tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14299332748513308422024-03-14T08:42:07.942+00:00Pilgrim patchPilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-74218491909036760912011-07-06T16:20:00.000+01:002011-07-06T16:20:20.260+01:00Times move on<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.desktop-xp.com/images/free-clock-screensaver/big1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.desktop-xp.com/images/free-clock-screensaver/big1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Time has come the Walrus said to speak of many things,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Of ships and seas and sealing rings</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cabbages and Kings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have decided that this blog is to close for now.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have said much,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">but I do not want to say more.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My theologising about pilgrimage has come to an end.... for now,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">at least in this form.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thanks for following me</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">if you have?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More over to the new interactive blog,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yes! you can post on it as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">here is the url</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://peterbros.blogspot.com/">http://peterbros.blogspot.com</a></div>Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-76732371146620644032011-03-29T09:29:00.000+01:002011-03-29T09:29:10.190+01:00I am still alive!If you are reading this you are to be appalled and thanked. For it means that I have not lost everyone along the way. So many weeks since my last post. I expect that everyone has gone someplace else. But as you have come to this blog I owe you an explaination.<br />
As you will have seen I injured my knees last autumn. They have taken a long time to recover and although they do not cause me pain anymore in normal life, when I walk any distance I know about it.<br />
This has had a number of knock on effects and to put it bluntly I have become fat( some think that I was fat already) so walking become event more arduous. So I have rather retired to parish work, mostly in the study for the winter. Coupled with that has been a withdrawal of my leadership of Peterborough Pilgrims so that others can take the lead. Therefore the sum of all this has been that I have somewhat stopped living on planet pilgrim.<br />
This does not mean that I have been inactive. I have been working to establish a Free School at the church where I serve. It is going well but there is much still to do before the D of E says yes and we can start poring concrete.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHg6Z_v6QYc0H7-n1OVrm_zFQfDSHGRvAdCnMsB6GSRlX5FzPwHqaqfGXmtdJVlZcP4M84I5Hw6RkRCPBAuCY_TczxtZnaI21ormOXFl0WK1qpbYAb98uHHsRmc4UA1RHTYluOb_Tq9g/s1600/sky_wmap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHg6Z_v6QYc0H7-n1OVrm_zFQfDSHGRvAdCnMsB6GSRlX5FzPwHqaqfGXmtdJVlZcP4M84I5Hw6RkRCPBAuCY_TczxtZnaI21ormOXFl0WK1qpbYAb98uHHsRmc4UA1RHTYluOb_Tq9g/s320/sky_wmap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>So what has been exciting me recently- This has. It is called the WMAP. ( Thanks to Brian Cox on the telly) It is a photograph of the sky showing the background microwaves that come from the beginning of everything. It shows that the radiation is not even and that is why the universe came to be . It is a blueprint for everything, and it came into existence at almost the instant that the big bang happened .<br />
We are not talking days here but millionths of a second. The way it works is this. The slightly denser parts became more dense until they became atoms, which in turn gathered and gave birth to stars, then galaxies and so on. In this blue print is the potential for everything. It is more than potential. Once<br />
this came into existence, everything as we know it came into being in it right order. There is no random chance here. Therefore evolution from stars to people is causation. There is no room for 'it sort of just happened' we are not the product of random chance. I some unfathomable way I am part of this early map. The old chestnut of we are a product of random evolution is now dead as a theological question. Evolution is only a bottom up explanation..I am here, where did I come from? I can from an ape who came from a fish, who came from a single green cell. All it does is to trace my family tree backwards along a predetermined path. And who determined what should be? Do you need two guesses?Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-19435129571602403032011-01-01T12:26:00.000+00:002011-01-01T12:26:07.663+00:00The first step is always the hardest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Ibwm9GJMjLO83_48utlzortg7IF4iEmV4RT32jUc7pbXyC0aDlQaNSOhMf27iutMRn50yuV4418XWsu4fuVlxAgF3JUJ0WT8EUztMxu3rwWjjH_S7qzWQ_fl7Cv__LrnVHl7X3M-1Q/s1600/Imagen018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Ibwm9GJMjLO83_48utlzortg7IF4iEmV4RT32jUc7pbXyC0aDlQaNSOhMf27iutMRn50yuV4418XWsu4fuVlxAgF3JUJ0WT8EUztMxu3rwWjjH_S7qzWQ_fl7Cv__LrnVHl7X3M-1Q/s320/Imagen018.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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Today I have begun a new adventure. I am going to Santiago. I am going<br />
on a pilgrimage. Today is the first day of that pilgrimage. Well want's<br />
new about that? 'Have you not been on many pilgrimages"? you may ask<br />
me. And it is true. I have walked from many places to Santiago. I am no<br />
stranger to the Camino in its many forms. This one will be different!<br />
Today I have accepted the discipline of the long walk. I am not fit. I<br />
am going to lose three or four stones. My dream weight is twelve stone<br />
something. I have a serious knee problem that is still with me after three<br />
months. Walking is difficult.I do not think that I can walk more than<br />
a mile or so at the moment. I am going out for a short walk this<br />
afternoon to begin the training. So what is distinctive about this<br />
pilgrimage? I am going to walk from my own front door to Santiago<br />
via Portsmouth and Santander in 30 to 40 days. I will start on<br />
Sunday 14 August and arrive sometime mid September. Due to<br />
illness I did not complete the walk to Portsmouth last year. So<br />
it means the most of the route is unknown to me. However I do<br />
know that the northern coast route and the Primative are well<br />
known for their difficulty. Therefore the need to lose a deal of<br />
weight and get properly fit this time.<br />
Sometime ago a friend gave me a CD set called "Finding Santuary"<br />
by Abbott Christopher Jamison. ( It is worth buying your own copy)<br />
In it he discusses the application of monastic life to daily life. I<br />
have been impressed with his teaching. The<br />
life of which he speaks resonates with much that I understand<br />
through pilgrimage. It does however go much further. The<br />
consolations of pilgrimage are described but they are only the<br />
foothills of much higher mountains. So this coming pilgrimage<br />
is to be a great exploration of the hills now seen<br />
from afar. The route I have chosen will be very quite. I do not<br />
expect that many pilgrims will come into view,that will add to<br />
this time alone with God.<br />
If you want to come along, you are welcome. It will not be easy<br />
in any way.<br />
But for now I must get this knee better. I need healing so pray for me.Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-4284607089569864672010-12-13T14:27:00.001+00:002010-12-13T14:28:11.661+00:00An outing to London.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLaG0u21cBaQ-GctUCpSiGuNSQpRerDVQnS2DI7C-FqzrWjNQoqPBGj5JPpaK2HvPxQx-NWnPRHROvdKbjqV89DKEIDe2YIWUiUuK5s2JEtTqv8rP0ZGgXvYhMATzYQIvdnhG04jWsw/s1600/SDC11018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLaG0u21cBaQ-GctUCpSiGuNSQpRerDVQnS2DI7C-FqzrWjNQoqPBGj5JPpaK2HvPxQx-NWnPRHROvdKbjqV89DKEIDe2YIWUiUuK5s2JEtTqv8rP0ZGgXvYhMATzYQIvdnhG04jWsw/s320/SDC11018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Off to London last saturday to speak to the Confraternity of Pilgrims to<br />
Rome. I really nice bunch of people. They all seemed to have walked<br />
considerable distances, except the cyclists who had ridden even further.<br />
The meeting was held in St James Church rooms at the side of the campus.<br />
I think that I was disappointed with the church, which I had a little while<br />
to look around before I was on. There was nothing about St James.<br />
and nothing about modern day pilgrimage to Santiago. <br />
I gave my talk about the Portsmouth Pilgrimage as part of a major<br />
route to the tomb of St James. They were receptive, but it became<br />
clear that they were rather daunted by the idea of a full blown Santiago<br />
pilgrimage in the UK.<br />
So much has been lost over these last 6oo years.<br />
That is longer than the Moorish occupation of Spain! It is indeed a<br />
long way to reach backwards. To the days before the reformers,<br />
who had little understanding in these matters, who condemned<br />
Pilgrimage as idolatry.<br />
On the other hand here we were in a Church dedicated to<br />
St James. Yes, it is a Wren church, but it takes it's name from the<br />
locality and that comes from the ancient palace of St James,<br />
the official royal address of our Sovereign Lady. All ambasadors<br />
present their letters of authority to the court of St James. I<br />
think we can go a little further. England is the only<br />
place that had, and some say still has, a piece of St James, the<br />
relic of his hand given to Reading Abbey by Henry I. This is<br />
some believe the same hand that is in Marlow Roman Catholic<br />
Church today. No other country has such presence of St James<br />
as we have.<br />
So looking back over the centuries, what must the devotion have<br />
been like in those days. We have much to recover.Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-47438457394864279102010-12-06T12:03:00.000+00:002010-12-06T12:03:04.568+00:00Is this the end of things!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdisXJ8Z7zxpn3F1-_58L-Q5OjhXYEw9B9d3uLih6lAFxx_Lw7B3_ElRJcBMw4iUoa6E35YQHbUe4QjPtZFBbp_VDM2G5v6MlCGDwRyFHg9kAEpcXSrxREQW_58fbyegrpDz58eP0AQ/s1600/kneeanatomy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdisXJ8Z7zxpn3F1-_58L-Q5OjhXYEw9B9d3uLih6lAFxx_Lw7B3_ElRJcBMw4iUoa6E35YQHbUe4QjPtZFBbp_VDM2G5v6MlCGDwRyFHg9kAEpcXSrxREQW_58fbyegrpDz58eP0AQ/s1600/kneeanatomy.jpg" /></a></div><br />
