Going on Camino

Tomorrow I leave for France to begin my “long Camino”. This time, I am walking the route known as the Via Podiensis from Le Puy-en-Velay all the way to Santiago de Compostela, a distance of nearly a thousand miles.

In a few weeks, Francine will fly to Spain with our friend Becky to begin serving as an hospitalera for two weeks in Logroño, and then she and Becky will walk the Caminho Português from Porto. These will be our fifth pilgrimages on the Camino de Santiago.

Francine will return in early October, while I will return at the end of October.

Give me my scallop shell of quiet,
My staff of faith to walk upon,
My scrip of joy, immortal diet,
My bottle of salvation,
My gown of glory, hope’s true gage,
And thus I’ll take my pilgrimage.

(from “The Passionate Man’s Pilgrimage”, attributed to Sir Walter Raleigh)

Saint James, pray for us!