Ruminations of an Amateur Monastic
Mary’s month of May begins with a day for her husband. Today, celebrated around the world as “International Workers’ Day” is the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker. There’s poetry to the fact that the month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin begins by putting the focus on her husband, and therefore on their family life. Imagine the Holy Family of […]
» Read more(from my journal) O Pedrouzo Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker The pilgrimage is nearly done. God willing, tomorrow we will be in Santiago! Today was an easy walk of 20km. We left Arzúa late, after visiting the lovely church there. It was crawling with cleaning ladies and the same little old church ladies you find in every parish. One […]
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(from my journal) Arzúa (a.k.a. “Cheesetown”) 30 April 2013 Today, a long, long walk. Francine was a champion – just exploding out of the gate, and again at the end of the day. By way of contrast, a strained muscle slowed me to a crawl at the end of the day. Beautiful forested rainy Galicia! Just magical. Lunched on pulpo […]
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I‘m a frustrated Oblate today. Perhaps I should explain. Today is the (combined) feast of four great Abbots of the Benedictine Order: Saints Odo, Majolus, Odilo, and Hugh. They were all good and holy men, and during the course of their reigns over the Abbey of Cluny and its associated priories, they reformed western monasticism – indeed, it could be […]
» Read more(from my journal) Palas de Rei 29 April 2013 We’ve made excellent progress the past two days through the undulating farm and forest lands of Galicia. We’ve certainly had our share of weird weather here, from sudden hailstorms to today’s gale-force winds, but overall it’s been sunny and cool. Galicia is a very Catholic country. You see religious emblems on […]
» Read more(from my journal) Portomarín 28 April So many pilgrims now. That sentence was, in fact, my entire journal entry for today. Starting in Sarria, the number of pilgrims on the Way increases by tenfold. I saw more pilgrims today than I probably had on the entirety of the Camino so far. So there were new challenges. Chief among them were: […]
» Read moreToday, the Second Sunday in the Octave of Easter, is also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. Pope John Paul II proclaimed the Sunday after Easter as the Sunday of the Divine Mercy (Dominica II Paschæ seu de divina misericordia) in accord with the visions of the Divine Mercy received by
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(from my journal) Sarria 27 April Some highway walking, followed by a beautiful walk in the forests of Galicia. Lots of rain. Francine, having had very little sleep due to a drunken Englishman snoring and occasionally shouting in his sleep,… Read more → (Originally posted to Pilgrims on the Way.)
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(from my journal) Royal Monastery of Samos 26 April 2013 Francine and I had a shorter walk today to Samos through beautiful Galician misty farmland and woods with Anja. During second breakfast, who should come ’round the bend but Eamon! Lunched in Triacastela and the mist finally more or less lifted. Arrived in Samos with Eamon and Francine and booked […]
» Read moreRequiem æternam dona eis, Domine: et lux perpetua luceat eis. In memoria æterna erit iustus, ab auditione mala non timebit. Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord: and let perpetual light shine upon her. She shall be justified in everlasting memory, and shall not fear evil reports. Absolve, Domine, animas omnium fidelium defunctorum ab omni vinculo delictorum et gratia tua […]
» Read more(from my journal) Fonfría 25 April 2013 First Breakfast in Vega Today we traveled, on and off, with Iain, Anja, and a lovely Korean lady named Isabel (or, as I like to call her, Bob). The climb to O’Cebreiro was steep and rough, quite the toughest climb so far… but one. Cows with Cowbells. Francine was so enchanted with the […]
» Read more(from my journal) Vega de Valcarce 24 April 2013 On the Road Again! Where’s the Coffee? Fun hiking day in the morning, walking off and on with Smith and Tara, Santiago, and Stella and Diego. A Beautiful Morning! WHERE. IS. COFFEE?? Looking Like a Painting Aaaah. Coffeeeeee. Sculptor’s Studio just outside of Cacabelos In Villafranca del Bierzo, I mailed a […]
» Read more“Fairy Tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” (G.K. Chesterton) Today’s feast is of the great martyr, Saint George. Pious legends of dragon slaying notwithstanding, George was a soldier of the Roman army who was killed during the persecutions of Diocletian in the early […]
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(from my journal) Cacabelos 23 April 2013 On paper, this should have been our easiest day. Unfortunately, it was 27° C. We arrived in Ponferrada in good shape and only slightly behind schedule. But there was the Castle. We waited almost an hour for it to open at 11AM(ish), and we then spent over an hour exploring the structure and […]
» Read more(from my journal) Molinaseca 22 April 2013 Saying Goodbye to our Hospitaleros at Refugio Gaucelmo in Rabanal Too tired to think properly. Spectacular climb to Cruz de Ferro, Francine, Mark, and I. Saw some peregrinos there we had prviously met in Rabanal. Saw a forest fire in the hills – two helicopters put it out. Lord, may this stone, a […]
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On Earth Day, I’m reminded of the great Canticle of the Sun, written by Saint Francis of Assissi in about 1224. It is, of course, this verse that comes to mind: We praise You, Lord, for Sister Earth, who sustains us with her fruits, colored flowers, and herbs. Although it’s now known as Canticle of the Sun, the author’s original […]
» Read more(from my journal) Rabanal del Camino 21 April – Sunday! Bishop’s Palace in Astorga, by Gaudi. The Bishop never moved in, and it’s a Museum now. Cathedral in Astorga – Apparently Closed on Sunday Mornings. What is this? Francine’s second day, and the Benedictine connection continues. It was a rough day, and we only reached El Ganso – our intended […]
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