To the End of the Earth

In the movie Forrest Gump, Forrest decides to go for a run for no particular reason at all. People are fascinated by him and want to know why he is running.

At Mass last Sunday, the priest told us we needed to take the experience of the Camino to others; even to the end of the earth. I took him literally and walked to the end of the earth: Finisterre or Fisterra as it is called in the local Gallego language.

After walking over 800 kilometers you might ask why I would want to walk another 100 kilometers.  The best answer I can give is completion. Medieval pilgrims would walk to Finnisterre because it was the place where the known world ended.

Father David above Finisterre

At the shore they would pick up a clam shell to take home as a sign of the completion of their Camino.

The markers that have helped us find our way to Santiago are the logo of the clam shell. (See right) As you walk to Santiago the lines of the shell converge to represent the many different ways coming together in the City of the Apostle. As you leave Santiago the image of the shell is turned the other direction representing being sent out to the whole world.

Last night I climbed up on the rocks by the lighthouse to watch the sun set over the ocean.
I waved toward the United States which is now quite well known.  I thought about all of you and how thankful I am for my family, my friends, Sacred Heart Cathedral and the Diocese of Knoxville.




Jesus at the Ascension assured the disciples and us that he would be with us always; even to the ends of the earth.  Sitting at the end of the earth helps me to see how true that has been all along the way.  My walking is over for now, but it will take me a long time to reflect on what I have experienced on the Camino.

Luckily, Monday I fly to Rome to begin a different kind of learning.  I am sure that it will also be a time of great lessons. I look forward to sharing the journey with you.

Peace and Goodness,

FD

Eucharist: Thanksgiving

I was so overwhelmed by my arrival to Santiago on Saturday that I wanted to take things slow on Sunday.  I went back to the Cathedral to celebrate Mass and give thanks for the many blessings of the Camino.

I did not expect to be principal concelebrant again because there were so many priests.  I was just happy to be a part of the celebration.

Fr. Steve (L) with Fr. David (R)

In the sacristy, I reunited with  Fr. Steve, a Salesian priest from New Jersey. We had met back in Granon and our paths had crossed all along the Camino.  We were catching up with how each other's journey had gone when the procession started. Because we were the last two in line, the Master of Ceremonies seated us in the two principal concelebrant chairs with the Presider.  We were both surprised and honored to be able to celebrate together at the altar of Santiago.

The biggest thrill was being able to give communion to the many pilgrims I had walked with on The Way. As they came forward for communion I was able to remember where we had met on the way and what I had learned from each of them.  We all cried for the joy of reaching Santiago and because we realized that we were about to say goodbye.

Preparing the Botafumeiro

At the end of Mass the Presider for the Mass asked me and Fr. Steve to come in front of the altar with him. The Tiraboleiros who help with the incense brought the censor (Botafumeiro) forward and opened the top. The priest gave me a huge bowl of incense with a soup ladle and asked me to place incense in the enormous censor that had a mini bonfire inside it. Then he asked Fr. Steve to do the same. They closed the lid and 8 men began to move the censor though the air all the way to the ceiling of the Cathedral. It was incredible.  I have never experienced anything like it. See the video of the Botafumeiro at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

After Mass there was time to hug and say goodbye to so many people. It was difficult, but we all had new places to go.

The priest's homily had focused on how we now needed to take the experience of the Camino to other people and places. Even to the end of the earth. What I take away is gratitude. I am so thankful for everything and I hope that I am able to live out of that gratitude.

The word Eucharist is really a verb. It means to give thanks.  Our most perfect form of prayer is the celebration of the Eucharist.  We need to ask ourselves each time we go to Mass what offering we are going to make in thanksgiving for what we have received.

Peace and Goodness,

FD

Prayer of La Faba

Although I may have traveled all the roads, crossed mountains and valleys from east to west,
if I have not discovered the freedom to be myself,
I have arrived nowhere.

Although I may have shared all of my possessions with people of other languages and cultures,
made friends with Pilgrims of a thousand paths,
or shared Albergue with saints and princes,
if I am not capable of forgiving my neighbor tomorrow,
I have arrived nowhere.

