4 posts tagged “santiago de compostela”

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Flowers from rocks...

Lingering_plant
Lingering_plant
Rennie and I spent our first day walking through Santiago, re-familiarizing ourselves with the old city streets and offerings.  We got a lot accomplished - and began recruiting efforts yesterday.

I am now definitely addicted to cafe con leche, and was happy to taste again my favorite hot chocolate, Cola Cao.

We got ready to begin recruiting, and ran through the retreat format, thinking of potential problems and alterations, generally preparing to be "hospitaleros."  Found photocopiers, internet, collected maps and fliers for discounted massage offered to pilgrims.  

Spanish is coming back, a little bit.  Bells peel often.

The faces of pilgrims speak countless words.  Our being here is a ministry; it is important.
Post a comment Tags: love, lingering, santiago de compostela, hospitalero

Like old times

I'll try to post a pic soon, but for the time being, it's great to be back in Santiago de Compostela.  After a missed train, delayed luggage, and other true-to-life mishaps, I'm in Santiago, and meandering through those old streets that feel so much like home away from home.


Santiago's Cathedral has a "botafumeiro" (a giant thurible for incense swung on a pendulum) and when it swings, the tourists go crazy.  Today, I stood behind a column, and didn't bother to try to watch it, though it is a special occasion when it swings.  Instead, I watched the sea of cameras and cell phones whip out (I could have watched the entire spectacle on the cell phone of the guy next to me).  

il botafumerio
il botafumerio
They swayed with the censor, as if peering away from the actual moment and into their electronic gadgets close-up, they thought it might hit them).  A small cynical part of me kind of wished it had.  For, after watching the moment through a cell phone or camera, instead of "real time," they turned around and walked out, ignoring the fact that this was a tiny part of a mass, a religious event, sort of "screw Jesus, I just came for the spectacle."

Post a comment Tags: jesus, love, pilgrim, pilgrimage, lingering, santiago de compostela

Off to Spain

Well, I'm in the Seattle airport, waiting to board for Heathrow, then Madrid.  From there, a bus to Santiago.  I'm excited to be spending time moving forward with this dream of ministry to pilgrims.  I hope to keep you posted on what's going on while I'm on the ground there.  Maybe some fun pictures, too.

1 comment Tags: camino, pilgrims, santiago de compostela

Lingering through memories: hanging out in Santa Barbara

     Here in Santa Barbara, sit I, drinking delicious Spanish wine and telling tales that are not unique, to people who also had the same memories, but are more than willing to listen anyway.  That's a great thing.

      In 2001, I walked 500 miles on the camino de Santiago de Compostela.  I'm at a workshop with a bunch of folks who have done the same thing, and almost all of them have done it more than once (including myself). We are pilgrimage junkies - journey addicts.

      I'm feeling more alive than I have felt in a long time - sharing my dream with folks who say, "Yeah, go for it".

      Drinking a little rioja wine and nibbling some awesome fresh-baked bread, I am not only struck by the Eucharistic overtones, but eucharistic-ing that is happening.  Isn't it wonderful, if you have had the luxury, to be in a place where your dreams can grow?

     I am particularly excited that I have been bequeathed a very special holy relic: we made this morning a graph of our camino's: epiphanies, darknesses and highlights.  Rather than throwing it away, it is going to be sent home with me to guard - this graph of holy moments - holy lingerings - along the way.

Post a comment Tags: community, dream, wine, bread, hospital, vision, camino, pilgrim …