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[Donald Schell]

dear pilgrim friends,

This May 15-28 I'll be helping lead a bus-supported introduction to  
the pilgrimage.  I've attached a flyer for it.  My co-leader is a  
clergy colleague (another Episcopal priest) who has led numerous bus  
pilgrimages to sites like Canterbury, Taize, Iona and various holy  
sites in Wales.  This is the first time her regulars will be walking  
and getting some understanding of the actual peregrination that leads  
to a pilgrimage site and how the process and physical, spiritual, and  
emotional effort and pleasure of walking change soften a pilgrim's  
heart.

Maybe you know people who who have been fascinated by your Camino  
experience, who are drawn to walk, but who also have felt uncertain  
about simply putting their feet on the Way.  This could be the  
invitation that helps such people find their way to Santiago and also  
to come back.  Or maybe you know of someone who really wants to walk  
but whose physical limitations would make it impossible to carry a  
pack, or someone who wants to walk and is fit enough to give it a  
try, but has reason to wonder what would happen if fatigue or aged  
joints stopped them.  This group will be staying in comfortable  
hotels and enjoying bus support will be from Spanish Steps.  We're  
planning a daily choice between a longer and shorter walk and also  
offering the daily option for those who need or want it of riding the  
bus (and some visiting of interesting sites that walkers may pass  
by).  We have space for 24 including Robbin Clark (my colleague) and me.

Robbin asked me to join her specifically to help first-time walking  
pilgrims get a better feel for the Camino.   I plan for us begin each  
day with singing (Santiago pilgrim songs and other songs about  
pilgrimage, journeys, and walking), pilgrim readings, and personal  
reflection to help our beginning peregrinos open themselves as fully  
as possible to the experience (so we hope, some of them will return  
and walk in the simpler way).

I've walked about 700 miles on the Camino, three different times,  
walking, three crossings of the Pyrenees, and twice getting to  
Santiago, and I wrote about my first camino in 'My Father, My  
Daughter, Pilgrims on the Road to Santiago.'  My wife, a nurse who  
does international AIDS work in Africa,  walked the second of these  
journeys over Somport Pass and as far as Irache.  She'll be one of  
our number and looks forward walking parts of the Camino she's not  
seen yet and finally arriving in Santiago.

If you know of people who would enjoy this - please pass on the email  
and the brochure (or print the brochure to give to them).

Many thanks!
	Donald Schell

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