Hospitalero News- Apr 2013 - American Pilgrims on the Camino

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Among the <strong>Pilgrims</strong>by Mary Victoria WallisStill, for all the dangers and sorrows of the medievalCamino, there were men and women at every hospicealong the way who were waiting for you with a smile, abeaker of water and a bed. And there still are. If there isone thing that impressed me above all else on myjourneys to Santiago, it was finding myself on thereceiving side of selfless service, and realizing thatpilgrimage, the act of traveling in quest of some kind ofpersonal salvation, is absolutely dependent on thewillingness of others to stay in one place and serve. AtBurgos, I had talked to three young Germans who werelooking after the big refugio there.They told me they wanted to helppeople with their journey; theyadmitted they were getting tired, buttheir dedication was holding firm.They were as human as any of us. Tome at times they seemed naïve. But intheir commitment to the spiritualgrowth of others, they reminded me alittle of the Boddhisatvas in theBuddhist tradition, who forego theirown enlightenment until others havereached theirs.Camino hospitality, says Prieto,honours the divinity that inhabits thestranger, the mystical otherness of theone from away. This Christian idealrecalls the Old Testament, whereAbraham entertains three strangers inhis tent on the plains of Mamre. Thelife of Jesus, Prieto goes on, was aconstant request for lodging. Thesanctity of the visitor is implicit in the phrases ofMatthew: I was a stranger and you took me in… inasmuch asye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, yehave done it unto me.Prieto tells the pilgrim to receive such hospitality inthe spirit in which it is offered, with gratitude andhumility, for thus do we learn the truth of ourdependence on one another and on the world around us.This became ever clearer to me as I walked from hostelto hostel: Logroño, where I had been given water andhelped by the smiling hospitalero to my top bunk; LosArcos, where I waited a long time in a long line-up toregister, finally to discover a wizened old man at a smalldesk trying his hardest to keep us straight and make surewe all had the right place to sleep. At Carrión de losCondes, the señora had laughed with us at her husband’sjokes and wished us well as she handed us our nuns’cookies. Boadilla, where the organic farmer shared hiswhole grain cookies and his laundryshelter; Astorga, where the staffwere as relaxed as jazz musicians,and someone had put in an electricclothes dryer for us.For all the devotion lavishedupon James in the Middle Ages, allthe obsessions with guilt and fearthat were laid down at his tomb, itwas curious to me how remote thesaint seemed here on the late edgeon the 20th Century. What struckme instead was how the hospitablespirits of Santo Domingo de laCalzada, San Juan de Ortega, and thecharitable ladies from Italy lived onin the hearts of our hostelcustodians. I was moved beyondwords by the outpouring of theircharity, a love tempered withhumour, and an ability to organizeand maintain places that sometimessheltered seventy pilgrims. In our fallen world, this is akind of redemption: meeting people who in ministeringto your body and your spirit, make you want to be morelike them.Excerpted %om: Mary Victoria Wa#is, Among the <strong>Pilgrims</strong>:Journeys to Santiago de Compostela, Trafford Publishing,"The hospitalero training was fabulous. The enthusiasm for the Camino was palpable among the trainersand participants alike. The activities were designed to encourage community, and hearing about others'memorable Camino moments and sharing some of my own was one of my favorite parts of the weekend. Thecommunal meal, complete with overflowing wine, ensalada mixta, and new participants hearkened back to atrue Camino experience; it was a real joy. I can't recommend the workshop enough to anyone thinking ofgiving back to the Camino, and am really looking forward to the chance to serve as a hospitalero one day!"Dina GamboniSanta Barbara <strong>2013</strong><strong>American</strong> <strong>Pilgrims</strong> <strong>Hospitalero</strong> <strong>News</strong> 8
Volunteer OpportunitiesWant to volunteer at an albergue this year?There are many albergues along the various Camino routes where your help would be much appreciated.Here are some contacts to get you started.The following organizations generally work withalbergues operating on a donation basis.✦✦✦✦✦Federación Española de Asociaciones deAmigos del Camino de Santiago:hosvol@caminosantiago.org. Trains and assignsvolunteers to a network of refugios along the CaminoFrancés and Vía de la Plata. (See list of albergues theywork with in box below.) You can apply directly to theFederación, or contact us for a copy of theirapplication at hospitaleros@americanpilgrims.com.Confraternity of St. James: r-wardens@csj.org.uk.Operates Refugio Gaucelmo in Rabanal del Camino,and Refugio de Peregrinos de Miraz on the Caminodel Norte.Albergues in Foncebadón and El Acebo:rkansas@terra.es. Volunteers for these two alberguesare now assigned through Rafael Canseco, at theabove email address, rather than through theFederación. Please contact Rafael directly if you areinterested in working at either albergue.Albergue Parroquial de Fuenterroble:aviaplata@terra.es. Located on the Vía de la Plata, andfunded in part by donations from <strong>American</strong> <strong>Pilgrims</strong>.Acogida Cristiana en el Camino (New Listing):info@acogidacristianaenelcamino.es Trains andassigns volunteers at albergues sponsored primarily byparishes, convents and other religious organizations.The member albergues generally have a more spiritualfocus in the services they provide to pilgrims.The following albergues on the Camino Francés, whilenot operating on a donation basis, have expressed awarm welcome to any <strong>American</strong> Pilgrim hospitaleroswho are interested in volunteering. You can contactthem directly via the websites and email addresses listed.✦✦✦✦Albergue Anfas: www.albergueanfas.org. Located inEstella, with space for 32 pilgrims. Their Spanish/English website provides information aboutvolunteering and contact links.Albergue de Peregrinos Siervas de María:www.caminodesantiagoastorga.com/index.php?modulo=2. Located in Astorga and operated by theAsociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Astorga.For more information, contactasociacion@caminodesantiagoastorga.com.Casa de Carmen: www.acasadecarmen.com. <strong>Apr</strong>ivate albergue located in Barbadelo. For moreinformation, contact acasadecarmen@hotmail.com.Paloma y Leña: www.palomaylena.com. A privatealbergue located in San Mamede del Camino nearSarria. For more information, contact Paloma y JoséAntonio (Leña) y Diego at contacto@palomaylena.com.Federación AlberguesFollowing is a list of albergues that work with the Federación Española to place volunteerhospitaleros. See contact information for the Federación above under Volunteer Opportunities.Camino Francés• Arrés• Parroquial de Estella• Parroquial de Viana• Parroquial de Logroño• Municipal de Nájera• Cofradia de Santo Domingo en St. Domingode la Calzada• Parroquial de Grañón• Municipal de Villalcázar de Sirga• Parroquial de Bercianos del Real Camino• Municipal de El Burgo Ranero• Municipal de Calzadilla de los Hermanillos• Parroquial de Ponferrada• Monacal de SamosVía de la Plata• Municipal de Castilblanco de los Arroyos• Conventual de Alcuéscar• Municipal de Salamanca• Municipal de Zamora<strong>American</strong> <strong>Pilgrims</strong> <strong>Hospitalero</strong> <strong>News</strong> 9
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Hospitalero News- Apr 2013 - American Pilgrims on the Camino

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