If the following should seem a moan, I am sorry. It is meant to be an honest<br />
reflection on the moment. As you will see it is a long time since I blogged.<br />
In fact it is six weeks now. I expect that I have dropped off the radar<br />
of many, which is a pity. Readers are hard to come by. I once talked to<br />
a fellow blogger about what agonies I went though about getting a<br />
readership together. She was much more successful than me and<br />
had, by my standards a vast following. As I described my feelings,<br />
the way I search to see who has visited my pages, she nodded her<br />
head, she did the same thing. What comfort, I am not alone.<br />
So where have I been all these weeks! The answer is,<br />
nowhere. I have been holed up in Northampton. I have purchased a new<br />
computer. I am deeply in love with it as it is an AppleMac. Clean, well<br />
designed, fast and full of new toys. Getting it sorted has been a trial<br />
and a joy. It thinks the way I do, unlike anything that<br />
Mr Gates has had his hands on. But that is only the excuse. The<br />
truth is that I have been out of sorts with planet pilgrim in all<br />
its many forms! You are wondering why this should be.<br />
For that answer to have to go back to a few days before I went off<br />
on the last pilgrimage. To the beginning of October.<br />
It had been a warm week, summer was having its last flourish.<br />
Then on the Saturday it rained. Warm gentle rain that brought a<br />
welcome freshness to the day. So Liz and I went to Tesco.<br />
On my feet I had a pair of my beloved crocks. They were<br />
a little old and so had a rather worn underside. Walking into<br />
Tesco over the zebra crossing my feet went from under me and<br />
I went down on my knees. I landed in the prayer position. And<br />
it hurt, especially in my left knee. I went on with the days' <br />
business. The pain seemed to quickly go. And a few days<br />
later I went on the pilgrimage from Porto. During that time my knees<br />
began to tell me the damage that I had done. I didn't believe them<br />
and carried on as best I could. Now I have found out that I<br />
have torn the ligaments on the inside of the knee. I am also told<br />
that it will take two months minimum and up to 12 months to heal.<br />
I may also need a graft to bring about true recovery. So I hobble along,<br />
cruising from furniture to doorpost like a child learning to walk. All<br />
my plans for the next Camino in tatters, wondering if and when I will<br />
walk with ease again.<br />
The walk from Porto was a wonder, if rather painful at time. I had<br />
some thoughts about Jacob. He was the guy who wrestled<br />
with God all night until the dawn when God touched his hip and<br />
made him lame. Ever after that he walked with a limp, to mark him out!<br />
As the days unfolded I found my thoughts turning back to that story.<br />
Is this my future? Then it came to me a few days ago.<br />
Pilgrimage is meant to mark you. You should never be the same<br />
again. I have wrestled with the Camino for six years now and I now<br />
carry the scars in my body of those fights.<br />
But does it have to bring the walking to an end?Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-87612260933734424152010-11-01T15:48:00.005+00:002010-11-02T14:08:59.061+00:00We're back and not a little changed!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFQ5iDnnc3L8jqRi29DD10F_Ka1XxmRqdKbxd8XALhlEyMx8Ayfb8-isy_S1wIFIC7l9vuPbRApoh7FnaS_W-ZOML6mpnmwsdmDxu_YGtO2HnEbPIxssDooQ57RvUcV79_DgwgdDxxw/s1600/DSCF1764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFQ5iDnnc3L8jqRi29DD10F_Ka1XxmRqdKbxd8XALhlEyMx8Ayfb8-isy_S1wIFIC7l9vuPbRApoh7FnaS_W-ZOML6mpnmwsdmDxu_YGtO2HnEbPIxssDooQ57RvUcV79_DgwgdDxxw/s320/DSCF1764.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am back from the Camino Portugues and from a short holiday in South </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">West England. Did you miss me. A month has gone by, where has it gone?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I see that this blogger is delivering another strange format once more.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> How do you guys do yours and produce such a good</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">shape? It always gives me trouble and I have to spend hours sorting</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> in out. Anyway enough of the moans. The pilgrimage was good. Mixed </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">weather. Good company,but not an easy trip with many reversals.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> This time I had a real problem with my left knee.As leader I felt </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">that I had to go on as best I could, whilst keeping up with the group. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Therefore I walked over 100k in some pain. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The walking was not too difficult, the legs kept swinging</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">back and forth. Any lateral pressures would produce sharp pains. This </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">was on top of a constant base line ache. It really taught me the meaning</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> of pilgrimage as a lifestyle..... We keep going, because we </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">keep going and that is what we do. And we do it until the day </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">that we walk into heaven. The pain is nothing compared to the joy of </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">that day. And it was wonderful to get to Santiago </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and rest. Now two weeks later, it still hurts, but is getting better. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On arrival at Santiago I said that I am not going to go again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As I said it I knew that I didn't </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">really mean it. Perhaps I could walk from Northampton to Santiago </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">next year via Portsmouth; Santander; Oviedo; Lugo ....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">... It does have a certain appeal.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-69975980219145473932010-09-28T23:56:00.001+01:002010-09-29T00:03:35.379+01:00Only a few days nowThe City of Porto.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKejW3RZnpuv7_0clzwH85NoQ1t7JzQUrZlY6E-oFqe1ukSVVlnZNaEm80XkOuPCfhHZyq876U4IxMiI5CWPyEAyX_QWUS3U7GC9qbflup4M2743EM6iVEpbkP7FVkJ38cx8g-_8mugA/s1600/new+,Inward+343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKejW3RZnpuv7_0clzwH85NoQ1t7JzQUrZlY6E-oFqe1ukSVVlnZNaEm80XkOuPCfhHZyq876U4IxMiI5CWPyEAyX_QWUS3U7GC9qbflup4M2743EM6iVEpbkP7FVkJ38cx8g-_8mugA/s320/new+,Inward+343.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The River Douro<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJfB_bNv5KOq9QegkBRKosnfj0XhFrTbrI7XZ0VhUfHznxUhTl80GbxVNlD0TBA2yVgWJR26Kk9wtxSRMqJRugVNmOAVSoPTkXXlBpWtwwmLvqAOhfNjoF67T7m9aMQptAMhEGsdzJA/s1600/new+,Inward+350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJfB_bNv5KOq9QegkBRKosnfj0XhFrTbrI7XZ0VhUfHznxUhTl80GbxVNlD0TBA2yVgWJR26Kk9wtxSRMqJRugVNmOAVSoPTkXXlBpWtwwmLvqAOhfNjoF67T7m9aMQptAMhEGsdzJA/s320/new+,Inward+350.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The Cathedral in Porto<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMviTz0lNa1rWKx32EFdeV_WMnfA3JkbW11jt81Jna9DdlCxE7iZokOlCIEVksxo94laRk8AT2Tai-iIBWlhzXljYzTh8_ANQfPLgX_AJv6ZpoSHUdqvrTMN1MaeWs_oLFx_jwH9RtMA/s1600/new+,Inward+344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMviTz0lNa1rWKx32EFdeV_WMnfA3JkbW11jt81Jna9DdlCxE7iZokOlCIEVksxo94laRk8AT2Tai-iIBWlhzXljYzTh8_ANQfPLgX_AJv6ZpoSHUdqvrTMN1MaeWs_oLFx_jwH9RtMA/s320/new+,Inward+344.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I am nearly done. I have prepared the pilgrimage for the group<br />
that will be leaving on Sunday morning. I still have to buy a few things.<br />
These are mostly art materials for the group. This pilgrimage is to be<br />
a prayer school and will included prayer through the creative. I<br />
have never led a pilgrimage quite like this. It is my aim to<br />
discover more of the experience of prayer that we call pilgrimage.<br />
<br />
A few days ago I came across a rather interesting definition of<br />
a true pilgrim. It did not depend on walking or on staying in the<br />
right places, in fact it stayed well away from any definition of<br />
that kind. Rather it focused on the heart of the pilgrim. Most<br />
especially what happened after the return. It said~ A true pilgrim <br />
is one who takes the lessons gained on pilgrimage and applies them<br />
to their lives when they return. Now that is an interesting one, is <br />
it not? By that definition there are not as many real pilgrims around<br />
as we would like to think. And more than that, horror of horrors, some<br />
of the real pilgrims to Santiago went on a coach!<br />
<br />
So it is of great concern to me that more than an interesting time is<br />
had by all. If you will, perhaps you will pray for us. That there<br />
maybe a real encounter with our Lord Jesus that changes lives and<br />
makes a difference to us all when we return. And we will pray for<br />
you.Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-4513423938376975702010-09-23T10:30:00.008+01:002010-09-23T10:53:41.438+01:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-Im7l1M-ye6ZIqTjtS6SekSslx6ccKizGC84E95KhcadlCErcnOMCPFZJyR0zwUbM674CgdWNuAexlcCEh00jX1mckYrOgg1Ia1uWXfswych9Z14wWnu1Cp8BRjjiEJUdRdJYf-Jdg/s1600/Pope+Benedict+XVI+Holiness+Pope+Benedict+XVI+KTdRb4jBwS_l.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520042326033618738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-Im7l1M-ye6ZIqTjtS6SekSslx6ccKizGC84E95KhcadlCErcnOMCPFZJyR0zwUbM674CgdWNuAexlcCEh00jX1mckYrOgg1Ia1uWXfswych9Z14wWnu1Cp8BRjjiEJUdRdJYf-Jdg/s400/Pope+Benedict+XVI+Holiness+Pope+Benedict+XVI+KTdRb4jBwS_l.jpg" /></a>
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I do not think that it is possible for anyone in the UK to
have missed thevisit of the Holy Father to these shores.
