You Never Know Who You Might Meet on the Camino
From 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 Kline of Phoenix accompanied auxiliary Bishop James D. Conley of Denver along the medieval “El Camino de Santiago” in Spain from Aug. 21 to Aug. 28.
Bishop Conley said he was inspired to make the trek when he walked with a group of young people along the Camino last summer, but was unable to hike most of it because of a foot injury.
“Think of all the saints that have made that pilgrimage,” he told CNA Sept. 7. “All these saints down through the centuries walked the same path.”
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O’Cebreiro, Spain, the site of a Eucharistic miracle which caused a statue of the Virgin Mary to bow her head, was the “perfect place” for the men to begin their journey, Bishop Wall said.
Beginning each day just after six in the morning with prayer, hiking until about 2 p.m. and then celebrating the pilgrim’s Mass in the evening, the men completed as many as 24 miles in a day to reach their final destination.
“Patience” and “humility” were among the chief lessons Fr. Baker took away from the journey.
“It was a challenge for a group of middle-aged men,” he admitted.
Meanwhile, I’m just over six months from my start date!