A community gathers

One of the great joys of this ministry is being witness to the ever changing pilgrim community. It is absolutely fascinating. Having walked a few caminos both Robin and I have an understanding of the closeness that is created amongst those traveling the road to Santiago together. The uniqueness of our present situation is that we get to spend time with an ongoing stream of camino families. I thought the pilgrim introductions at yesterday's mass were pretty much spot on for understanding the breadth of interest in the camino and the diversity of the camino families. We had pilgrims from Malta, Beijing, Slovakia, Zimbabwe, Australia, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Germany, Spain, USA, France, Faroe Islands, Canada, and Japan. The curious thing is how all these folks from different countries, cultures, and age groups mostly seem to subscribe to a sense of communal well being that transcends personal wants. Note, I say mostly for after all we are all still human, and the camino, while admittedly a transforming experience, occasionally meets its match with a few folks that just see things differently. So be it. Everyone just keeps inching along towards Santiago whether it's a good day or a not so good day. The journey simply continues and things get sorted along the way. Actually that is a great part of the attraction to the camino for me. I am always amazed, and quite honestly encouraged, by how easily pilgrims can adapt to a changing situation and not seem to give it too much thought. Usually the scope of the issue at hand pales in comparison to the journey ahead and so there it lies, RIP.

Capilla de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad

So, once again, I fully admit this is the best "job" I have ever had, and Robin is right there with me on this. The opportunity to witness the transforming experience of the mass in so many people is a blessing in and of itself. We have received countless comments from pilgrims thanking the Camino Chaplaincy for providing this much needed, and appreciated, spiritual care in an English language setting. No one is proselytizing other than by living our faith in accordance with our beliefs, offering genuine hospitality to all, and showing compassion for those in need. The word is getting out and attendance at mass and evening prayer is growing. Our current team of volunteers including John R., Stephen S., Fr. Joe, Fr. Tony, Robin and myself have great chemistry and closely share the stewardship of this ministry. But, we are certainly not alone. Other terrific volunteers have preceded us and others are scheduled to follow us. I feel certain that the Camino Chaplaincy's work with the pilgrim community here in Santiago (and now also in Moratinos, and Terredillos) will remain in good hands for a long time to come. The next time you are in Santiago please stop by the cathedral and say hello. We hold daily mass at 10:30 am Mon-Sat, evening prayer services at 6:00 pm Mon-Fri, and confessions. All are welcome. Buen camino.

The Sacristan (me)

Yes, it is an old chapel

Robin reviewing the gospel acclamation

All is ready

Fr. Tony presiding this morning

The incredible lightness of rightness

Our apartment

It has been just a week ago that Robin and I arrived here in Santiago to begin our volunteer work with the Camino Chaplaincy. This is an apostolate of volunteer priests, religious, and lay people who have come together to provide daily mass, confessions, and prayer services in English at the Cathedral of St. James in Santiago de Compostela. This outreach is available to anyone both pilgrims and visitors alike. In short it has been quite a week. Normally when one is transitioning to a new job, especially when it is an overseas post, there always seems to be a period of normal reflection on what one is getting into, was this really the right move, am I truly suited to the job, and so on. I am pleased to report that this experience has proven to be the best thing that Robin and I have ever done. This update will be so full of superlatives that one might question its authenticity. But, let's assume the best and move on. First the organizer of the Chaplaincy, John Rafferty, and his tireless coworker, Stephen Shields have gone to every possible length to make our stay here in Santiago as memorable as possible. A fine apartment pre-stocked with food that is within a 10 minute walk to the cathedral has been provided. It is in a nice quiet neighborhood that includes a wonderful coffee bar, the Cafe Tertulia, just a stones throw away.

Cafe Tertulia

John and Stephen introduced us to all the cathedral staff so that we could access the sacristy without challenge. We met our presiding priest, Father Seosamh (Joe) O' Cochlain, and have found him to be a joy to serve with. We have enjoyed meeting new friends and have had surprise encounters with others we knew from back home. This has led to some memorable communal meals and many fond memories, and it is still early days for us. Hard to imagine how this gets much better but we shall see. Stay tuned.