Although I may have carried my pack from beginning to end and waited for every Pilgrim in need of encouragement, or given my bed to one who arrived later than I, given my bottle of water in exchange for nothing, if upon returning to my home and work, I am not able to create brotherhood or make happiness, peace and unity,
I have arrived nowhere.

Although I may have had food and water each day and enjoyed a roof and shower every night,
or may have had my injuries well attended,
If I have not discovered in all of that the love of God,
I have arrived nowhere.

Although I may have seen all of the monuments and contemplated the best sunsets,
although I may have learned a greeting in every language or tasted the clean water from every fountain;
if I have not discovered who is the author of so much free beauty and so much peace,
I have arrived nowhere.

If from today I do not continue walking on your path, searching and living according to what I have learned;
If from today I do not see in every person, friend or foe, a companion on the Camino;
If from today I cannot recognize God, the God of Jesus of Nazareth as the one God of my life,
I have arrived nowhere.

How It Feels to Arrive

Arrival in Santiago

 
What does it mean to arrive?  I started walking over a month ago and I knew that my goal was to arrive in Santiago to pay a visit to the remains of the Apostle Saint James. What I didn't know was how it would feel to arrive.


At first I walked right past the pilgrim's entrance to the Church because of the music of a flute player that drew me into the main plaza in front of the Cathedral. Afterward I walked in to the Cathedral and visited the place where the bones of St. James are kept. Then I climbed up behind the main altar to hug the statue of St. James. (It just seemed like the right thing to do after all of the help he gave me finding the right way to go along the Camino.)

Altar in Santiago Cathedral

Statue of St. James

After paying my respects to Santiago, I went to the pilgrim's office to show my credencial with all of my stamps from the places I stopped along the way. They wrote my name in Latin on my Compostela to show that I had completed the pilgrimage. (Interestingly, Boettner in Latin is Boettner).







  
At noon, I was able to be one of two principal concelebrants for the pilgrim's Mass.  The Church was packed wall to wall with pilgrims in various states of health. 

Preparing for Pilgrim's Mass

After Mass I was able to reunite with so many different pilgrims I met along the way. It was like a homecoming party. Everyone was excited to see that the other person had completed their journey.

Companeros de Camino

My favorite couple were two young people from Bulgaria. They came to the Camino with very little money, but tremendous courage.  Often they had to camp outside to save money. And for food they would have bread and what they could cook in the kitchen in the Albergue.  They spoke no Spanish and very little English, but they had dreamed about the Camino and decided that they must do it some way.

So what does it mean to arrive? That is a question I am not able to answer. I can tell you how it feels to arrive.  It feels like the joy of Christmas morning.

Someone has prepared an amazing gift for you and now you have the pleasure of opening the gift and beginning to understand what the gift represents. Unconditional love.

Peace and Goodness,

FD

Entrance to Santiago

I was hoping for trumpets but the flute was a nice touch.

Purification

 

Alison Krauss - Down to the River to Pray

 

Today,  I had planned to stop at the river Lavacolla where Medieval pilgrims washed themselves in purification (and to get rid of some accumulated grime from the Camino) before entering the Holy City of the Apostle. 

The morning began with light misty clouds that turned into steady rain followed by a solid downpour for about 6 hours. By the time I reached Lavacolla, I had been soaked to the bone. There was nothing left that had not been washed by the rain. 

Smelling Like Sheep

I must have looked rather pathetic when I arrived at the hostel because the woman behind the counter told me to take a shower immediately to warm up and she washed my clothes for me without charge.

The weather matched my mood as well.  I thought that I would be excited to be so close to Santiago, but I find myself somewhat sad to be arriving.  I have had an amazing experience that I find hard to put into words.  I have received so many blessings on the way; from the priests who have blessed us at the pilgrim Masses to the grandmother in the park who blessed me as one of her grandchildren.  I have encountered great hospitality in the most unlikely places; like Carmen in the town of Sabugos who waited on the street by her house to offer warm crepes to the pilgrims as they passed by.  (She even sprinkled extra sugar on mine).

I have had conversations with total strangers about the deepest and most important things in our lives; like Robert from Poland who knows that God is calling him to something more and he wants to be open to it.

