1999

 Today the Camino began. And it's off to a great start. 

There was some nervousness about the weather with a thunderstorm and a lot of rain forecast, which would be difficult in the 1300-1400m section. I decided to check the weather forecast first thing in the morning, but I heard people start walking with their backpacks and poles at 5am! 

So I began. In darkness, because the sun doesn't rise in Spain till 7.30am due to being on the same timezone as most of Europe. The road began to climb and climb. There should have been spectacular views, but I was in the midst of cloud, and it was so foggy and misty I expected to find the ghost of Heathcliff. Instead, I met (and overtook) many many pilgrims from around the world with varying levels of English. So I would greet with hello, either chat in reply, or give the standard "Buen Camino" and walk on. 

There was a cafe in a little town called Orisson about a third of the way up, which was great for a coffee, and then, the hero of everyone's walk was a man with a food van by the side of the road about two thirds of the way selling bananas, hard boiled eggs, and hot chocolate for two euros. He could have charged twenty and think we would all have bought one, because by this time we were high in the mountains and the winds was ripping across. There was some risk of hypothermia for anyone not well prepared and well dressed. 

But then the cloud lifted at the higher altitude, and as it does, dumped the predicted rain in fat droplets whilst thunder and lightning raged around. There was such a frisson in the air and I was loving just powering along, but I was worried for other people whom I'd overtaken hours ago who were walking at half my speed who were going to get caught in this for a long time and have a hard day of it. 

I arrived at Roncesvalles Albergue (hostel), an enormous place which can host more than 200 people in a renovated monastery. 

This is just what I hoped it would be - walk in the morning, shower, change clothes, come back and relax. Tonight there is a shared pilgrim meal and Mass which I am looking forward to. 

 

So Day 1 of Camino I remember and give thanks for Year 1 of priesthood - 1999. 

I was ordained in 1999, see the photo with Bishop David Walker above. I was actually ordained twice, firstly as deacon, then as priest. The events kind of blur into one for me, but I think it was the diaconate which really changed my life. I finished seminary. I moved into a presbytery, Parish ministry became my full time job / life. Priesthood added to what I could now do, but I treasure those eight months of diaconate as a wonderful time of learning how to do parish ministry at St Agatha's Pennant Hills. 

Last weekend I attended the ordination of Fr Hien Vu and it was such a great chance to remember my own ordination. I remember prostrating on the floor while the litany of saints was sung, an act of surrender to whatever God may ask of me. I remember the bishop laying hands on me and feeling such a surge of power and warmth and love. And then each priest present also came to lay hand on my head, and the power presence of God just kept coming and coming and coming. I was vested in diaconal / priestly vestments and there was huge applause. Then as each priest came to give the sign of peace the applause seemed to continue (we were a rowdy congregation) and I could hear when I hugged Fr Bill Meacham the Woy Woy side of the cathedral cheered, and when Fr Vince Casey hugged me the Pennant Hills side of the cathedral cheered. It was such a sense of connection to those parishes and all of the people. 

That's all I can write or now - I'm struggling to stay awake as jetlag means I should be asleep on Sydney time, so I need to get up and get moving again to push through to tonight.