Fr Michael’s Camino Diary: Day 5

In September, MSC Missons Office Director Fr Michael O’Connell MSC walked the Camino de Santiago for the first time. Walking approximately 113 km over five days, Fr Michael undertook the final stage of the Camino Francés, or the French Way. Here, he shares his daily diary with thoughts and reflections from the Way.

Sunday, September 30^th
Pedrouzo to Santiago
Distance: 19.8 km

“On the final day of my Camino journey, I was on the road at 5.45am, beginning my day in the darkness. I found myself walking through the darkness into the light, and realised just how important the light is to us.

That last morning, I set out before dawn; the sun didn’t rise until around 8.00am, so I was walking through the darkness for over two hours before the light dawned. That two hours meant I didn’t just walk from darkness into light, but through darkness into the light, and that makes all the difference. It put me in mind of aiming for a goal, any goal in life. Say your goal is to get married, and you’re planning a wedding. It will be a wonderful celebration, but you have to go through a certain period of preparation, often a period of challenges and struggles, to get there. For me, that day, my goal was to reach Santiago de Compostela, but it wasn’t just a matter of leaving in the morning and getting there easily. First, I had to make my way through the darkness and get through the period of struggling before I could reach that ultimate goal.

In that period of darkness, I often found myself walking in the light of others who guided my way. Because I didn’t have a torch myself, I would walk behind somebody else who had a torch or a headlamp, and they would safely guide my path. Once again, a reminder to us to be thankful to those who light our way in life in those times of darkness and confusion, and the light of the Lord that guides us safely home always.

That morning was also a lesson in taking stock. I was following a couple who were walking ahead of me, when they stopped to take a photo. They told me to turn around, and when I did, the most glorious sunrise was taking place over my shoulder. If I hadn’t stopped to look back, I would have missed the whole thing – and what a fitting way to start the final day of the trip.

The last walk took me to Mount Gozo. Here, pilgrims get their first glimpse of Santiago. You can see the spires of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela all the way from here, and it is wonderful motivation to press ahead and jump the final hurdle.

One thing that really struck me along my journey was the abundance of little shrines that punctuated the roadside as I walked. This was particularly evident as I neared my final destination. People leave broken shoes, stones they’ve carried, and their own personal petitions, written down. They also leave photographs of themselves for other to pray over. It’s a poignant reminder of all who have gone before us, and the burdens they carry along the way – and hopefully, the peace and resolution they have found at the end of their journey.

On entering Santiago, a tunnel leads pilgrims into the town square, where relief overcomes weariness and celebration is the order of the day! Here, I queued for just under an hour with other pilgrims to collect a certificate to say that I had completed the Camino.

I ended my Camino experience with the Pilgrims’ Mass at the Cathedral, which is reputed to be the resting place of St James. Throughout the Mass, you can see pilgrims and tourists climbing the steps behind the altar to rub the saint’s head.

Everybody treats the experience with due respect and reverence, and the Cathedral itself is a sight to behold – especially the botafumeiro, the 1.5-metre-high thurible that dates back to 1851 and is so heavy that it takes eight men to operate it.

And so ended my Camino journey. There was a great sense of relief for me – yes, I could actually walk that distance. Yes, that I could once again do what I used to do in my youth, sleeping in hostels with the minimum of equipment. Along with this came the renewed awareness of how little we need to survive, or how little we can survive on, and that is something I hope to take home with me.

Would I do it again? Without a doubt! Next time, however, I might try coming from a different direction, perhaps the Portuguese Way… Until then, Buen Camino!”

Read more of Fr Michael’s Camino diary:

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 1

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 2

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 3

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 4