To many peopleit was a surprise that it was the success
that it was. I followed the blogs on the internet for
some weeks before hand. They were full of doom
and gloom about the arrangements. Critics where
complaining about how much it was going to cost.
Why should the tax payer foot the bill and why was it a
state visit? They discounted the Vatican state as an anomaly
of history, an over grown house with pretensions to grandeur.
So to pay any need to these Job’s comforters, was to believe that
organizationally it was going to be a disaster and for that matter
no one was going to turn up! Thank God the reality was different.
God’s rottweiler turned out to be my grand dad in a funny dress.
But the power was in what he said. The full significance has
yet to be seen and I believe that a great deal has been done
of that moves us towards unity with our brothers in Rome.<span style="font-size:0;"></span><div></div>
<span style="font-size:0;"></span>.
The most significant part, for me, of the visit was that afternoon,
when he spoke to the great and good in Westminster Hall. As he said
in his speech, this was the place of Sir Thomas More’s trial.
Thomas More was a courtier of Henry 8. He found himself in the
position of choosing between following the teaching of the church
about marriage and divorce and doing as Henry demanded,. Most
especially was it possible for Henry to be rid of Catherine of Aragon,
his wife. He decided that he had to follow his conscience. So he was
tried and found guilt of treason and put to death.<span style="font-size:0;"></span>
<span style="font-size:0;"></span>.
The underlying question was, ‘Where is ultimate authority‘?. The
Church or the state! The Pope’s speech made it clear that God’s law
comes before our laws and is the model on which they are built. So
the pope was saying that Church teaching comes first.<span style="font-size:0;"></span>
<span style="font-size:0;"></span>.
If this was not enough, having addressed the MPs etc in Westminster
Hall, he goes across to Westminster Abbey and joins a service
that is led by the leaders of the churches in England. That is,
without those who have been in the previous meeting in Westminster Hall.
In other words he addresses the Church. Those who exercise power in
Westminster were not evident. It is not their place to interfere in the affairs of the church!<span style="font-size:0;"></span>
<span style="font-size:0;"></span>.
The overall message was that the Church is free of civil control and must
exercise a prophetic ministry to guide the nation. Now for a church that is
supposed to be The Established Church, with the Queen/ Parliament in
Charge that was a big statement. A revolutionary change. I for one,
welcome this shift.<span style="font-size:0;"></span>
<span style="font-size:0;"></span>.
The shackles of the secular power are loosening.
Sir Thomas More would have been delightedPilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-64505158238025609142010-09-20T15:10:00.002+01:002010-09-20T16:31:50.487+01:00Today is the first day of the new year for Peterborough Pilgrims to Santiago.
Yes, I do know that it is the 20 September, and as far as I know,
there is no precedent, any place ,for this date to be the beginning of anything.
So why is it the new year? Simple. Today is the the day I have
started to make mint jelly for the clergy of the Diocese of Peterborough.
I guess the you would like a little more information. Every other year,
I make a large pan of jelly/chutney/ jam. This is packed in small jars
and given to the diocesan clergy on their annual day conference.
On the jar is a note with an invitation to come and hear about pilgrimages
to Santiago, with a view to joining us next year. The invitation is for them
and anyone in their congregations. You might think that a simple flyer would
be enough. It isn't. Like school kids, it will be lost/ forgotten about
before it gets home and has no chance whatsoever of getting beyond them.
So a jar of something carries a label with the details on it. The jar gets
handed over to the cleric's wife, who reads the label and the information
gets passed on. It also comes out from time to time and sits on the dinning
table of the home it has entered and reminds the family of its true
purpose~ to get to new pilgrims and invite them to a tea party to hear
about Santiago. Job done! It does work. We have had several
folk join us by this method.
So today is the start of the new season for us. We have number of pilgrimages
planned for next year. They may change but these are the plans so far.
Easter week and the following week; <strong>Porto to Santiago</strong>
July 23 2011 depart; <strong>Northampton to Portsmouth</strong> 10 days;
option to walk to Santiago via Santander Oviedo, Primativo, Santiago;
circa 35 days from Northampton, plans to be developed in the light of interest.
Early September; <strong>Sarria to Santiago</strong>. especially for the partially sighted
and less than able.
This will be an extended week.
These pilgrimages are open to everyone. Would you like to join us? Well do!Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-53527068326687798452010-08-26T17:47:00.004+01:002010-08-26T17:52:59.585+01:00A picture for the post below.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGu57Zbw07osHLwLbIfhMO3v4h8_zzZU2xNoY22kdgFvkqjPlJt8weS2Z-ONJpScGXa_hoVrjB0T2iPPXOMuzE-K_hRL6cVwUc7I0CyFiLk3bkUCYah_7fAevLzfxPgw__4w4WoEO8Q/s1600/100_3292.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509761689898221682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGu57Zbw07osHLwLbIfhMO3v4h8_zzZU2xNoY22kdgFvkqjPlJt8weS2Z-ONJpScGXa_hoVrjB0T2iPPXOMuzE-K_hRL6cVwUc7I0CyFiLk3bkUCYah_7fAevLzfxPgw__4w4WoEO8Q/s400/100_3292.JPG" /></a>
<div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div>Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-91401811519367413252010-08-18T09:44:00.012+01:002010-08-26T17:47:41.207+01:00We may be behind, but we are coming!This picture might be on the Mesata in Spain in early summer. But it is not.
It is Northamptonshire on a rather dull day in August. And yes they are pilgrims,
Santiago pilgrims. It is a pilgrimage organised by The confraternity of the Glorious
Apostle St James the Greater in Peterborough Diocese, more often know as
Peterborough Pilgrims or as Rebecka Scott calls us the Peterbros. We have been
working for sometime on the development of the Camino/Way of St James in
England from the remains of the Monastery of St James in Northampton to join with the route opened by the confraternity in Normandy and so on to Santiago.
This photograph is the fruit of this work. We have found and walked the route from Northampton to Portsmouth harbour. We have a set of maps and a guide for any who wish to use them and we will put you up for the night before you start as well issue you with a credential from the Archconfraturnity
We have also been recognised by the Bishop of Peterborough and issued with
letters of association to develop our work,. St James tide was great time
for us.
But more of the pilgrimage. We started off from our guild church of St Mary,
Far Cotton, just over the river from the ancient Abbey of St James on
Saturday, 24 July, the eve of St James walking 5 miles that afternoon to
Blisworth. We had a good number who came with us who had been at the
dedication and lunch led by our president Bishop Donald Allister. This event
was a gathering of over 60 pilgrims and well wishers.We stayed in the Baptist
chapel for the night, setting off about 9am for the walk to St Peter and St James in Brackley. We passed the Santiago churches of Paulerspury, Syresham and arrived rather late for the evening service. This service was the night of St James day, day so it was a double celebration. The next day the walk was to Bletchingdon and camping overnight in a rather nice campsite. Then on to
Oxford by way of the Oxford canal to St Stephen's house for the night.
