Ruminations of an Amateur Monastic
At the highest point of the Camino in Spain, upon the plateau of Monte Irago, is a cross. This cross, called Cruz de Ferro (literally, “iron cross”) is a tall oak post with a small iron cross attached to the top. All around the cross is a large pile of stones. Pilgrims have been laying a stone at Cruz de […]
» Read moreNow that we are well and truly in Lent, our serious training has begun. Prior to the beginning of February, Francine and I were hiking the weekends and I was walking about two miles a day during my commute. Now we’ve got a slightly more intensive plan. I’m well aware that there’s a school of thought that says you can’t […]
» Read moreSixty days from today, I fly to Spain. Sixty days in advance is the earliest you can purchase a train ticket in Spain using Renfe‘s web site. Since I need to get from Madrid to Pamplona (and thence to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port), I figured I would buy a train ticket today. Here’s what I learned: the train takes three hours and the […]
» Read moreCodex Calixtinus Folio 4r,showing Saint James Some time ago, I ruminated on why. Why do the Camino? Here’s another answer, from the very first guide book to the Camino, the Codex Calixtinus, written some time in the XIIth Century: The pilgrim route is a very good thing, but it is narrow. For the road which leads us to life is […]
» Read moreCamino planning has taken a turn for the serious this week. Francine got her backpack (a Gregory Freia 30) and ordered her trekking poles, towel, and some other equipment. Oh, and today I booked my flight to Madrid. I’ll be flying out on Easter morning (31 March) and arriving in Madrid on April Fool’s Day. Seems appropriate. Then, I’ll take […]
» Read moreHappy they who dwell in your house! Continually they praise you. Happy the men whose strength you are! Their hearts are set upon the pilgrimage. (from Psalm 84, Optional Responsorial Psalm for today’s Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph) With just over three months to go until I leave for the Camino, my preparations are again […]
» Read moreEach year on this, his feast day, I write a short article about Saint Thomas Becket. Having the birth name “Thomas”, I take Becket and Aquinas as patrons. Last year, I quoted a small passage from G.K. Chesterton on the matter of Becket’s martyrdom. This year, I’d like to focus a moment on the idea of pilgrimage. Following his death, […]
» Read moreFifteen weeks to go! Some of you will have noticed a link to my Camino Amazon wishlist under the countdown. While I’ve got all of the important equipment settled, there are a few odds and ends there. The other day, I received a package from Amazon. Now, I’ve got a couple of things purchased there on a “pre-publication” status, so […]
» Read moreAs you can see, I’ve added a countdown calendar to the blog on the left-hand side. Right now it stands at 20 weeks! Equipment testing continues, this time with an eye towards the weather. We tested our water-proof regime a few weeks ago on a hike round and round Snake Lake. Although we probably didn’t go any further than about […]
» Read moreGod willing, six months from today I will set out on my Camino. Where has the time gone? Most of the clothing and equipment I plan on taking has been purchased at this point, though there are still a lot of fiddly things to get – lightweight containers (stuff sacks), for example. I’m keeping track of some of the items […]
» Read moreFrom the Catholic News Agency: Members of the Catholic clergy from around the United States hiked 100 miles of an ancient pilgrimage this summer, relying on God to give them strength to endure suffering along the way. Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, Bishop James S. Wall of Gallup, N.M., Fr. Gerry Baker of Owensboro, Ky. and Fr. Don […]
» Read moreAlthough there’s no such thing as an “average” day on the Camino, it would seem that 25km a day is a fair rate. Some days are less, of course, and some are a bit more. This past weekend, some buddies and I were on our annual camping trip. Well, we used to camp. The past few years, we’ve stayed at […]
» Read moreWhy walk the Camino? Why would anybody want to spend a month walking nearly 500 miles through northern Spain? Why do I? That’s a darn fine question. I wish I had a good answer. When somebody asks me, I usually reply with a glib, “obviously, I’m an idiot.” The truth is, I don’t know why I feel called to the […]
» Read moreSantiago, Saint James the Greater, was one of Christ’s Twelve Apostles. His feast is celebrated today. He and his brother John were natives of Galilee, sons of the fisherman Zebedee and his wife Salome, whom the Eastern Christians name Myrrh-bearer. They were disciples of John the Baptist, but the Baptist sent them to Jesus. So fiery were these two brothers, […]
» Read moreHow did I not know about this? Camino Seattle is a five-week walking/hiking and prayer event for St. James Cathedral Parish, beginning June 24, 2012 and ending July 29, 2012, the Feast of St. James. It looks very cool, but it’s practically over! And given that this weekend is Francine’s birthday, it’s unlikely that we’ll be attending any of the […]
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