I think I am sad because I know that what is so frequent and easy on the Camino has to flow into life after the Camino, but it will be more difficult. It is like saying goodbye to a friend who is moving away. The friendship will never end, but it will take more intentional effort to maintain it.  I hope today's purification has prepared me for what lies ahead.

Getting Close to Santiago

Tomorrow will be very different. Entering the city of Santiago and attending the pilgrim's Mass with so many people I have known on the way will be exciting.  It is good that we end the way with "The Breaking of the Bread".  Luke 24:35


Peace and Goodness,

FD

So Close and Yet So Far

Today, I entered the town of Arzua, Spain which is about 40 kilometers from Santiago de Compostela. As I walked today I found it hard to believe that I am almost to the end of the Camino. Every day the focus has been on walking and trying to be present to whatever the day might bring.

Each day has challenged me and strengthened me to be more open to the amazing presence of God. One of the churches I stopped into today epitomized this daily challenge. In it was a crucifix with Jesus reaching down from the cross to take our hand.

The girl in the church who was stamping pilgrim credentials encouraged me to put my hand in His. The way the crucifix is positioned on the wall made it necessary to reach up to hold His hand. As I did so it was impossible to not look up into his face. It was one of so many times in the last month that I was immediately aware of the depth of God's love for us.

Five minutes later I was back on the Camino and finding myself more and more irritated by the cyclists that would come buzzing past the walkers ringing their bells as if they owned the trail. At one point I thought about just staying in the middle of the path and not moving when the next cyclist came by. Then I thought again about the crucifix. I probably should have held on to His hand longer.

It seems like some lessons have to be learned over and over again.

Tomorrow I will walk to Lavacolla which is only 10 kilometers from Santiago. This will allow me to make it into Santiago in time for the noon pilgrim Mass. In Medieval times, pilgrims would stop at the stream at Lavacolla to wash and purify themselves before entering the Holy city of the Apostle.

I need all of the help I can get so I will stop as well.

Peace and Goodness,

FD

100 Kilometers to Go!

Carry That Weight

Why would you carry extra weight when you do not have to?

Today I walked to the top of Mount Irago in the darkness so that I could watch the sunrise on La Cruz de Ferro (The Iron Cross).

Over the years, pilgrims have carried a rock from home to symbolize something or things that they wanted to leave behind on the way.

Some people have been carrying the pain of losing a loved one...

 



others feel the weight of a relationship that fell apart.





Some seek forgiveness.

It is not always easy to tell what is weighing another person down.

Sometimes there are so many things weighing us down that we can't even begin to name them.

Pilgrims leave their rock at the cross as a prayer to have the weight lifted from them.

It takes courage and faith to let go of the things that weigh us down.

It is appropriate that we leave whatever weighs us down at the foot of the cross because there is no weight that we have to carry alone.

  The cross is God's answer to our burdens. When we are free from our burdens, we are free to love.

Peace and Goodness,

FD

The Hunger Games

I have passed the half way mark in my Camino and have left the Meseta behind.  As we get closer to Santiago the number of people on the Camino grows exponentially.  The result is that hostels and restaurants become crowded and sometimes there are not enough beds for everyone.  Sometimes grocery stores run out of bread or fruit or whatever else a pilgrim might need.

Some people approach this reality as if they were contestants on the Hunger Games. (Note: In the 2008 fiction novel by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games are an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12 to 18 from each of the twelve districts surrounding the Capitol are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle to the death until only one person remains.)

People form coalitions and work together to be first awake and walking and first in to a town so that they don't ever lose out.

Another option is to not play the game at all. The crowds are an opportunity to trust even more radically that God guides the way.

Yesterday my feet and legs were tired and the heat was intense. I arrived in Burgo de Ranero after the Municipal Albergue was already full.



I was directed to another albergue that was close by. I arrived in time to watch the Italian team claim the last beds.  The lady who ran the albergue offered to let me sleep on the ground near the kitchen and I could use the shower and bathroom. I gladly accepted.




On the way to El  Burgo  Raneros, I was worried that I was moving too slow to get in to town in time to hit the local grocery. As I walked, I saw this beautiful sign offering free fruit to pilgrims.

They even left out plastic bags so you could take as much fruit as you wanted.(The grocery store charges for bags). I now had fruit for breakfast and a shower and a place to sleep.
 
