[Gocamino] [saintjames] Re: Stone Story

[blaroli@aol.com]

 HI Rebekah,
While at one time I was personally optimistic about the "U.S. presence"  in  the Camino through an albergue, or such, I must admit that I have become totally disheartened about U.S. initiatives in that respect.   While the largest, and the richest, we are the only American country that doesn't even have something as basic as a confraternity, so I doubt very much that the concerted effort needed to bring about a U.S.-sponsored  albergue in the Camino will ever take place.
There is a group of very Camino-active Portuguese pilgrims in New Jersey, and while they have created a U.S. based confraternity they have formed it as an ancillary to a Lisbon Confraternity in Portugal.
A group of Brasilian pilgrims in New York want to have a New York City-based confraternity, but they insist that it must be a part of the Brasilian "Caminho do Sol" which is a blanket organization that embraces Camino activities located in Minas Gerais in Brasil. 
I, personally, by nature and inclination,  am not an organizer; once that someone gets the ball rolling I'm very willing to volunteer my legal and C.P.A. services, as well as economic contributions... Unfortunately,  no real effort to form a  U.S.Confraternity  has left the starting gate.
Perhaps the purpose of Confraternities is misunderstood by many in this country as breing an instrument of obeisance to religious authorities (nothing could be more mistaken; such is most definitely not the purpose, or the end-result). Whatever the reason, the will to get something done about it is simply not  here....
At present I am contemplating retirement and permanent relocation to Europe.  Once there I will surely become quite active in some Confraternity or another and in the many admirable social and pilgrim-support activities which they undertake.
Best regards,
Rosina
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Rebekah Scott <rebrites at yahoo.com>
To: saintjames at yahoogroups.com; blaroli at aol.com; gocamino at oakapple.ne; sue.kenney at simpatico.ca
Sent: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 08:08:29 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: [saintjames] Re: [Gocamino] Stone Story


Sue, it's cool to hear Jesus Jato tell about the stones in his refugio. I remember in my second time past his albergue in the late 90's, the stone part of the building was just beginning and the flapping plastic refuge was still in use. The entire place was a shambles! Jato and friends were building "whenever they got a chance," stones and bags of concrete were stacked all over the place. I found a particularly nice piece of pinkish granite, and he said for a donation to the "obras" I could inscribe it. So being the strong-dollar American I was back then, I "bought" three stones, one for me and one for each of my children, in hopes they would someday make the Camino. 
 
I returned in 2001 and found the mess was transformed into the Refugio Fenix we know today. And in the middle of the dining room wall, yes! A chunk of pinkish granite I like to imagine is "my" rock. Jato didn't remember me, but when I told him that rock was "mine," his wife gave me a kiss and a free glass of tinto. Great little fundraiser, that, a win/win for everyone.  Maybe someday when we North Americans make or adopt "our" albergue, we can do something similar? 
 
My son walked his Camino last summer. Now it's Libby's turn! The rocks and stones themselves cry out! 
 
-- Rebekah


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