2013

Anybody who says that The Meseta section of the Camino is flat hasn't been to Australia. This isn't the Hay Plains, let alone the Nullabor. There are towns built on small rises, and mountains off to the northwest. 

But yeah, it is pretty flat. Which makes for easier walking, so today I was able to go quite comfortably for 32km by starting at 6.30am and arrive by 2.30pm at an albergue with a pool which was a great way to spend the afternoon.

Walked today with Anders from Norway and Olga from Russia. 

 There are so many Australians here! About six of us in the albergue plus two more we met at dinner!

Oddly enough for something so recent, my memories of Kincumber Parish might be a little bit out of chronological order, I think because for the first time as a priest I had a full 6 year term. 

But what struck me early in my time there was the resilience of the parishioners at Kincumber. I mentioned in yesterday's post that I was moved there in wake of my predecessor being stood down for allegations (which would later be proven in court) of abuse against children. And this would be awful enough, but this was the second time this had happened to Kincumber Parish with another previous priest. 

Early on I asked the Parish Pastoral Council what we could do to address people's grief and anger about this. The surprising response was that yes there might be some of this, but really, they just wanted to get their parish back and get going again. 

I thought this might be wishful thinking and I was on the lookout for what might be unspoken but might bubble up under the surface in unexpected ways. But to my surprise, there really wasn't anything to hold the parish back. No doubt many people left the church at one or other of these events, and perhaps those who were most distressed had already left. 

Because what was left was a parish which already had a welcoming culture and keen volunteers, and who responded wholeheartedly to every endeavour in the parish. 

I think that Kincumber, like some other very friendly parishes can often trace this back to a small handful of senior parishioners whose charism has spread over the parish over the decades. People like Pauline &  Richard Caulfield who plugged away at hospitality even when nearly no-one responded, and Angela Ormisher whose tragic loss of her own children impelled her to love everyone else's children instead, and Mary Hughes, such a team player willing to serve on teams whenever needed. 

Community Dinners was always going to be a good fit for Kincumber Parish, and this time it wasn't me who suggested it. My friend Jane who had been in Narraweena Parish had moved to the Central Coast, joined the parish and the PPC, and made the proposal. And it took off in a big way, with up to 100 people per night, 50ish volunteers at its peak, and it became one of the defining features of the parish.