St Stephens gave us a great welcome and lovely rooms - too go of dirty
Pilgrims .The highlight for most was the showers.. Next to
Dorchester on Thames by way of Littlemore, where we stopped at the
College. This was the home of John Henry Newman after he took leave of
the Church of England and was where he was admitted to the Roman
catholic fellowship. It is now managed by an order of Nuns who have
restored and preserved his rooms and chapel. It is possible to stay there,
but we didn't as it was early in the day. On to Dorchester. This was the
home of St Birianus; the Apostle to the middle part of England. At one
time his shrine was here, but the monks of Winchester pulled rank and
took him to their Cathedral, where he now is. It is a great building and
we were welcomed by their Vicar. She provided us with tea, before we
set off for the night's stop at Wallingford, camping by the river.
Now on the river for a while we enjoyed the evening which was rather
overcast. We were under canvas, but had no rain .It was a good stop
with a nice steak for dinner.
The next day we were given water transport to Reading by a family
who took good care of us. We had some debate as to the validity
of a boat as a proper means of pilgrim transport. We came to the view
that without boats, we would be in some difficulties on a later pilgrimage,
when we will need the help of a boat to take us across the sea to
St Malo/Santander to continue this route opening. We also considered
that the Thames was the medieval M1 of its time. So we accepted.
The sun shone and we watched the the countryside pass by.
Our hosts were wonderful and supplied drinks and sandwiches.
They blessed us and we left our blessing with them.
In Reading we stayed with the Priest of St James the Great, Roman
Catholic Church.
This church is built in the grounds of the Abbey of St James, where
the hand of St James resided for many centuries. He is a supporter of
pilgrimage and as he has recently become the Parish priest is taking a
great interest in the renewal of Santiago pilgrimage as it passes by his
church. He gave us a stone from his garden, that was once part of
the great Abbey, to place on the Santiago altar back home.
There is much to be done to develop this work and he is with us.
The route now diverts from what some have seen as the traditional
ancient route. This would have gone straight to Winchester.
The London confraternity of St James have incomplete plans for t
his route and hope to develop it to Southampton, which was the point
of embarkation in former times. Now one can go to the Isle of Wight
or catch a container ship to most parts of the world, but no ferry to
France or Spain. That traffic goes by road and the Dover ferry or
tunnel. So we have started to promote the new route through Hook,
Alton, Arlesford, Bishop's Waltham. This will need some adjustment.
We have noted that it is better to head off from Alton to Petersfield,
Havant and to Portsmouth. For us pilgrimage is a modern day
spiritual discipline. It is more that the putting of feet into the marks
of those who came this way long ago.
To return to the journey. It is a wonderful walk to Hook. The church
there was generous to lend us their hall and the Vicar was very friendly.
The fellowship gave us a great dinner of fish and chips as well as
Eucharistic hospitality. They took a great interest in our progress.
Next morning it rather looked dull and promised a wet day.
This is did not materialise, for which we were grateful. The
countryside so far had been very interesting, but it now took
on a different sort of interest with Hampshire breech woods
and heaths. Long green lanes. It really does not get better that
this.
Before we started off, I was in two minds as to the value of the
enterprise. What was the use of developing a walk/pilgrimage
that was a long lost note of history. Just keep going to Spain and
walk many of the routes that are so readily available. Or so I thought.
The experience was very different. The only way I can explain it is
that it was like being faced with a deep jungle. As we stood at the
beginning with the dense green before us. It seemed almost impossible
or at least very difficult to hack our way through. But as we put our feet
on the path it was as though the herbage parted before us to reveal a
long lost path that was still there. The green parted and we walked easily.
One of our number who has walked a number of pilgrimages in Spain
thought that this was the best that she has been one. Full of deep
meaning and beauty.
From Hook we crossed the grain of the land to Alton. A typical Hampshire
town. Again we stayed in the parish hall. By now we were in need of a stop
with a good shower this we got at Arlesford in the Swan Hotel the stop for t
he next night. As for the showers they seemed to come every other day.
The weather was good and at time very warm, for England. So we got.
If it had been hotter we would have been in difficulties in this matter.
On to Bishop's Waltham. For those who wanted a route that took in
Winchester, there was a St Swithin's way that leads to Winchester.
I had seen Winchester before and opted for the direct way. To me
Winchester Cathedral is too commercial, too tourist of it to be of
any use in the scheme of pilgrim things . So I opted for the direct way.
That was not to be, as I had to take over the role of support diver.
But the rest of the group decided that they didn't want to go to
Winchester either. Perhaps it was the 8 miles that it added
to the minimum of 12 to Bishop's Waltham.
And so after a lovely sunny summers day the rest of the group
showed up, as if by magic, in Bishop's Waltham that evening.
They had had a good day. With just the right number of pubs
on the way to keep them happy and moving. Pilgrims don't
change much!!
Then it was the last day. The triumphal arrival in Portsmouth.
We went to the ferry port as a symbolic statement that we would
be back to catch a ship to Northern Spain one day soon. That
will be a year in October. We have decided that a walk to Santiago
from Northampton is possible in the limits of the normal pilgrim journey
. We have noted that it is the same walking distance to Santiago from
Northampton,via Portsmouth, Santander and the Camino Primativo as it is for St Jean,Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-58405286426351464782010-07-22T11:38:00.001+01:002010-07-22T11:40:51.069+01:00The energies of God in PilgrimageThe Church Fathers, those early devines
of the 3rd and 4th century made a
distinction between the inaccessible essence
of God and the energies by which he makes
his inexhaustible essence available. These
energies are at the same time
plain and not so plain. The energies of
creation that display to us the creative love
that communicates beauty and a grace that
Iis at its best magnificent, but marred by the
these energies are plain to see, just open
your eyes as you walk today. The wonderful
downs the flowers and beasts in the field, the
people who we pass. All show the glory of
God. His not so pain energies are not hidden,
but by their nature must be looked for
another way. His energy that keep the beast of
the field alive, the sustaining life of the earth.
the creative word that moved across the
face of the deep is still at work. Even if, like
the wind we cannot see it we are aware of the
presence and effects of it. These creative
Energies have their focus in the person
of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel~ God with us,
God saving us, God liberating us.
We know God by his energies which freely
flow from him into all life. As we walk a humble
openness is all that is needed to receive his
Energy. Be open to the countryside ,yes by all
means. But also be open to meeting him in
others. All have the image. The likeness
of God and his energies within.Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-32942262691362398652010-06-15T21:40:00.009+01:002010-06-15T22:34:22.495+01:00Time to move on.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNd-akm1JcM9DMgHUx-sWwjl_wk_pPRDE-vvl-iDuCSR89dxLuDI3jNTZXE21O2-d5W7Tv42LAAc99hpIOFR4Rz8rbRu_4DQL8eHphcKc7-LLK5NtAyDJ95Zc8wOHlCugsI5cSe9tFfQ/s1600/St+Francis.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 297px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 342px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483110245794118658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNd-akm1JcM9DMgHUx-sWwjl_wk_pPRDE-vvl-iDuCSR89dxLuDI3jNTZXE21O2-d5W7Tv42LAAc99hpIOFR4Rz8rbRu_4DQL8eHphcKc7-LLK5NtAyDJ95Zc8wOHlCugsI5cSe9tFfQ/s400/St+Francis.jpg" /></a>
<div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Each year on the CSJ. site one can find comments that wring the heart.
Mostly these centre around the subject that has come to be known as
'Camino blues'. If you have never come across it before it is the
reaction that many or is it most pilgrims have when they return to
their normal life after anything up to three months on the Camino.
They find that they have changed their whole outlook on life
whilst away and now are shaken by the twin forces of a return to
the same old rut and the knowledge that there is a better way to live.
They know there is one because they have experienced it on Camino.</div>
<div>I have also heard from several places that folk are driven to tears
because they feel lost. The blues really comes when it is realised that
there is nothing they can do about it. Unfortunately for many this
places the whole of the Camino into the realm of fantasy that was good
while it lasted. But it is over, get over it.</div>
<div>I have been thinking about these things for sometime, perhaps it
is years. For some the answer is to go on another pilgrimage
as soon as possible. And keep going. That may be an answer, but I
do not think that it is the right one. By all means go on as many
pilgrimages as you wish or feel you need to join.You will
gain much for your soul. But at the end
you will still be standing at the same place </div>
<div>I have come to see that pilgrimage, a sacred journey, is only part of a
much bigger journey or pilgrimage. The lessons gained on pilgrimage
are meant to take us to the next level. It seems to me that most
people come home expecting to make life different from now on
However in the cold light of day they soon get lost.