Our walk to "work"

Capilla de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (our chapel)

Robin and Stephen cantoring at St. Augustines last Sunday

Robin and Fr. Joe at San Clemente after Sunday mass. A quiet little lunch for sixteen.

The challenge of being

Today I am blessed with a quiet morning. Our back garden has awakened with birdsong and a scrub jay energetically splashing in a hollowed out rock (our birdbath). Not much else, just the stillness. This moment of quietude has brought me back to one of my favorite books, Thomas Merton's, No Man is an Island. This small book is packed with with great wisdom for the seeker. It never fails to reorient my wayward spirit. Today as I leafed lazily through the pages something caught my eye.

He states, "It is useless to try and make peace with ourselves by being pleased with everything that we have done. In order to settle down in the quiet our own being we must learn to be detached from the results of our own activity....We must be content to live without watching ourselves live, to work without expecting an immediate reward, to love without an instantaneous satisfaction, and to exist without any special recognition. It is only when we are detached from ourselves that we can be at peace with ourselves."

We seem to strive too hard to be special, to be unique as if being ordinary is a curse to be avoided, even a failure. Yet, it is in our ordinariness that grace is found. Just imagine what stress we create when we can only define ourselves, and our reason for being, through our accomplishments and our experiences. We create an insatiable hunger, a need for ever grander adventures, ever more distant pursuits. This spawns a restlessness that in the end steals our peace instead of granting it. I have to be careful here because walking various camino paths could also be construed as far flung grand adventures. However, in my mind, it is the intention that defines the journey. If I were to surrender to a need for recognition as a driving force behind going on pilgrimage, then I guess it would not be much of a pilgrimage. It would simply be an experience, an event, something to be checked off on a never ending to do list. But, that is not what brings Robin and I back to the Camino time and time again. It is the faith journey and all that it entails that allows us to accept, even desire, the challenges of the pilgrim road. As we move along these paths we are discovering ever more the joy of the journey Home. No one is so blessed that faith simply cleaves to their souls, like a barnacle to a rock. It requires uncharacteristic humility, and a willingness to let go of what we have been conditioned to pursue, that finally creates the smallest fissures through which God's light can finally shine.

Merton continues, "It takes more than an occasional act of faith to have such pure intentions. It takes a whole life of faith, a total consecration to hidden values. It takes sustained moral courage and heroic confidence in the help of divine grace. But above all it takes the humility and spiritual poverty to travel in darkness and uncertainty, where so often we have no light and see no sign at all."

No, it is not an easy path, but it is an incredible journey. Peace be with you.

Staying camino ready

Once we return from a camino there is always that period where we just don't want to do anything other than rest. A little recovery is fine and well earned, but as the days slip by it is all too easy to shift more into city life and lose the conditioning that you worked so hard to acquire. Yes, a trip or two to the gym helps and there are always neighborhood walks that get you out of the house and back on your feet. All these are things that have become more or less routine. However, as we are blessed to live in the Pacific Northwest with an abundance of nearby hiking trails it seems a shame not to make use of them.

On our last pilgrimage we met a Basque fellow who exemplifies this kind of commitment to local hiking trails. He walks almost every day along one trail or another just to be out and enjoying the beautiful countryside. I thought this is something that I should also do. We live nearby the Columbia River Gorge which is replete with trails both on the Washington and Oregon side of the river. There is plenty of opportunity for elevation gain (strengthen those legs), and grin spreading vistas. So I have resolved to do more training in the nearby mountains and enjoy the view as well. One thing I have discovered is that there are numerous hiking trail websites that list all the details of hikes in the Gorge. Armed with a senior discount access pass (one time 20 USD charge) I now have lifetime free entry into all federally managed lands. So now I have no excuses for not "hitting the trail." A popular hike on the Washington side is Dog Mountain. This a short (7 miles roundtrip), but steep climb that reminded me of the Hospitales route on the Camino Primitivo. This is a perfect camino training hike.

