[Gocamino] Train crash.

[blaroli@aol.com]

Hi Patricia et al.
The two hospitaleros who died in the train crash were both from Burgos and were nearing fifty years of age.
Julian Campos is being eulogized everywhere.  He was from a well-to-do family, had a first-rate Jesuit education and had owned several bars, stores and other businesses in Burgos.  In his forties he developed ulcers in the pancreas and formed the decision to walk the Camino from Burgos. During the pilgrimage he met someone who spole about the balm for the spirit which Mother Theresa represented for so many people. He decided to go to visit her in Calcutta for a few days and flew there, even leaving his late-model Audi at the airport´s garage.
The meeting with Mother Theresa and her community had such impact on him that he stayed for three years. Apparently those who go there help out, unpaid, and choose how they wantto help.  Julian Campos noticed that the bodies of the dead waiting to be picked up by government vehicles to be taken to a burial place, were being attacked by rats, worms, all sorts of insects and circled about by birds of prey.  He chose to bestow a last measure of dignity to those bodies, and for three years he would go to the site before dawn, every single day,  and clean, dress and protect the bodies until they were picked up. Restoring some dignity to those bodies, he said, had given him his own.
After losing a lot of weight, he returned to Spain to regain his health and whiled away the time serving as hospitalero, all the time planning to return to Mother Theresa´s Mission in Calcutta. Some weeks ago he and a fellow hospitalero, Jose Manzano decided to walk the English Way; after arriving at Santiago they were going to Burgos to see their families for a few days.  Somehow they missed their train and called Jesus Jato who asked them to come over to his albergue offering to drive them to Burgos later on.  They declined his offer and decided, instead, to wait for the next train...... the one which crashed.
They were two of the six fatalities; also killed was a young Franch woman, of Spanish descent, who had just finished the pilgrimage with her fiance (who is still hospitalized); an 18 yearl old Franchman who was returning to France after visiting Santiago and a couple in their late sixties who were celebrating their retirement.
It is, very, very, sad.... and destiny-mysterious.
Regards
Rosina
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Hathor821 at aol.com
To: Blaroli at aol.com; GoCamino at oakapple.net; saintjames at yahoogroups.com
Cc: marthatexas at earthlink.net
Sent: Wed, 23 Aug 2006 3:50 PM
Subject: Re: [Gocamino] Train crash.


Dear Rosina:
 
With interest and now with profound sadness I read of your  travels in Spain 
and I my soul is now wearing black because, although not yet  confirmed by 
anyone, I think that one of the hospitaleros who perished is Jose  Santori 
Manzano from the albergue in Castrojeriz.  This is the name he  wrote in my note 

book but the reports name  him as Jose Manzano, could  it be someone else?
 
If it is Jose Santori Manzano the world has lost one of the  very few 
wonderful man I had ever had the honor and pleasure of meeting.   On May 17 I 
volunteered at his albergue in Castrojeriz and registered 32  pilgrims so that 
he 
could have time off to do other things he was behind in  doing.   I observed in 
him kindness and generosity 'beyond' the duties  of hospitalero with everybody 
and what is more, LOVE in doing what he was doing  from cleaning with 
meticulous detail all the bathroom to lovingly offering  everything he had and  
expecting nothing in return.  I mentioned  to my camino friend that something 
more 
profound motivated him to do what he was  doing and my friend at a cozy little 
place where we gathered at night for drinks  'La Taverna' later told me that 
the bartender had told her that Jose   5 years earlier had a battle with colon 
cancer and that it appears this episode  was the turning point in his life.  
Jose and I and my friend Martha  discussed the possibility of going with him to 
Ali Baba in early January 2007,  he to continue doing his charity work at the 
Mother Theresa Camp and I as one to  do whatever was required of me and my 
friend to do dental work.  He spent  his life doing good things and in my mind, 
if this is the man who perished, he  will be the male figure of what Mother 
Theresa still is in the heart of all of  us who admire without borders the 
abnegation, dedication and courage of people  like Jose.
 
Please let us know more details about the accident, if  possible.
 
Patricia
Miami and my camino
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