Monday, June 22, 2015

A new week begins

Father Tony welcoming pilgrims to the mass

Today we woke to a beautiful cool breeze blowing through our apartment. This is just the kind of invigorating weather that one needs to launch into a new week. John and Stephen are off to walk the Camino Ingles this week so it is Robin, myself, Father Tony, and on Wednesday, Father Joe will be manning the chapel for mass and prayer services. It was a quiet start to the morning in the cathedral. I was tending to some logistical issues in the chapel with one of the sisters who is working there. Mainly some restocking of necessities and a bit of cleaning up. But, that all got sorted rather quickly and we were soon ready for the week ahead. The chapel was quiet up till 10:00 and then before we knew it it was standing room only. Father Tony presided at the mass and he was very welcoming, funny, and genuinely charming. Today we had many pilgrims from England, Ireland, South Africa, the USA, and two young ladies from Indonesia who did the mass readings.

Robin and FR. Tony exchanging suggestions for further study
After mass and after tidying up the chapel, Fr. Tony, Robin and i went for a coffee at a nearby bar at the top of the Plaza Quintana. It was a nice opportunity to talk with Tony about his call to faith and the priesthood. He walked the Camino Ignaciano way back in 1994. At the time he was a novitiate with a Jesuit seminary that thought some time on the camino might be helpful i his discernment to the priesthood. In 1994, there was no formal route mapped out for this camino so Tony and his walking partner made up their own route to Manresa. In addition they approached the camino as mendicants, seeking charitable donations of food and lodging. They both survived and learned much about themselves and the generosity of people astray walked along the camino. We started a conversation about Jesuit spirituality that whetted our appetite for a deeper discussion. Tony suggested we follow up with Father Joe once he returns from Ireland. Tony says he is very well versed in that subject. We are looking forward to that. Tony had to run off to print a boarding pass. He will be heading back to Ireland after tomorrow's mass. Robin and I headed of to the outdoor market to pick up a few things before heading home. We had a nice lunch at home and now it is 3:45. We will set out again for the cathedral again at 4:20. Typically we stop at the Cafe Tertulia for a cortado (short coffee with a wee bit of milk) and then press on to the chapel for evening prayer which starts at 6:00. It is a simple life but great fun.

A few goodies from the market

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