[Gocamino] Toronto synopsis...simple view

[Sue Kenney]

Dear Pilgrims,

I attended the training and gathering in Toronto as well. It was very 
special to meet so many other pilgrims, and to finally put a person's face 
to the names so familiar to me from this list serv.

I was a part of the Hospitelero Training so I'll give you some background on 
that. Because it was a smaller group we had the chance to go around the room 
and give everyone the opportunity to talk about their Camino experience. 
Mariluz and Jan Melis, from the refugio of Eunate were warm and engaging as 
they lead the training. We learned about caring for pilgrims, refugio 
management, cleaning, first aid and other important aspects about being a 
hospitelero/hospitelera.

The most moving moment for me was when Maryluz showed us how she performs a 
pilgrim ritual. When a pilgrim arrives at her refugio, she offers to wash 
their feet. At the conferal ceremony, she invited three pilgrims to the 
front of St. Basil's chapel to perform the ritual in the presence of all. It 
was very moving.

As Kathy mentioned, we were all given a purple scarf to wear when we are on 
the Camino and a lovely St. James medallion to commemorate the event.

There were so many great stories from the weekend it's hard to keep it 
short, but what I can say it that it was a fabulous experience to be in the 
company of pilgrims again. I can't wait for next year's event in Bolder, 
Colorado.

Sue

www.suekenney.ca

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kathy Gower" <kathygower at hotmail.com>
To: <gocamino at oakapple.net>
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 11:08 AM
Subject: [Gocamino] Toronto synopsis...simple view


> To give you all a flavor of the Toronto Gathering,
> I'll put down some thoughts and hopefully one of the
> 150 participants will chime in....
>
> We were about 150 strong, from 8 Canadian Provinces,
> 18 States, England, Ireland, Germany and Greece,
> ranging in age from 13 to several "over 70"....
>
> There was a Hospitalero Training for about 40
> potential hospitaleros, that I did not attend, but
> arrived at St. Michael's College in time to see them
> emerge from St. Basil's, newly commissioned and all
> smiling and wearing purple bandanas to signify their
> rank. Hurray, I'd be thrilled to run into any one of
> them along the Camino.
>
> First official event (there were several repeated
> workshops) was a Tapas dinner complete with the
> Tourist Board of Spain and the Spanish Consul General
> and a full evening of stories, film clips and
> merriment and emotional tears for some of the tales.
>
> Saturday was full with lectures in the morning ranging
> from an overview of Medieval and Modern Pilgrimage, to
> an intriguing thesis of the Holy Grail in the Pyranees
> as evidenced by murals painted in the 1120s of Mary
> with the "grail", a good 50 years before Cretin de
> Troyes told his tales and more. Medieval Pilgrimage
> sites and another mystery of the Sword of Roland and
> Rocamadour rounded out the morning. Laurie Dennett
> gave a sweeping overview from the dicovery of the
> "bones" of St. James through current happenings along
> the road.
>
> The afternoon was filled with workshops on everything
> from presentations on the various routes to outdooor
> medicine to Spanish wine tasting to spiritual matters
> such as reincorporation of experience and tai chi,
> labyrinth and Gregorian Chant. ( we were sung to
> sleep by chanted Complines in Saint Basil's on
> Friday.)
>
> I'm probably not remembering everything and I trust
> there will be many more reports, but after a Latin
> Mass, a reception followed with a lovely performance
> of Spanish and Galician dancing by a young and
> flourishing dance group dressed in native costume.
>
> A feast followed at Trinity College with paella, trout
> or chicken accompanied by a Flamenco Guitarist and
> later by an a capella music group performing what I
> thought were perhaps the Cantigas. It was a feast of
> riches and forgive me if I don't catch it all.
>
> More lectures and hikes on Sunday, including some more
> film clips, pilgrim attire and art and architecture
> along the way. It's no wonder this was all followed
> by a spiritual retreat given by the priests at St.
> Michael's and Wanda Sawicki.
>
> I apologize if I left anything out and strongly urge
> pilgrims who were there to go a little deeper than
> this broad brush stroke. It was a heartfelt event and
> held something for all once and future pilgrims. The
> premiere issue of American Pilgrim, the journal of the
> American Pilgrims on the Camino had it's debut.
>
>
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