So what is needed is a structure that will support the individual
in a collective that will enhance that person.</div>
<div>Many years ago St Francis came to see this same need . His answer was to
start the third order. He gave a rule of life for those who would accept
it. This rule was the distillation of his teaching. It also called into being a
fellowship of brothers and sisters who were travelling along the same road.
They could and do support each others as they know what the difficulties
are.</div>
<div>I have been thinking about these things and it comes to me to ask
the question 'Why should Santiago Pilgrims not develop a similar
idea.' What about a Santiago rule, based on the pilgrimage lessons.
If you want to know what those lessons are the read the thread
I started on the CSJ discussion pages on the subject of lessons.</div>
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/el-camino-frances/topic8653.html<div></div>
I really need some feed back on this one, What do you think?Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-42726680799812873432010-06-10T21:44:00.002+01:002010-06-10T21:51:17.943+01:00The world gets bigger.Some news. And this one of the reasons why I have not been posting
in the last few weeks. Peterborough Pilgrims to Santiago have created
a facebook page so that we can share more in this work of development.
Everyone is invited. So, how to get into it? If you have facebook account,
it is very easy. Just type in the friends box Peterborough Pilgrims to
Santiago, and you will get there. It is an open group so join up. Or if
you do not yet have a facebook account,then you will have to get one.
Google Facebook click the links and follow the instructions. When you
have a page, wall and all do, as above to join..See you there.
Blessings.Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-73356739677786953572010-05-31T09:33:00.005+01:002010-05-31T10:04:25.194+01:00The new Sello for Peterborough Pilgrims<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFR42H8AYct7ZGu2WxGMiWM8fQc8N_oQ1tQHgfiXJhEG6N3AuLAQyQwdeaShy76s-MW9zKaF1FViSmn5dVU1_bLQ4hYRfEmvgLYiA4satlPo8VPWoYazj16qhNDF3luom-sifcO4t2hg/s1600/New+arms+peter+pilgs.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 283px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477356181113301378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFR42H8AYct7ZGu2WxGMiWM8fQc8N_oQ1tQHgfiXJhEG6N3AuLAQyQwdeaShy76s-MW9zKaF1FViSmn5dVU1_bLQ4hYRfEmvgLYiA4satlPo8VPWoYazj16qhNDF3luom-sifcO4t2hg/s400/New+arms+peter+pilgs.gif" /></a>
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<div>This is the new sello for the</div><div>Peterbros. If you would like</div><div>see what the changes are</div><div>look a bit further down this</div><div>blog and you will see the </div><div>old one. We have added</div><div>the Diocesian arms of</div><div>Peterborough Diocese</div><div>as we are now a diocesian</div><div>organisation. The first</div><div>since the reformation.</div><div>It is our hope that we</div><div>can be a force for</div><div>renewal in the church</div><div>in the UK and Europe.</div><div>Come and join us. Contact</div><div>is via my email</div><div>ianholdworth@aol.com.</div>Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-53530616815705135272010-05-21T12:39:00.003+01:002010-05-30T21:47:39.744+01:00Great newsA few days ago, the new Bishop of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Peterborough</span> came to see me. This
was in response to a paper I had produced about a change in the
status of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Peterborough</span> Pilgrims to Santiago. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Previously</span> we had
been one of those outfits that the diocese smiles upon but is not
part of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">diocesan</span> structure. We are sort of answerable to the
Bishop and semi detached at the same time. This was an interim
<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">measure</span> until we got a bit bigger. Well that day has come. As a result
of the paper and the meeting we are to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">receive</span> a formal Charter
and license. We will be fully integrated. The Bishop will be the
President. And as the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Archconfraternity</span> has agreed to our <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">existence</span>
as a associate member knowing that we Anglicans, we are now
the first fully accredited <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">ecclesiastical</span> confraternity in the UK
since the reformation. So on the 24 July 2010 we are to be
formally started at the celebration of St James's day in
the parish church of St Mary the Virgin, Northampton.
This is open to all. If you can come you are most welcome!
It is followed by a pilgrim feast.
One of the objectives of our confraternity is to open, mark and
walk the way~the Camino~ in the UK from the site of the former
monestry of St James in Northampton to Portsmouth/ Southampton.
After the pilgrim gathering on the 24 July some of us are going on that
pilgrimage. It is open to all who wish to join. It is hoped that everyone
who comes to the Mass and feast will walk with us to Blisworth our
first stop. There is a bus that we take everyone home to St Mary's
So join us for all or part of that gig.Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-6810196259343141102010-05-11T14:35:00.007+01:002010-05-18T10:03:08.473+01:00This must stop.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcGGCIiJFRd5fNsWV1M4oHHAKTgintMJ8dhqa-FLhk_vNRe4f7_jKu5fhytKBEgEfVcx_EDNIgDOkNWgFYtMUDkAq0lLFLf-OxX52pnnv6pNFAD8hGOBoSaGu3qPAIFQ9XqK8eluBvw/s1600/250px-Escher%2527s_Relativity.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 241px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470006410507696450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcGGCIiJFRd5fNsWV1M4oHHAKTgintMJ8dhqa-FLhk_vNRe4f7_jKu5fhytKBEgEfVcx_EDNIgDOkNWgFYtMUDkAq0lLFLf-OxX52pnnv6pNFAD8hGOBoSaGu3qPAIFQ9XqK8eluBvw/s400/250px-Escher%2527s_Relativity.jpg" /></a>
<div>In recent weeks I have been working to</div><div>establish a small Confraternity of St James.</div><div>I say in recent weeks, the truth is that I</div><div>have been working for 5 years on this project.</div><div>It has not been easy. I have not taken the</div><div>easy route and tagged along with the</div><div>other fraternities, because of a vision of</div><div>something rather different at the end of</div><div>the road from what is on offer at the moment.</div><div>I have seen the posts about 'what is a true</div><div>pilgrim.' Dressed in all its finery of pride</div><div>of walking to Santiago rather than going on the bus... or train....or even plane. I have walked to Santiago many, many times from all different directions. </div><div>I have met some wonderful people on the way and made lasting friendship </div><div>with some of them. And now as the fraternity is to emerge into the full </div><div>light of day I have been challenged from every direction, by those</div><div>who want to preserve the existing scheme of things. We are not a proper</div><div>fraternity. We shouldn't be doing what we are doing and the implied correction</div><div>that whatever it is that we are up to it should be through the existing</div><div>organisation. By this I am not talking about the Archdiocese or the </div><div>Archconfraternity. Things are fine with them. We are accepted for </div><div>what we are . But I am speaking of others who are worried that we </div><div>might spoil their game by being different. The fraternity called</div><div>Peterborough Pilgrims to Santiago is unashamedly Christian and more than </div><div>that we are Anglican. This is an Episcopally backed outfit. Our Bishop is our</div><div>President! I am an Anglican priest. I am exercising my Anglican</div><div>ministry. Within that Anglican heritage is a history of nearly 1500 years</div><div>when we were organically joined at the hip to the western patriarch called</div><div>the Pope and the church which he leads, the Roman Catholics. But I am</div><div>also a catholic,not Roman Catholic, it becomes a little difficult to see what </div><div>lies in the future in Church unity. For many of us there is a deep </div><div>feeling that one day we will go home and the family spat will be over. </div><div>Be that as it may. Within the common heritage of 1500 years there </div><div>is the whole emergence of the cult of St James and Santiago pilgrimage. </div><div>It is part of my Spiritual DNA. It maybe that the Roman catholic Church </div><div>holds Santiago in trust, but they hold it for all Christians. </div><div>On my first pilgrimage the one thing that hit me in the face was that</div><div>for those who had little faith and even those who had much faith</div><div>there was little done to interpret the experience as it was happening</div><div>to those who had only a little basic Spanish. This was the need that</div><div>drew me into becoming a pilgrim Anam Cara. As time has gone on there</div><div>have been other needs that I have discovered. Not least of all that</div><div>every country in Europe has a direct link with the Camino, but the</div><div>UK still has not reopened the historic route from the midlands via</div><div>Reading to the south coast ports. Even though we still have the Saints</div><div>forearm in a Church in Marlow we have not reopened the way.</div><div>And so I went to work. Now there are many who will want ask and </div><div>even demand that<em> 'there be room for those who want to walk a</em> </div><div><em>celtic/pagen pilgrimage. They should included. How dare I propose </em></div><div><em>that I should be so narrow as to insist that our fraternity </em></div><div><em>should be christian. I should respect them for what they believe </em></div><div><em>and not deny them'.</em></div><div>Well ! it seems to me that it is a question of respect. I respect them</div><div>enough to not wish to make any comment of what they do. If </div><div>they wish to hug trees and dance in the nude, wandering wherever</div><div>they wish and calling it a pilgrimage, that is up to them. They are</div><div>responsible for their own souls. But I expect the same respect. I</div><div>am not inventing Christian Santiago Pilgrimage, I only wish</div><div>to link with this heritage of prayer and contemplation that </div><div>leads to the icon experience that we call hugging the saint.</div><div>I am taking responsibility for my own soul and the souls of </div><div>those who come with me.</div><div>This is all a question of respect and acceptance. These virtues</div><div>are part of the great Christian virtue of loving the neighbour. </div><div>But even so they are recognised as worthy of merit by all. </div><div>It is a two way street give and take. Don't judge my pilgrimage and </div><div>fraternity by the values that you impose on yours. And don't</div><div>call it a christian pilgrimage when it is not!</div><div></div>Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-34351967249796651792010-05-04T10:23:00.004+01:002010-05-04T11:26:53.048+01:00The Rhythm of Pilgrimage Part3.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7FeTGkaXiQjDco8zfRCdRWP5BTrq9b7A_2rpZ6duPa6FyexAZqEa6CD5AESA5iHNk1fZBqQkkyPmLG-xDLtzURLNuml2-YaBmrtyqSpipspbTcaelSTd-UU_-3KpjgkDmtkteRUbHHg/s1600/Copy+of+Castile+Leon+sign.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 222px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467356374884312610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7FeTGkaXiQjDco8zfRCdRWP5BTrq9b7A_2rpZ6duPa6FyexAZqEa6CD5AESA5iHNk1fZBqQkkyPmLG-xDLtzURLNuml2-YaBmrtyqSpipspbTcaelSTd-UU_-3KpjgkDmtkteRUbHHg/s400/Copy+of+Castile+Leon+sign.jpg" /></a>
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So after a few days the body has caught up with the aspirations of the mind. This does not mean that all will be easy it will not. Although you will have become much fitter than you have been for a long time, you are still working at a high level of energy expenditure. You will get more and more tired as time goes on.
