Saturday, July 10, 2010

Departing for Spain to Begin my Running/Walking Pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela





This morning, the summer course on Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue finally ended here in Rome. Tomorrow, I fly to Madrid for my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. I will spend a couple of days in Madrid and then take the train to Bayonne, France. I will make a side trip to Lourdes and from there go to St. Jean Pied de Port where I will begin my running/walking pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. As much as possible, I will cover the 800 km route barefoot like St. Francis and many medieval pilgrims. However, I have a lot of doubts if I can really do it. So, I will wear my sandals when the road gets too harsh or hot. I will be doing some running and also lots of walking breaks. The primary goal is reaching my destination on foot in 26 days and at the same time journeying inward. It will be a mobile spiritual retreat, involving meditation, reflection and prayer. It will also be accompanied by penitential acts (barefoot walking/running and fasting during the day, sleeping under the stars at night most of the time).
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During the pilgrimage I will be praying for the following intentions:
(1) for healing - of several friends with cancer and for my own complete healing (hypertension, myocardial ischemia and atherosclerosis)
(2) for a deeper experience and awareness of God's presence in my life, stronger faith and ongoing personal conversion, and discovering God's will for me in the coming years.
(3) for peace in the Philippines (especially Mindanao), and that a final peace agreement will be reached between the Government and the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front), and the Government and the NDF (National Democratic Front).
(4) for the new administration of President Noynoy Aquino - that he will be able to lead the Filipino people in transforming Philippine society, get rid of corruption, bring about peace, justice and progress.
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I am aware that this pilgrimage will be a time of grace. I rely on God's providence and the kindness of the strangers I will meet on the way.
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This is my planned itinerary:

El Camino de Santiago de Compostela: Itinerary
(July 16, 2010 – Aug 10, 2010)

7/10 Sat: Rome- Madrid (plane)
7/11 Sun: Madrid
7/12 Mon: Madrid
7/13 Tues: Madrid-Lourdes (train)
7/14Wed: Lourdes
7/15 Thu: Lourdes-St. Jean Pied de Port (train)
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7/16-8/10 - running/walking pilgrimage
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7/16 Fri: St. Jean Pied de Port – Roncesvalles (27 k) albergue 6E
7/17 Sat: Roncesvalles – Larrasoana (27.6 ) albergue 6E
7/18 Sun: Larrasoana – Uterga (31.6) camping
7/19 Mon: Uterga– Ayegui (30.9) albergue 6E
7/20 Tue: Ayegui- Viana (36.9) albergue D
7/21Wed: Viana – Ventosa (27.8) camping
7/22Thu: Ventosa – Santo Domingo de la Calzada (31.5) albergue D/ or camping
7/23 Fri: Santo Domingo de la Calzada – Tosantos (28.1) algergue D
7/24 Sat: Tosantos – Cardenuela Rio Pico (31.2) camping
7/25 Sun: Cardenuela Rio Pico –Hornillos del Camino (33.7) albergue 5E
7/26 Hornillos del Camino – Itero de la Vega (30.7) albergue 3E
7/27 Tue: Mon: Itero de la Vega- Carrion de los Condes (32.7) camping
7/28 Wed: Carrion de los Condes – Moratinos (29.4) albergue D
7/29 Thu: Moratinos – El Burgo Ranero (27.2) albergue D
7/30 Fri: El Burgo Ranero – Arcahueja (29): camping
7/31 Sat: Arcahueja – Villar de Mazarife (31) albergue 7E
8/1 Sun: Villar de Mazarife – Astorga (29) Redemptorists
8/2 Mon: Astorga – Foncebadon (25.9) albergue D/camping
8/3 Tues: Foncebadon- Ponferrada (27.2) albergue D
8/4 Wed: Ponferrada-Trabadelo (32.3) albergue 6E
8/5 Thu: Trabadelo – Fonfria (30.4) camping
8/6 Fri: Fonfria- Sarria (33.6) camping
8/7 Sat: Sarria- Gonzar (30.5) albergue 5E or camping
8/8 Sun: Gonzar – Melide (31.3) camping
8/9 Mon: Melide – Santa Irene (30.7) albergue 5E or camping
8/10 Tue: Santa Irene – Santiago de Compostela (22.1) albergue 12 E
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8/11 Wed: Santiago-Madrid
8/12 Thu: Madrid
8/13 Fri: Madrid-Rome
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(I am not sure if I can blog regularly while on pilgrimage. Access to the internet will be limited)

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Hola Ding,
If you have the time visit the town of Toledo and our kabayan Rizal monument in Madrid. Btw, i've heard the one week festivities in Pamplona has started today and with your sched it seems like you'll gonna miss running with the bulls -he-he (just pun). Vibasa/Alsa buses are cheaper, while renfe trains are slow. AVE trains are faster than plane...that they claimed. i remember last year Madrid's climate is almost the same as in Rome at this time. But the Basque country should be ok until Aug. when the locals spend their summer vacation (most stores are closed tho'). Pag balon lang ug tapa.
Feliz viaje ! i hope to join your pilgrimage next time.
Dongpicx

Anonymous said...

Buen Camino Amado.

Andy

Unknown said...

Hi Ding. Good luck in your trip. Please include us also in our prayers, especially for healing of our illness and for finishing my PhD Thesis. Take care and God bless. Regards from all of us.

ksam said...

Fr. You will have a great many others praying for you too as you make your journey. I think you may be surprised at how many times you may be able to blog along the way, having read a number of blogs from the Camino Frances...if you choose and feel you should.

Buen Camino, Karin

PeregrinaMom said...

Hello Father Amado,

I did too the Camino in 2001 starting from Lourdes as you are doing except I had boots!

I live in Logrono and move along the Camino quite often... If I can be of any assistance, drop me a line at

Sandy@laflechaamarilla.com or call me on my cell phone at 638 812 102

God Bless!

The No Show said...

Hi Fr. Picx! Good luck! :)