As a result of my special sleeping quarters, I was treated to Las Lagrimas del San Lorenzo. A meteor shower that takes place on or about August 10th.  It was amazing!

The walk into Leon from El Burgo Raneros is about 40 kilometers.  I knew it would be a hard day and so I started walking at 4 a.m. Most bars that serve coffee and breakfast don't open until 9.  After walking about 16 kilometers in 3 hours, I was really looking for some coffee and place to sit down.  I saw this crazy looking building with tables chairs, but no lights on.

Sinin serves up coffee

 I decided to sit and rest and have some water.  Soon other pilgrims arrived and sat down too. We all shared our grief at the lack of coffee.

About that time, a taxi came speeding up and out stumbled Sinin, who was just coming back from a fiesta at the neighboring town.  He was so excited to see us that he immediately opened Bar Elvis, turned on the music and started serving coffees to everyone for free.

Bar Elvis

People who had the minute before been tired and frustrated started to laugh, dance and sing.  Before long we had a street party with pilgrims continuing to arrive.  It was just the boost I needed to charge me up for the final 24 kilometers into Leon.

Sleep, hunger, coffee, and the fear of being in need can drive us into a variety of strange behaviors.  The call to trust and to accept what is constantly being offered is a daily call on the Camino.  The reading for this Sunday are sharp contrast with the Hunger Games that we see played out in so many different ways. God chose to make himself present to us as food for the journey.  It is no accident that when we fail to recognize him in bread that we fail to recognize him in flesh too.


Peace and Goodness,

FD

Adaptation

Church in Ages where Father David offered Mass

One of the qualities of a pilgrim that I learned from Seraphim was adaptation. We have been accustomed to walking in some hot weather without shade, but it seems that the Sahara Desert wanted to join us on our Camino.

The weather reports have indicated that a heat wave from the Sahara Desert is moving up the Iberian Peninsula. Day time temperatures this week are passing the 100 degree mark. We were at a loss for how to deal with it until we met Luis in Villarmentero. We have been stopping at smaller towns and albergues to avoid the massive crowds of pilgrims in the bigger cities.  Usually there is no priest or pilgrim Mass and so I find the local sacristans and ask for permission to say Mass. They ring the bells and people come for an unplanned Mass by a priest from Tenisi (also known as Tennessee).

Villarmentero definitely qualifies as a small town.  There are three year round residents and fifteen people who live there during pilgrim season.  When we arrived at Villarmentero we at first were very worried because the people who run the Albergue had taken the day off. Luckily they had left a sign on the door welcoming us to stay and they had left some soup and bread behind.

We dropped off our backpacks and rested for a bit until a neighbor, Luis, showed up and offered to drive us to the next town where there was a supermarket for supplies.  He also introduced me to the woman who had keys to the church.

At 6 pm I offered Mass for anyone that could hear the bells of the church. In addition to the pilgrims that were passing through, 3 ladies from town came because they heard the bells and thought there must be a fire.

After Mass, Luis and some of our group returned from town with ribs, bacon, steak and chorizo.  Luis found some firewood and started a fire. Later we celebrated what came to be known as "Meatfest Villarmentero 2012".

Makeshift Barbeque

While we were eating dinner, we explained to Luis how worried we were about the weather. He assured us that the stars are far more beautiful at night and they appreciate pilgrims who walk under their light.  He even taught us some songs we could sing as we walked.

The next section of Camino was a flat straight section without any shade or towns and so we decided to walk from Villarmentero to Terradillos de los Templarios at night. We slept a little and then left at 2am. By sunrise we had walked almost 30 kilometers. I lost count of the number of shooting stars that I saw saw last night and I had some of the best prayer time of the Camino.

30 kilometers before sunrise (Father David is far left).

So often we fear the dark of night and seek the safety of daylight.  At first it seems crazy to try to walk at night, but God has constantly shown us that he will guide our steps and that nothing is greater than his loving presence.

 

 

"There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light."  ~ Revelation 22:5

Peace and Goodness,

FD

Boadilla

After Burgos we entered the dreaded "Meseta". This is the central plateau region of Spain. It is vast open areas without shade or towns. As you walk, you are surrounded by wheat as far as the eye can see in any direction.