If you are not blessed by the need to be back at work on a certain date and you have an open fight ticket, then it is possible to rest more often. But this is not available to many.
It is not easy to stay fresh for the whole of the Camino's 55o miles. Pacing yourself helps, bit that Ryan air flight is not negotiable and you will have to push yourself to keep to a timetable.
All that being said it does not mean that you have to rush the whole time.
Unless that is that you have planned the trip to the hour. And you have
overestimated you abilities. This is the province of the young. The restless
need to get on and get there is an enemy of a satisfying pilgrimage. So
allow space in your pilgrimage for a days rest now and again.
So let's return to day four onwards. By now the pains are less and
you are walking with ease. If you started from St Jean the country is
getting a little less hilly and the walking is good through the Rioja.
pleasant vineyards and little villages are a joy, at first, but so is human
nature one does get used to them. There are sights that enthrall. I
remember one morning coming up to Ganon. The Church was visible
on the hill ahead. The moon was full and setting. It was broad daylight.
there was a moment when the moon sat on top of the church tower
as though it was impaled on the weather vane. And the moon looked so
close that it appeared that it tower of the Church and the moon were
exactly the same distance away. Unforgettable.
Now you begin to think about everyone you have left behind, the joys
and the problems. This drifts into the the dark corners of memory to
those places where the unresolved lurks. You begin to work them.
After a few days one gets to a place of peace. The work now is to be on
the deepest level. One enters a space where time losses its relevance.
I only have this distance to walk and I have four hours to lunch. I am
deep with myself and experiencing a certain detachment from the
immediate reality. This is an important place to be. Jesus said
seek and you will find. Use the space for this most spiritual of all quests.
You can switch off and become a walking zombie, many do. The
unspiritual most certainly do, but you Child of God are able to experience
an Emmaus experience. He is walking right next to you. Those senses
that have have been switched off for years back at home are coming to
life. It is although you developed a whole new set of senses. You are not
able to see him, but you know he is there. Let God now work in you.Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-60778857342300564902010-04-08T10:00:00.004+01:002010-04-08T12:28:04.418+01:00The Rhythm of Pilgrimage. Part 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpY6L1LRM7ayE1GLc9g8YTTuvhhwTTJgmOBUbGVX3JevveWwGTFwCfBblQTS0C12bPGHWRJ18yo3puM6WA7Djk4YT1Gu8vlBl8swzEf7pfdutcQdqnZ0j6ixXdwOCY0VF0Yi3UFUkriA/s1600/P06284_8.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 256px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 204px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457689721717388914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpY6L1LRM7ayE1GLc9g8YTTuvhhwTTJgmOBUbGVX3JevveWwGTFwCfBblQTS0C12bPGHWRJ18yo3puM6WA7Djk4YT1Gu8vlBl8swzEf7pfdutcQdqnZ0j6ixXdwOCY0VF0Yi3UFUkriA/s400/P06284_8.jpg" /></a>
<div></div><div>Time to set out. The planning and the </div><div>packing are over.The flight, like as not </div><div>thanks by Ryan ( let me charge you per </div><div>breath on my plane and you can sit </div><div>on the wing) is past and you </div><div>have got yourself to St Jean de Pied de Port</div><div>without major event. </div><div>What now? Excitement; Concern that this </div><div>is all too much; A feeling that it would be </div><div>nice to drop out and become a tourist; all </div><div>these feelings come to the surface, and many more.</div><div>The beat of the drum moves on consumed by the slow relentless</div><div>pace of events. It is almost like a conveyor, which is pulling you </div><div>towards that start in the morning. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div>The sense of moving on will be with you until you arrive at Santiago</div><div>or dropout. It is however a feeling that must be</div><div>watched. It is easy to miss out on some of the greatest experiences of </div><div>you life, because you are unaware of what is really happening to you. </div><div>This rhythm that I am beginning to write about must be channelled </div><div>to understand all that the Camino has for you. The rhythm is </div><div>important~ in part that is what you came to engage with. It is </div><div>different from daily life. It is an emptied out day. At home there are</div><div>so many things that demand your time. Most of the time there are too </div><div>many to deal with in one day. The day becomes overcrowded with the result </div><div>that life becomes one of pressure. On pilgrimage there are only a few </div><div>things that you have to do. They are :- get up, walk, have breakfast,</div><div>walk, stop for coffee, walk, have lunch, walk, arrive at the destination, </div><div>rest, wash, both you and your clothes. eat, go to sleep. You might</div><div>slip in a few postcards/email and visit a couple of sights along the way.</div><div>That's it. Nothing more. Leaving a great deal for time to reflect on life. </div><div>It is in this space that you begin to get to grips with</div><div>all those problems that you have been pushing aside for years</div><div>All those memories that are too painful to confront. They and kindred </div><div>things are like a suitcase that you have stuffed for years with parcels.</div><div>All with a label that says to be dealt with some other time. The suitcase </div><div>is bulging, held shut by leather straps that are about to give way. </div><div>All this bursts out. Now is the time to deal with it. The stripped out </div><div>day allows for this deep healing of the soul. But it doesn't happen yet.</div><div>
The rhythm of pilgrimage is more than the daily round. There are distinct </div><div>phases to the days and weeks. On that first day as you set off up the</div><div>hill to Roncevalles you soon begin to feel the pain. You have been doing</div><div>walks for sometime now, but these have not really prepared you for </div><div>what is ahead and what you are now doing. This mountain seems</div><div>to get steeper and steeper and it keeps on, up and up you go. And oh!</div><div>my limbs are not used to this. Willpower keeps you going. How can I</div><div>give up after a couple of hours on this walk. What would my wife say</div><div> </div><div>You are on you own. Shyness, and the good old reserve, stop you from </div><div>saying much to those who follow you up the hill. Anyway you husband </div><div>all your energy to get up up this bit. It must end soon, but it does not. </div><div>You will by now be aching all over and be short of breath. </div><div>Praise be the top at last and a shortish walk down to </div><div>Our Lady of Roncevalles. Rest and blissful sleep.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>The next morning, Off again. A few pains coming with me today, but</div><div>I soon walk through them to that place where I begin to doubt that</div><div>I can do this. Last night on my bed I looked at the guide again and</div><div>began to realise that 55o miles is a very long way. I must have been</div><div>mad to have thought that I could do it. In the dark I fell asleep</div><div>thinking that I would do as much as I can, but I will be on the</div><div>bus before I get to Santaigo.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>The Sun is out and I have been talking to the people who I had</div><div>dinner with last night. They begin to tell me a some of their story</div><div>and it makes me feel a little more comfortable. They are having</div><div>the same problems on this walk as I am, and they have </div><div>painful blister in the same place as mine. We go on together.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>It is night now I feel awful. I cannot do this even though I want too.</div><div>Too far, too long, too much. All I want to do is sleep. So I do. I awake</div><div>a feeling a little refreshed, but I am stiff and ache from top to toe. </div><div>I will go to bed after dinner and tomorrow I will think about how </div><div>I can get home. I do not care anymore about how I will explain this </div><div>to my wife.I do not care about loss of face. I want out. </div><div>Sleep comes quickly.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>Day three. I still have some pains, but I could walk a little this morning.</div><div>Besides that will take me to Pamplona and it will be much easier to</div><div>get public transport from there. As I walk things easy somewhat.