Compostela vs. Certificado

[Howard Mendes]

In a message dated 2/27/2002 2:17:18 AM Eastern Standard Time,
mrsmarieaBLUEWIN.CH writes:


> However, we live with the fact that essentially the Compostela is a
> Christian document .... and a Catholic one at that ....SO .....
>
> For those who do not profess to have followed a 'spiritual' motivation
> for making their pilgrimage, (or those who are unlucky enough to seek
> a Compostela but find they are denied for whatever reason) there is
> another document to claim -  the Certificado - which is just as valid as
> the Compostela as an official record of pilrimage.  They vary only in the
> reasons for which they are issued.
>
>

I agree with everything you wrote from a factual standpoint.  But why should
the Catholic Church be so rigid and insist that you give a reason for doing
the Camino and then divide the certificates into two categories?  Certainly
it is their perogative to do so.  However, it certainly is not necessary to
discriminate and catergorize pilgrims in this fashion.  I think it is
basically unfair and probably alienates the church from many pilgrims to
continue this practice.  I think that producing the passport should suffice
without any questions about purpose or motives having to be raised.

In truth, I was very nervous at the office in Santiago that I would be denied
my Compostela by some Church functionary for an arbitrary reason.  I did get
it by the way, but I think Jean-Pierre should have gotten his too.  He is a
person of principle who refused to state "spiritual" because he knew that the
Church would give it a different interpretation than his. In my opnion, he is
more spiritual than I am by far. I wished that I could have given him my
piece of paper with his name on it rather than see him feel so hurt by the
edicts of the Church.  Howard Mendes, NYC
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