The concha or the shell of Santiago that all of the pilgrims carry with them is also a symbol of baptism. Most churches use this shell to pour water over the person being baptized.

In baptism you have to first die to yourself so that you can rise with Christ. The Meseta is the desert place where pilgrims die to themselves. The landscape helps to prepare the pilgrim to be emptied out. There is nothing to look at. It is too hot to stop walking and you have uninterrupted hours of time to review your life.

After walking more than 30 kilometers through the Meseta with temperatures in the high 90's I was ecstatic to see a town appear. At the entrance to the town was a well. Next to the well was a private residence with a wall around it and a gate facing the path.

Seraphim (in hat) Our Host

Poolside at Seraphim's villa

Nacho was about ten minutes ahead of me and had started a conversation with the owner of the house. He invited our group to stay with him for the night.

As I walked through the gate I heard music playing and I saw the garden that surrounded the pool. It is important to know that the owner's name was Seraphim. Yes, like the angel!

Seraphim had food and drinks waiting for us and invited us to relax. After we had all arrived and rested a while, Nacho cooked dinner while Seraphim cared for the blisters and sores on the feet of some of our group.

It was during dinner that Seraphim taught us about the important qualities of a pilgrim. Humility, patience and adaptation.

We had not planned to stop in Boadilla because there was only one hostel and it was likely full, but we were exhausted from the day and many in our group were developing injuries. We needed rest and a good meal and out of the wasteland appeared an angel.

The next morning there was fruit, coffee and rolls set out and waiting for us, but we could not find Seraphim. We had to leave without saying goodbye. He had first told us the qualities and then showed us the qualities of a true pilgrim. It will not be forgotten.

Camino Qualities

Humility, Patience and Adaptation

These are the three most importance qualities of the pilgrim on the Camino.

Since Lorgono on July 29 and 30 I have been picking up speed and friends with my days usually being around 30 kilometers.

I have traveled through Najera where I attended the pilgrim's Mass and was invited by the priest to ring the bell of Santiago three times. One for the Eucharist, one for Mary and one for Santiago.  I also visited the local museum  inside the Franciscan Monastery Santa Maria la Real where the tombs of most of the Kings and Queens of Navarre are located.

Starting in Logrono and continuing for over a week I have been traveling with a team of pilgrims that I have met along the way. Ignacio (Nacho) who is our chef and guru from Portugal, Carlos (El Capitan) a retired naval commander from Spain, Laura (Sonrisa) an investment advisor from Brazil and me (El Padre). 

Laura, Nacho and Jun

After the town of Santo Domingo de la Calzadas (August 2nd) we picked up Jun, pronounced June, (El Artist) from Korea who is studying acting.

In Hontana, August 5th we added two new members to our team. Christina (Nightingale) a massage therapist from Canada and Jordan (Gladiator) a US soldier who just finished his second tour of Afghanistan.

In Granon, I stayed in an old fashioned pilgrim hospital that was built into the attic of the Church. Before dinner we had Mass in Church and then cooked together to in the hospital. After dinner we went into the old choir stalls to end the day with evening prayer.

Choir Stalls

In Belorado, I had dinner with Magnus and Esther, a British couple who were celebrating their first year of marriage by riding a tandem bike across the Camino. 

Tandem Biking on the El Camino

 I also toured the amazing 13th century
Cathedral built by Kings and Queens of Burgos.

Burgos Cathedral (Catedral de Santa María; Catedral de Burgos) is a Gothic cathedral in northern Spain. It is notable for its vast size, magnificent Gothic architecture, and unique history. Burgos Cathedral was added to the World Heritage List in 1984 and Frommer's Spain calls it one of Spain's best cathedrals.
 
The construction of a cathedral at Burgos was ordered by King Ferdinand III of Castile and Mauricio, the English-born Bishop of Burgos. Construction started on the site of the former Romanesque cathedral on July 20, 1221. Work began at the chevet (east end), which was completed in nine years.



Read more about the Burgos Cathedral at Sacred Destinations.




And, last night we had a taste of paradise at a private residence in Boadilla. More to come later....

Peace and Goodness,

FD