</div><div>Again ,I talk to those who are around me. No much and not very </div><div>deeply, but it is encouraging. I start to notice the countryside as I look</div><div>beyond the painful place that I am in. It seems that it sorta helps. In</div><div>my prayers, which have all been of the nature of 'God get me up this hill/</div><div>to the next bar/ to the Albergue' I begin to have a few other ideas </div><div>pushed in that are not about my exhaustion~ thanks for this beautiful place,</div><div>for these people, be with my wife at home. As this takes place I start </div><div>to think that today may not be the end after all. Besides I have </div><div>walked near 50 miles; almost 10% of the whole pilgrimage. </div><div>I don't know if I can do the whole lot, but I can do more. </div><div> </div><div>I stop at an albergue on the far side of Pamplona, where the</div><div>owner/hospitaler is famous for the way she works on and heals feet. The</div><div>fame is well deserved as she works wonders on me and my feet.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>This is the end of the first phase. It has all been about the body. The</div><div>distortion of modern life that has made us more cerebral that physical</div><div>is being redressed. The body and mind are painfully reunited. The</div><div>body has complained every step of the way and has made the mind l</div><div>listen to it. A painful lesson, but a good one. This pilgrimage is about</div><div>becoming whole. In Christian terms this very good. The whole</div><div>point of the little baby in the stable is that God did not spurn our</div><div>humanity but he embraced it. The salvation plan includes the</div><div>body. In far eastern religions. The body is a nuisance, something to be</div><div>overcome and left behind. Not so with us Christians. The body is part of</div><div>my spiritual nature. When Jesus returned to heaven, he took his body</div><div>with him. So God has a truly human face. We are discovering this </div><div>in a practical way. Soon as the body gets up to speed and the mind </div><div>interacts with the flesh in a proper manner, it will open up a whole</div><div>new vista. More of that later. </div><div> </div><div>This post is now getting too long so I guess there will have to be a</div><div>part 3 to this post. Back soon.</div><div>Ian</div><div></div><div></div><div></div>Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-70492950906814779202010-04-07T16:06:00.005+01:002010-04-07T20:19:09.944+01:00There is a rhythm to Pilgrimage Part 1<em></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG75pKApeNfn3QZSjF_RZMwjEDjCOz8oBVOR0ijDDp2Etbb_6u12K_2Y7_B7yXFfcT6rm3amyuroCg_nceJwXbMdEWo0j85SxwrJWppdA1zu-cmomJdKPleGff_aprTqHGtwrFr1T7LQ/s1600/100_1063.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457412799875963650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG75pKApeNfn3QZSjF_RZMwjEDjCOz8oBVOR0ijDDp2Etbb_6u12K_2Y7_B7yXFfcT6rm3amyuroCg_nceJwXbMdEWo0j85SxwrJWppdA1zu-cmomJdKPleGff_aprTqHGtwrFr1T7LQ/s400/100_1063.JPG" /></a> <em><span style="color:#cc6600;"><strong>Two good friends of mine;Peter and Julie. Above St Jean</strong></span></em>
<p><span style="color:#000000;">There is also a rhythm to blogs. And this one is right off the scale at the moment.It is also very late. How many times have I written that on this site? I have a love hate relationship with all this. I also paint and that is just the same. I hate to get started. When I am in the water things are fine and I get on and even enjoy it! But there are two things that tick me off .One is all that Html stuff. Sorting the page out so that it does not look like a distress spider has put it together.Even as I write the the blog page is double spacing everything. I didn't ask of it, did you? The other thing is having written a blog something freezes it up so that you can do nothing with it. You know, in your soul that,you are two or three moves away from a total delete.Like a road accident you know that it is going to happen whatever you do. You will make that move that will consign a full post into cyber oblivion. Well ,that is what happened with the last post,done a week ago. I have not had the energy to rewrite it. But I am on the way. So bear with me I am anti cyber at the moment. In contrast I had a great dream last night about being on pilgrimage and it was easy and I was was going along quite fast and far without any pains. It was only a dream.It does not happen like that. It did however remind me of the joys of pilgrimage.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;">So the excuses and a bit if a rant later I am ready to start the post about the rhythm of pilgrimage, but that will have to be part 2</p></span><p></p><p><em><span style="color:#cc6600;"></p></span></em>
<span style="color:#000000;"></span>
<span style="color:#000000;"></span>Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-59802239310374544752010-03-12T11:05:00.003+00:002010-03-12T12:18:36.755+00:00There and back again,again!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5AEEdgkPMA-iqZ85k_BGqYFn0SwP2jE5wiABC2sVF2_a4tkCKQFrnjmdTghS7-dB1R2WXtiAuUOXPut4zrf0O0Hvn9BrcNAXMgAqQiT0ux1RE1FhS6Ge-WT5-PXOca0sdgBmcfk5MA/s1600-h/St+James+door..jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 244px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447702762817915938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5AEEdgkPMA-iqZ85k_BGqYFn0SwP2jE5wiABC2sVF2_a4tkCKQFrnjmdTghS7-dB1R2WXtiAuUOXPut4zrf0O0Hvn9BrcNAXMgAqQiT0ux1RE1FhS6Ge-WT5-PXOca0sdgBmcfk5MA/s400/St+James+door..jpg" /></a> The title implies that I have done all this before and in some ways that is true.
The difference this time is marked by the picture above. That is one part of the
pilgrimage to Santiago that I have never been on before, going though the
door of St James. As I am sure you will know, it is only opened for Holy Years
and this year is one. There were other differences. The route was up
the Via de la Plata from Ourense. I found it rather hard. That was because
of many things, not least, that I am rather overweight at the moment. I am
convinced and convicted that I must loose, not a few pounds, but many. Sadly
there is no easy was to do this. Cut down on the eating and build up the
walking ~the only steps that lead to the paradise of speed and feeling
good at the end of a day's pilgrimage.<span style="font-size:0;"></span>
<span style="font-size:0;"></span>This pilgrimage rather took me back to the first pilgrimage that I walked.
That feeling of not knowing what is ahead and often failing to read the
signs. For example, on this way there are municipal albergues at certain
points. They are there for the good reason that the gaps between them
are enough for one days walk. Some are a greater distance than others,
this is when the section is easy. The closer together they are ,the
more difficult the section. Nut brain , here, thinks in his own way,
' let's plough on, do two sections'. So one day was 11.5 hours walking.
Difficulty indeed!
This rather resulted in a less than spiritual pilgrimage, or so I thought
at the time. The prayer was rather restricted to 'Lord get me up this hill/
to the Albergue. Higher intercession was lost in the physical grunt of getting
on. But this is not a disaster. We are not followers of an eastern mystical
teaching of spiritual detachment. Our God became flesh and took our flesh
into the divine self. Thus we do not renounce the flesh, but embrace it,
even when it is difficult and painful. And so another early lesson
came back to mind that the shear physicality of pilgrimage can
be prayer itself, body prayer.
Archbishop Rowen recently said in a conference on Church fresh expressions
that 'We should move into the space opened up by Jesus Christ'. This
also means that we on a day to day talk hold of the day an make it
part of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is found by possessing
life rather than denouncing it.Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-18158864372738865712010-02-28T16:44:00.003+00:002010-02-28T16:59:27.651+00:00We are off.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSBGi2Nx6Yu8sDYlzf0xLsOB8qE1pPQQmXb4uIaHM0VRJq3SYfCgoyYduLPTJNjy0farofkU-F95XL4FoVM9GYlmspNIkBV7Ng0IIOhlaPou9CsIdiuUSiGp3gIZ3AkzX7XDrrah0QQ/s1600-h/stj6.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 235px; height: 332px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSBGi2Nx6Yu8sDYlzf0xLsOB8qE1pPQQmXb4uIaHM0VRJq3SYfCgoyYduLPTJNjy0farofkU-F95XL4FoVM9GYlmspNIkBV7Ng0IIOhlaPou9CsIdiuUSiGp3gIZ3AkzX7XDrrah0QQ/s400/stj6.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443339926761675650" /></a>
We here we go again. This time it is a very short walk. Just
enough to blow the winter blues away. Tomorrow morning I and
another member of Peterbrough Pilgrims to Santiago, called
Roger, will fly to Madrid. Then on the train to Sahagun and
onward to Moritinos to see Rebekah and Paddy to discuss
a few things with them about linking our Confraturnity to their
work with Pilgrims. We are there until Wednesday when we will be
catching the train again, this time to Ourense. We will walk
the 110k to Santiago from there. Stay a nighty in Santiago and
go down the valley to O Curruna to fly home to Heathrow a week
on tuesday. I am really looking forwars to this trip. When I
first thought about it,this trip was going to be an early december
retreat and it is now lent.Time flies. So farewell for a few days.
