Hello All,
More of you have joined in... which is great to see!
Thank you Monita, Michelle and Chris for leaving comments! YAY!
I wanted to start by sharing a prayer request that came from Chris:
Maya just told us that Nik's brother Derek and sister-in-law Fiona, just lost a baby at 31 weeks. They had left India, where they set up a pre-school for locals, and had relocated to Malaysia due to losing funding for the pre-school.
Please keep their family in your prayers!!
That is the purpose of this blog and hopefully staying in connection...surrounding family with love and prayers!
Celebrating the joys, as well as supporting each other through the sorrows... during this dark and isolating time of quarantining.
(Marty once commented that "once I start writing... the wheels come off the bus") LOL
I hope that you will bear with me today, as I try to explain the meaning of Buen Camino...
There is a 500 mile pilgrimage that starts in France and ends in Santiago Spain, that "pilgrims" have walked for centuries. It has become quite popular in recent years, in part due to a movie that Martin Sheen made called The Way... if you are looking for a good movie during this time... I recommend it!
Our parish (Santiago De Compostela) has started a tradition of having a "mini-Camino" here in Lake Forest on the feast day of St. James (in July). About 4 years ago, when our pastor, Fr. Thomas, started this tradition, he held a symposium, teaching about the history and significance of the Camino in Spain. One of the guest speakers was a woman named Annie O'Neill.
Annie O'Neill is a writer and film-maker. She had walked the Camino in Spain, and afterwards was featured in a short documentary called Six Ways to Santiago. She wrote a little book called: Everyday Camino with Annie. (which I love!) But her short documentary Phil's Camino, changed my life!
After seeing Annie in the documentary, Six Ways to Santiago, Phil Volker's wife contacted Annie, inviting her to come up to Vashon Washington to walk on her husband's 1 mile Camino that he had built on his property.
Phil had been diagnosed 5 or 6 years ago with stage 4 liver and lung cancer. He had always dreamed of walking the Camino in Spain. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he had his own Camino built on his 10 acre property (that he calls Raven Ranch). He began walking (and praying the rosary as he walked) as a part of his health regimen... his walking strengthened him enough to be given a "chemo break" to go to Spain for a month and walk a part of the Camino.
Annie went with him and that was how her documentary, Phil's Camino... came about! She has currently made a full length film called: So Far, So Good. She is trying to share his story with a wider audience and said that "too much was left on the cutting floor."
Annie and Phil are quite a team... and when he is up to it... they speak all over the nation to hospitals, cancer groups... bringing hope and inspiration to all!
I have met him in person a few times... he and Annie have both been back to our Church in July, for our "mini-Caminos". He is one of the most amazing earthly spiritual guides that I have had the blessing to know!
Phil's Camino is always open for visitors to join him on a walk, and then stay for tapas and chatting afterwards... Michelle has walked on Phils' Camino with 2 of her friends... so lucky! It is on my bucket list to get up to Vashon to walk with him... maybe in the summer... God willing!
He has inspired so many people all over the globe and he continues to show us the way to live in spite of our circumstances! He created a blog called Caminoheads: www.caminoheads.com
I read it every day and today's entry was especially touching... all about conquering fear and living in the present!
I am doing this without Dan's help today...
As Sean sometimes teases... "you're on your own!" or "You're out there baby!"
Not really... feeling like I am surrounded by you all virtually!
LYM,
Reenie
Maya just told us that Nik's brother Derek and sister-in-law Fiona, just lost a baby at 31 weeks. They had left India, where they set up a pre-school for locals, and had relocated to Malaysia due to losing funding for the pre-school.
Please keep their family in your prayers!!
That is the purpose of this blog and hopefully staying in connection...surrounding family with love and prayers!
Celebrating the joys, as well as supporting each other through the sorrows... during this dark and isolating time of quarantining.
(Marty once commented that "once I start writing... the wheels come off the bus") LOL
I hope that you will bear with me today, as I try to explain the meaning of Buen Camino...
There is a 500 mile pilgrimage that starts in France and ends in Santiago Spain, that "pilgrims" have walked for centuries. It has become quite popular in recent years, in part due to a movie that Martin Sheen made called The Way... if you are looking for a good movie during this time... I recommend it!
Our parish (Santiago De Compostela) has started a tradition of having a "mini-Camino" here in Lake Forest on the feast day of St. James (in July). About 4 years ago, when our pastor, Fr. Thomas, started this tradition, he held a symposium, teaching about the history and significance of the Camino in Spain. One of the guest speakers was a woman named Annie O'Neill.
Annie O'Neill is a writer and film-maker. She had walked the Camino in Spain, and afterwards was featured in a short documentary called Six Ways to Santiago. She wrote a little book called: Everyday Camino with Annie. (which I love!) But her short documentary Phil's Camino, changed my life!
After seeing Annie in the documentary, Six Ways to Santiago, Phil Volker's wife contacted Annie, inviting her to come up to Vashon Washington to walk on her husband's 1 mile Camino that he had built on his property.
Phil had been diagnosed 5 or 6 years ago with stage 4 liver and lung cancer. He had always dreamed of walking the Camino in Spain. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he had his own Camino built on his 10 acre property (that he calls Raven Ranch). He began walking (and praying the rosary as he walked) as a part of his health regimen... his walking strengthened him enough to be given a "chemo break" to go to Spain for a month and walk a part of the Camino.
Annie went with him and that was how her documentary, Phil's Camino... came about! She has currently made a full length film called: So Far, So Good. She is trying to share his story with a wider audience and said that "too much was left on the cutting floor."
Annie and Phil are quite a team... and when he is up to it... they speak all over the nation to hospitals, cancer groups... bringing hope and inspiration to all!
I have met him in person a few times... he and Annie have both been back to our Church in July, for our "mini-Caminos". He is one of the most amazing earthly spiritual guides that I have had the blessing to know!
Phil's Camino is always open for visitors to join him on a walk, and then stay for tapas and chatting afterwards... Michelle has walked on Phils' Camino with 2 of her friends... so lucky! It is on my bucket list to get up to Vashon to walk with him... maybe in the summer... God willing!
He has inspired so many people all over the globe and he continues to show us the way to live in spite of our circumstances! He created a blog called Caminoheads: www.caminoheads.com
I read it every day and today's entry was especially touching... all about conquering fear and living in the present!
I am doing this without Dan's help today...
As Sean sometimes teases... "you're on your own!" or "You're out there baby!"
Not really... feeling like I am surrounded by you all virtually!
LYM,
Reenie
You rock, Maureen!
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ReplyDeleteI read Caminoheads And your blog, was wonderful! ‘Felipe’ Does such a marvelous job of encouragement and love! Thanks sis! 😘🥰🙏🏼
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