Preparing to Walk the Camino

 For years I have been fascinated by the Camino de Santiago, the ancient 800km pilgrimage route across northern Spain. But my interest has been tempered by the question of why bother? Why go to the expense and distance and jetlag of going to Europe? If I want to walk 800km, why not just walk to Melbourne? Friends of mine who had always wanted to walk the Camino but whose plans were stymied by 2020-21 lockdowns developed the Camino de Sydney – A pilgrimage of discovery (wordpress.com) as a practical alternative. 

My sister Rosemary also thought of doing the camino with me, but our mother's health, the covid lockdowns and ultimately the realisation that our walking speeds and our taste in accommodation would be vastly incompatible put paid to our plans. 

Finally, I had an inkling that the Camino might be worth doing to mark my 25th anniversary as a priest in 2024. But the earlier question remained - why? I didn't feel the same excitement and draw I felt about any other holiday like my annual pilgrimage to Tasmania. My spiritual director encouraged me to discern not what pilgrimage to walk or when, but what is pilgrimage? 

Some reading and pondering (thanks to Gail Gill for The Art of Pilgrimage by Phil Cousineau and Neil for and Jesus: A Pilgrimage by James Martin) fed into the mix, but I still didn't feel like I had an answer. Until, one day in prayer, the answer just seemed to emerge as if it was so obvious that it had always been there: Walk for 25 days to remember and give thanks each day for one year of priesthood! With this thought came a surge of energy and consolation such as I have always associated with direction from God. Here was the right reason to take long service leave, to spend more money than I have ever spent on a trip. To mark what I hope will be the midpoint of my life as a priest by remembering and giving thanks, so that the second half might be even better. 





Comments

  1. Alexandra Pierotti10 August 2024 at 01:09

    This is awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Linda Wong19 August 2024 at 01:28

    Fr Jim,
    I feel so privileged to be able to follow your pilgrimage on your blog. Thank you for setting up this blog.
    May God bless the path on which you go. May God bless the earth beneath your feet . May God be a smooth way before you. May God be with you each step of the journey you take. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jim22 August 2024 at 05:20

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Marilyn Thomas24 August 2024 at 04:22

    So thrilled to read this blog, Fr Jim. The Camino walk has always fascinated me, so in 2022 Gavin and I drove to Santiago de Compostela, Braga and Fatima after our organised tour of Spain and Portugal.
    Will follow your blog with immense interest. God be with you on this incredible journey.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jim25 August 2024 at 15:31

      Thank you, Marilyn. I'll be remembering you and your family on the first few days. and I'm so glad that you've been to Santiago de Compostela too!

      Delete
  5. Bek Lehmann Cook7 September 2024 at 02:51

    Hey big fella, oops, Fr Jim,
    I'm in hospital and have remembered you have a blog documenting your trip, so I am reading it to distract me from what's happening with me, and to take on the hope and excitement of your journey. Keep walking and blogging and can't wait to see you when you get back. Me and my little family think you rock!

    ReplyDelete

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