Ruminations of an Amateur Monastic
(from my journal) Belorado 10 April After the severe physical trial of yesterday, we were determined to take it easy, starting late and perhaps only going as far as Grañón or (at the most) Redicilla del Camino, some 11km distant. Before setting out, we explored the Cathedral. Santo Domingo himself is buried in the crypt, and I knelt there a […]
» Read more(from my journal) Nájera 09 April La Rioja: Somewhere West of Ventosa, Early Morning The Vineyards of La Rioja Viola with a Shepherd’s Hut We left Ventosa at 7:30, despite our best efforts to be out by 7. Nevertheless, here we are drinking café con leche, 10km on, at 9:30 in the morning. The Streets of Nájera The Streets of […]
» Read more(from my journal) Ventosa Annunciation of the Lord Short, difficult day today. The roads were actually fairly easy, but all of us are still feeling yesterday. Cliff left first, and he was soon out of sight. Charlie is taking a rest day or two. Ali, Eamon, Patrick, Petra, Viola, & I set off together. Breakfast in Logroño and then a […]
» Read more(from my journal) Logroño Divine Mercy Sunday / 6PM Petra and Claus having breakfast at our wonderful albergue in Los Arcos Charlie, setting out from Los Arcos Today I walked 28 km. From Los Arcos it was a delightfully easy 7 km to Sansol. Onward, we walked over easy roads through olive trees and vineyards, culminating in a steep, undulating […]
» Read more(from my journal) Estella Easter Saturday / 5:20AM I woke up early and surprisingly refreshed. I wrote some post cards and will attempt to pack my bag before everyone else it up for breakfast. It’s snowing. Breakfast in Estella. Eamon and Patrick in the corner. Los Arcos 4:30PM Arrived in Los Arcos about 3PM. This morning, Charlie, Eamon, Petra, and […]
» Read more(from my journal) Mañeru Easter Friday / Noon Seven AM wake-up call and on the Road. Ali and Cliff remained in Puente la Reina. Ali is getting some help for an allergic reaction to her socks. Cliff’s blisters are getting worse, so he’s planning on resting a few days and taking a bus to Logroño. Morning in Puente la Reina […]
» Read more(from my journal) Puente La Reina Easter Thursday / 7pm Arrived exhausted, physically, mentally, emotionally. 9pm Showered. Clothes washed. In a bar looking forward to food and wine. I’m utterly wiped out. My feet are numb and my shoulders ache. This is the day my pilgrimage actually began. Fortified and Ready to Start Walking! We started the day in magnificent […]
» Read more(from my journal – the day by day account continues!) Irotz Easter Wednesday / 11AM This morning about 8AM we left Kristof behind and set out for Pamplona! No coffee or breakfast until now. A Farewell to Zubiri Walking mostly with Eamon or by myself. Ali has lagged behind out of sight, and Cliff has pushed ahead, not wanting to […]
» Read more(from my journal) Roncesvalles Easter Tuesday / 6:52AM “Wake Up, Little Susie” at 6:30, played on guitar and sung by a very enthusiastic minstrel. Oy. Looking back at Roncesvalles Setting off at last! This is the photo that every pilgrim has taken. Zubiri / Albuergue Zaldiko Easter Tuesday / 3:45PM Set off with Linda from Germany. We had breakfast in […]
» Read moreA rough day, full of missing the Camino and my Camino family. I believe I will deal with this by using this one-year anniversary to begin typing my journal – rough as it is – and posting the entries to my Camino blog day by day. Let’s see what happens, shall we? If we’re fortunate, and the technology still works, […]
» Read moreWe are rapidly approaching the one-year anniversary of our Camino. And, God willing, exactly two years from today we will leave on our next one. In the next month or so, I’ll be posting photos, day by day, of last year’s Camino, with my ruminations on each day a year later. This is not exactly for you, dear reader (though […]
» Read moreWelcome to all those who found my Camino blog via Craig Sailor’s great article in the Tacoma News Tribune! Being a blog, the articles are in backwards order in terms of time, but the Archives link on the left hand side of the page should help you find the oldest posts so you can read them in order. Enjoy! thom
» Read moreYesterday, Francine posted some very good ruminations on her blog about her time on the Camino. She was far more eloquent than I on the experience, and particularly the post-Camino experience. Honestly, after more than half a year, I’m still trying to process it. I haven’t even been able to post and catalogue all my photos yet – although I’ve […]
» Read moreYesterday, on the great feast of Christ the King, the Year of Faith drew to a close. Pope Benedict XVI established it as a time to re-dedicate ourselves to professing the faith, celebrating the faith, and witnessing to the faith. Faith grows when it is lived as an experience of love received and when it is communicated as an experience […]
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Yesterday, the second Mass I attended had five people. Oh, the regularly-scheduled morning Mass for All Souls was packed to the rafters, but this was later. The rubrics in the Missal for All Souls specifically allow priests to celebrate up to three Masses that day – indeed the Missal has three separate sets of antiphons and prayers for the day. […]
» Read moreSantiago Apóstol Today is the feast of Saint James the Apostle, son of Zebedee and Salome of Bethsaida, brother of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist. One of the “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17). Santiago. On this day last year, I wrote about what we know of Saint James from scripture and tradition. That was before I had walked 500 […]
» Read more“The Incredulity of St Thomas” by Caravaggio God’s communications with us humans are often subtle. As the Prophet Elijah discovered, the Voice of God is often to be found in the whispering wind (1 Kings 19:11-13). Sometimes, however, God reaches out and whacks us upside the head, either physically or mentally. One such time in the history of the Church […]
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