[saintjames] Re: Motorized assistance

[Elizabeth Boylston-Morris]

In the summer of 2000 I covered parts of the Camino, on and off, in the company of two Catholic priests from Scotland. While I am Episcopalian I shared with them our common English language and the fact that none of us knew much Spanish.
The priests were carrying a rather small bag. They told me that some priests in Roncesvalles had recommended that they send their backpacks ahead, and they showed me an itinerary prepared for them by a Roncesvalles monk showing recommended stops, every three or four walking days, where they could send their backpacks ahead all the way to the Minor Seminary in Santiago.
The prayer cited by a list member appears to be addressed to those pilgrims who chose to carry their backpacks or lack the means to send them ahead; it certainly does not convey a mandate. In olden times it would have been particularly difficult for pilgrims of modest means to send anything ahead. given the lack of transportation networks then and the prohibitive price of beasts of burden.
Carrying, or not carrying, the backpack has no relevance to  whether one is a pilgrim or not. I do not believe that unnecessary hardship is ever required for a pilgrimage. However, good will towards other pilgrims and respect for their choices should be.
Liz