Near the summit looking westward at the Columbia River

Another less strenuous but still a great day hike is the hike up along Eagle Creek to the High Bridge Falls. There are many options with regard to trails in the Gorge as several trails interconnect so one can add more distance or elevation as time, strength and desire permit. More to come...

Mind your step

Camino Ignaciano 2015 Slide Show

In January 2015 Robin and I walked the Camino Ignaciano from Loiola, Basque Country, to Manresa in Catalunya, Spain. This is what our pilgrimage looked like. Enjoy the show.

I'll Push You

Justin and Patrick

Last night Robin and I attended a Camino presentation at the University of Portland. The presenters were Justin Skeesuck, and Patrick Gray. Both of these men, close friends from childhood, traveled the Camino Frances last summer. Justin sat in a specially designed wheelchair, and Patrick pushed him. They started in St. Jean Pied de Port, crossed over the Pyrenees on the Route Napoleon, and continued on 500 miles to Santiago. It sounds so easy when it is stated that way, but as you might surmise, it was far from an easy journey.  They were traveling with a small film crew who just did the filming, no pushing. The pushing, and pulling, was left to Patrick. One of the film clips they showed was of Patrick and an enlisted helper trying to get Justin up and over the Pyrenees. The mud was deep and slippery, and the task at hand just seemed utterly impossible. Why even try to go further? How could this possibly be done? These thoughts were crossing their minds when they encountered a local Basque man walking on the mountain. Justin was out of his chair and stretched out on the ground, while the others were trying to catch their breath after carrying Justin in a sling when they could no longer take both him and the chair together. The man walked over to Justin, stood astride of him and started gently slapping him on the face as if trying to revive him. Justin looked up and heard the man saying something like, "Anything is possible, or "Make the possible out of the impossible." Justin, as if coming out of a dream, then knew something had changed, and together, recommitting to the journey, the small ad hoc team pressed on to Roncesvalles where they arrived 13.5 hours after leaving St. Jean.

Their story is filled with such occurrences. They quickly realized that they would never make it to Santiago without help. Keep in mind that Justin has very little mobility and needed help with all the usual daily chores including bathing, feeding, and going to the bathroom. Patrick was his primary caregiver and happily assisted Justin, but this was after pushing a 250 pound chair (including the weight of Justin) all day long. But, as those of us who have walked the Camino know, help just seems to arrive when you most need it. What they discovered was that as they went along people would just ask to help them. Some would push and pull for an hour or two, and collapse exhausted, unable to help any more. Others would stay with them for days. And so it went day after day as they inched their way towards Santiago. Camino angels arrived and relief was found even in their most desperate moments. At one point a group of 17 fellow pilgrims helped them up to the summit of O' Cebreiro. Some pushed and pulled while others carried the backpacks of those helping with the wheelchair. It was an amazing expression of love, compassion, and joy. Also, it is important to note how well Justin received this assistance. We can imagine how easy it would be to feel crushing guilt as you sat in a chair watching all these people really struggling to move you along while you literally could not move a finger to help them. But, Justin's humbleness transcended that guilt. It was his gift of humility to them that helped many others offer their gift of assistance to him. It all just worked. It was never easy, but it just worked.

Yes, they made it to Santiago. One might say it was a miracle, but there they were arriving in front of the cathedral and into the arms of their waiting wives. The impossible had happened. Both Patrick and Justin admit that they discovered that the Camino is not about the destination, not about chasing a goal, but rather it is about the community that is formed around pilgrims traveling together. We seem to be better at accepting people for who they are on the Camino then we do at home. True community must have room for everyone even those who we might, and probably would, shun at home. We are always too quick to select friends based on how they reflect who we are.  It is in our brokenness, that healing and love are found. It is the wounded and marginalized that show us the path to grace. In a loving community, even the least among us, has a place at the table. It is there that we learn to share our humanity, and to joyfully embrace, care for, and nurture all those who find their way to us. When we succeed we are all better for it.

