I made it to COMPOSTELA: What’s next?

Msgr. Tom McGettrick on the “camino” to Compostela and the tomb of the apostle James. Contributed photo

Some years ago when Lou Holtz was the football coach at Notre Dame University he shared in a talk that he had once written down all the goals he wished to accomplish in his lifetime.

After reading that article I decided to put together my own “bucket list.” Among my goals was my desire to one day participate in the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. While the “walk” has a long history, it was given a big boost in the English-speaking world by the release of the movie “The Way” a few years ago.

This summer I finally achieved my goal.

The Camino (way) to Compostela honors the memory of the apostle James, who found his way to northern Spain after the death of Jesus. St. James became famous for the great work he did in evangelizing and caring for the poor. On returning to Jerusalem to report on his work, he was arrested and executed. His body was returned to Compostela and for 2000 years has been a place of prayer.

In the Middle Ages, when pilgrimages became an important part of religious life, the journey to Santiago de Compostela became one of the world’s great attractions. People from all over the world traveled to Spain to show their respect for St. James.

Today, most people make the pilgrimage for a religious motive but others do it simply because they like hiking and the Camino de Santiago is one of the most famous hiking trails in the world

The pilgrimage to the tomb of St. James (Santiago) entails a walk of about 12 to 15 miles each day for five days. To walk around 75 miles over that period of time may not appear to be a burdensome task but it is quite challenging. Much of it is up-hill and if it is raining, going downhill can be even more treacherous. Adding to the difficulty is carrying a backpack weighing 18-20 pounds.

My greatest source of inspiration and encouragement was my friend from Austin, Beth Korasch. A little over a year ago she broke her back and damaged a knee in a fall from a horse. Without complaint she made the daily walk and is now a certified pilgrim of the Camino.
The advantage of youth could be seen from the fact that Rick Richard and his wife Melissa, from St. Andrew by the Sea Parish, who did more miles than necessary to be certified as pilgrims.

Every few miles there are rest areas that serve coffee, tea, fruit and sandwiches. These ‘stop areas’ are essential as walking six to eight hours a day can be very taxing. The stop areas also give the walkers an opportunity to meet fellow pilgrims from all over the world. On meeting people along the way the common greeting is “buen camino” (Have a good journey).

The “Camino” is a true pilgrimage. Many of the conveniences of life are not available. Sleeping is in large dormitories holding as many as 50 to 60 people. It may not always be possible to get a shower and carrying all ones belongings in a back-pack can be quite exhausting. Breakfast is usually a very simple meal but, at the end of the day, a more substantial meal is usually available.

The Spanish people are most hospitable and do everything they can to make the journey as pleasant as possible. Fellow pilgrims come from almost every Christian country in the world. All have the same goal: to eventually arrive at the tomb of St. James in the cathedral of Compostela.

The Pilgrims Mass was in Spanish but it was quite moving to hear all the people sing the Mass parts in Latin. A special feature of the Mass is the swinging of an extraordinarily large censor filling the Church with the most beautiful smell of incense.

People have asked me if I would recommend the pilgrimage. The answer is a definite “yes” but I would recommend it to those who are younger rather than older because of the physical challenge involved.

The only thing remaining on my “bucket list” is to parachute out of an airplane, so stay tuned.