cultural exchange. It was an act of honoring Indigenous sovereignty and recognizing the deep wisdom of communities who have preserved faith and identity across generations.
Why It Matters for Compass Rose
The Compass Rose Society exists to strengthen unity across the Anglican Communion, but unity is never abstract. It’s built in moments like these:
Listening to Indigenous leaders share their vision.
Praying together in sacred places.
Meeting civic leaders who bridge the local and the global.
Sharing meals and celebrations that root faith in community.
This pilgrimage also advanced the vision of Archbishop Don Tamihere, who is working to establish an Indigenous Chapter of the Compass Rose Society. By creating space for Māori, Diné, Lakota, Brazilian, and Aboriginal Anglican voices to walk together, the Society is helping ensure Indigenous leadership is woven into the Communion’s future.
Walking Together Into the Future
Looking back on the Compass Rose portion of the pilgrimage, Bishop Gutiérrez reflected:
“Indigenous people have often been ignored, especially by the church, yet they are the most faithful stewards of creation. Our role is to empower their work—God’s work—in the world.”
That is the Compass Rose mission in a sentence.
The Anglican Communion is vast—165 countries, 43 provinces, more than 85 million people. But through the Compass Rose Society, those numbers take on faces, voices, and relationships. Pilgrimage to Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Chimayó, and Picuris Pueblo reminded us that unity is not about uniformity. It’s about walking together in the Spirit, honoring diversity, and finding common ground in Christ.
For the Compass Rose Society, that’s what this pilgrimage was all about.