Last summer, two humble pilgrims set out on a seemingly impossible journey and found themselves unexpectedly bathed in the astonishing light of a loving community of fellow travelers who simply said, yes, I'll help push you. It was with those simple words, from so many people, that the impossible became possible. Those encounters, I feel safe in saying, have transformed both Justin and Patrick, and all those who walked with, and helped them. The reaffirmation of the goodness that dwells within all of us is a powerful reminder that we can create our own "Camino miracles" by opening our hearts and listening for those faint voices that all too frequently get lost in the noise of our busy daily lives. Many are calling out to us, but how frequently do we say, yes, I'll help (push) you. The day you do, everything changes. Miracles do happen just ask Patrick and Justin.

On a side note, Robin and I were sitting just behind them at the pilgrim mass in Santiago the day that they arrived. We had just recently arrived from Le Puy, and had a chance to say hello and congratulate them. Lot's of smiling faces at mass that day.

A film of their journey along the Camino Frances entitled "I'll Push You" is now in development. Please visit their website at, www.illpushyou.com, for more information.

Buen Camino

Afterthoughts

Fort Vancouver near our home

The days, since returning from Spain, have been spent reconnecting to our home life. Although we were only gone for just over a month, returning from a Camino always seems a bit like emerging from a time warp. The way of the pilgrim is so different that it does require a sort of reorientation upon returning home. Having the freedom to get up when you want, do something else other than walking, not obsessing over the weather, eating and drinking what you please are all simple choices that we take for granted. These become distant, but tantalizing, recollections once you are on the Camino trail. The discipline required to cover long distances, in all kinds of weather, does limit certain freedoms, but less familiar freedoms also appear as offsets. In short you adopt a less complicated lifestyle characterized by a tighter focus, with fewer distractions, and an overwhelming desire to stay warm and dry. Whatever lifestyle limitations are necessary to walk a Camino are more than offset by the hope engendered by the Way, and all that you encounter while walking it.

Yes, we all love our comfort, but it can cut a groove in our lives that causes us to get stuck. The willingness to step outside of our comfort zone and put many of our favorite pleasures on hold is not a bad thing. In fact, it is absolutely a good thing, a healthy thing. I guess that in part explains why Robin and I continue to return. Camino life is not always easy but it nurtures the mind, the body, and the soul. It also allows you to experience people in uniquely interesting ways. Robin and I are always warmed by the kindness of strangers, and humbled by their generosity. Every time we walk we add more to our blessings list than we could ever have hoped to imagine. Yes, there is also venality (very little), but so what. Humans will be human after all. It is how you choose to process those disappointments that allows you to grow, and move on. But, that is all part of any Camino.

The Camino Ignaciano captured all the things I have mentioned above, but seemed to be a richer experience than our previous Caminos. It certainly wasn't anything physical, although the scenery was pretty stunning in parts. It was more metaphysical. Robin is fond of quoting someone who said, "When the student is ready the teacher appears." I think this lies at the core of why the Ignaciano route touched us the way it did. Our hearts were simply more open to the discoveries of this pilgrimage. It was very much a solitary walk as we counted only 12 Santiago bound pilgrims when we passed, eastbound, through Logroño. We never encountered a single other pilgrim on the Ignaciano route for the 27 days we walked it. We were left with our thoughts, reflections, musings, and prayers for long periods of time. Did this occasion a more open heart? Perhaps, but I find it is always difficult to triangulate the origin of these things. Sometimes you just find yourself in a certain state of mind that is hard to explain (the Spirit blows where it will), but you feel blessed. I think I will just leave it there.

We are continuing to enjoy life at home and the unseasonably mild and dry weather we returned to. We still take daily walks (usually 5 miles instead of 15), Robin is happily back singing with her choir at St. Mary's Cathedral in Portland, and creating wonderful dinners in our kitchen, our local American Pilgrims on the Camino (APOC) Portlandia Chapter continues to grow, and we are actively involved in that. We have also committed to spending a month in Santiago, starting June 12th, volunteering with The Camino Chaplaincy (English language masses) at the cathedral. Please stop by and say hello if you are in Santiago. I feel confident that our Camino journey will continue, but for now Robin and I are simply enjoying the peace of being at peace.

Buen camino to all who are setting out.