I may be able to post we shall see.Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-28518974266855211022010-02-23T22:38:00.008+00:002010-02-23T23:29:01.811+00:00We are Pilgrims on the journey!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzrVQ-Q4IsJOOzfFYDX2-L49-hIRFqnSpjem1toppbXBCgfWeDY8CkAjEB0xeeQ7R0NjFGRPKrcDmv25v2L4nNnBSthd_JQvlcTSyg6omJBidVdG9TAATcjh17mXW2vTdW8Otog-9fQ/s1600-h/Copy+of+inward51.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzrVQ-Q4IsJOOzfFYDX2-L49-hIRFqnSpjem1toppbXBCgfWeDY8CkAjEB0xeeQ7R0NjFGRPKrcDmv25v2L4nNnBSthd_JQvlcTSyg6omJBidVdG9TAATcjh17mXW2vTdW8Otog-9fQ/s320/Copy+of+inward51.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441572502163131378" /></a>
Yeah! I know this has been a long week,and this post is really 10 days
overdue. First lesson of Pilgrimage;nothing quite goes as you expect it.
Sorry anyhow.<div>
</div>
<div></div>
A number of things have been happening to me in the days since I last
posted here. One of them is that I am going to Spain on Monday. This
coming Monday 1st March. You may have already worked out that I
lead a small confraternity in the middle of England. This fraternity
has struck up a friendship with two wonderful supporters of pilgrims
who live on the Camino. They are real friends to all who stop by at
their place. Anyway this friendship is developing into something practical
and useful that allows us be more involved with other pilgrims as
they pass thought their hands. For us it is a halfway house to
establishing an Albergue of our own. So, I and another member
are going to make a visit to them to see their place and
cement the friendship. We will be there two nights with the day
between to talk and see how they are. But after that.........
we are free to go off on a short pilgrimage of a few days, call
it a Lenten retreat, Yippee.
<div></div>
<div></div>
We have decided that it would be a good thing to go for a Compostela
for the collection, and that means that we must end up at Santiago.
I have walked the Camino from St Jean, and also the way up from Oporto.
So we have decided to set off from Ourense. 110k . Far enough, but
not that far. It has however produced some interesting and I must
say surprising thoughts in my head.It has occurred to me that these
are exactly the questions that I had in my mind before I went
on my first pilgrimage. Questions such as:- Will there be Albergues
on the way? Will they be open? Do these folk who give advise on the
forum really know what they are talking about? Will it be very cold
or will I die on a hillside somewhere for want of food and somewhere
to stay?
<div></div>
<div></div>
Now I know for my own experience that the answer to all these questions
is that things will be fine. It will be great time. That does not
stop the doubts for long. It has helped me see more clearly
once again, what it is like to be a novice pilgrim. The answer
to me and everyone is held in the wonderful words of
Lady Julian of Norwich: All will be well, and all manner of
things will be well!
<div></div>
<div></div>
Julian's words call us to faith that what lies ahead is safe and
supported by people who know what they are doing. Julian is
speaking about the whole of life. This in itself helps us begin
to realise that the little worked example of life that we call
a pilgrimage is meant to be writ large on our lives. That it is though
this nursery experience of pilgrimage that we learn, maybe for the
first time what it is to walk by faith.
<div></div>
<div></div>
If you are planning your first pilgrimage, watch the way that the
faith you have now that it will be ok turns into the solid
assurance of sellos in your credential.And in the words of
a sixties song, 'Put your hand into the hands of the man who
walked on water'.
<div></div>
<div></div>
The lesson, walk by faith and let others take the load.
All will be well.Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-87186383004297957452010-02-09T14:46:00.006+00:002010-02-09T16:56:15.385+00:00So, you've signed up for Santiago Pilgrimage!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCwyYK94-RbnpEBmXGtjWRlxemJxtVBOkrj2ve_3idzJg2AbPHwwrMLbctWbHpKUSxNhbebg6hOdnICSc9w9GW2IgVOby8qGBPB7isU-1d67Ef1KsQ8p1Z-bNEuUPC8knRwe8NRm1vw/s1600-h/1st+Pilgrimage+845.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436282267402863954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCwyYK94-RbnpEBmXGtjWRlxemJxtVBOkrj2ve_3idzJg2AbPHwwrMLbctWbHpKUSxNhbebg6hOdnICSc9w9GW2IgVOby8qGBPB7isU-1d67Ef1KsQ8p1Z-bNEuUPC8knRwe8NRm1vw/s320/1st+Pilgrimage+845.jpg" /></a>
<div></div>
So, you have signed up for a pilgrimage to Santiago. You have
heard the stories and tales from others about this important life event.
In some way or another it seems a cool idea. Well, it did when you committed
to it. Now you are not so sure. You have begun to think about what it
really entails. All that walking. 750 k from St Jean. You are thinking
that you were mad to agree. You will never make it. It is too far. You're
over 50 perhaps and didn't think that you would take on this sort
of physical challenge again. And here you are, with 2,3,4,5,6. months to
prepare for the impossible! You are perhaps looking for the door
marked exit, so that you do not have to go.....but others are
expecting you to be there and you cannot let them down.
<div>.</div>
You have found this forum and it has added to your confusion.
The old timers speak freely about routes and Albergues. They
speak of the generosity of those along the way and it seems too
good to be true.
<div>.</div>
Well; you can do it, no matter how it feels today and tales of
generosity and modestly priced Albergues are true. The
experiences of others that are offered on this site are reliable,
so make use of them and ask as many questions as you
can bring to mind. If it helps, my first pilgrimage is recorded
further back on this blog. Read it, who knows you may find it helpful.
<div>.</div>
<div>These matters are not really my main concern. I focus on the
Spiritual aspects. You may not have thought about this
facet of pilgrimage or it maybe the reason you are going
or any point between. The one thing that I can promise is
that your pilgrimage with surprise you beyond words.
You may not have any faith whatsoever or a very small
one that is a hang over from childhood experiences. No
matter. The spiritual is in every breath of your trip.
For some it helps develop their faith, others gain a
growing awareness of things spiritual that is in spite
of God rather than because of him. The long hours on
the hillsides of Spain have their effect. We become reconnected
to ourselves and nature. For city types this is awesome
But we are getting ahead of where you are now.
<div>.</div>
So what do I say about now. That is easy. Your pilgrimage has
already started. Everything that you do is part of the
adventure. The journey does not start on the plane or at
the airport, or even in France, Spain or Portugal, it
began the moment you said yes. The preparations
are as much part of the experience as arriving in Santiago.
So enjoy these days and look to see what they can teach you about
who you are and what you need in life!</div>
<div>.</div>
I shall be posting on this blog about once per week, So come and
join me again. I hope it will be useful. You have my prayers.
Ian HoldsworthPilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429933274851330842.post-41000139334807082892010-02-08T22:47:00.002+00:002010-02-08T23:03:32.309+00:00A Change of directionThere you have it. In the title. I am about to go in a different direction.
Why I can hear you say? Simple. I reply. Because it is time. There is
a rhythm to most things, even pilgrimage. In some ways I have been
going against the natural cycle of things. So now is time to go with
the flow rather than six months too late or too early depending on
one's point of view. When I started this blog nearly a year ago, I
thought that it would be easy to get through the early stages of
description of my first pilgrimage, so that I could get on to the
things that really interested me, namely exploring a practical theology
of pilgrimage. Well it wasn't quick, and it took much longer
than I thought that it would. So when everyone was coming to the
end of the pilgrimage season and was thinking about a nice warm
winter at home, my blog was still out on the hills taking about
exploring the experience. Recently I have been speaking about
keeping the experience alive, when a new crop of pilgrims are
wondering if they have done the right thing signing up for along
walk in the Spanish countryside, and by the way, what is a pilgrimage
anyway? So now is the time to begin to go back to the very first
days of pilgrimage and think about the spiritual nature in sync.
with the stage folk are at. So amigos the next post, which I hope
will be tomorrow, will start to meet the needs outlined.
God Bless you all!Pilgrims Patchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516793997372696058noreply@blogger.com0