Reflections of a walker on the Compostela de Santiago per Buen Camino / Follow My Camino May, June 2026

"Car!!!!"

... how can I forget that recurring warning echoing from other members of my Buen Camino / Follow My Camino pilgrim walkers who recently joined me on our coastal Portugal el camino promenades on the way to completing the Compostela de Santigo, which started in Porto!

Yes, there were many moments on our pilgrimage to Santiago when we had to share the dirt, rock and paved roads with cars, trucks, vans, tractors, bikers, other walkers and even horseback riders going in the same or opposite directions.

It was certainly physically challenging for me and us at times carrying a heavy backpack with essentials like water, food, sunscreen, pancho raincoat, rosary and a plethora of other random items, including some mini St. James statuettes that we would give away to other pilgrims, their kids or to whom ever the Holy Spirit would inspire us to share this with.

It was also psychologically challenging as we would motivate each other when fatigued, feeling aches all over our bodies, blisters on our toes ... and being sure to stop when needed for routine needs, as well as the all important cappuccino or americano coffee hits and possibly a few cervezas as the afternoon crept upon us!

Most of us had spiritual motivations for coming on the pilgrimage, so it was such a blessing to have Fr. Patrick, OP and Deacon Hector with us.

What a blessing to be able to have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Confession available to nourish and replenish our hearts, minds and souls!

I even brought my mini Martin Backpacker Guitar along for the experience, but like our main luggage, this was transported ahead for us each day by a taxi service.  It was fun singing songs with the other pilgrims and random folks whom I would meet at our destinations.

And while I may have had language barriers with them, we would communicate per the common language of music per songs like "You Are My Sunshine!"  One walker I met was carrying his own guitar and noted he was just learning how to play, so he asked for me to play and sing some tunes like "Immaculate Mary" and "Let There Be Peace on Earth!"

While still on the walks and before entering Santiago, it was neat for some of us to watch the movie "The Way" staring Martin Sheen which I had never fully watched. It was so powerful to see myself in all the characters who, like Sheen, had demonstrated their own elements of “unresolved conflicts” that needed to be addressed in some manner through the walks.

Sheen embodied a stern father, whose prodigal son had died while trying to complete the Compostela - which originally seemed to be a waste of time to Sheen!

So then Sheen, in trying to cope with the loss of his son, undertook his own Compostela journey with surprising revelations to himself and through the other characters whom he befriended along the way.

I and my fellow Buen Camino pilgrims had our own personal “baggage” of things that accompanied us on our Compostela journeys, which like Sheen in the movie were not fully resolved.

But as in real life, the journey was like one of my fav songs, “Just A Closer Walk With Thee,” so I could have a fresh look at coping and living as Jesus has intended … and wants me to carry my own crosses with Him at my side! And my fellow Buen Camino pilgrims also helped to prod me, at times, to open up to the healing and warmth given and shared by all.

It was so neat that Dennis cued all of us in on a surprise that he had planned for his wife, Darci, as they celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary during the pilgrimage. So unbeknownst to Darci, he surprised her with flowers and had arranged with Fr. Patrick to make a renewal of their wedding vows during a Mass – it was so special that they shared that with us!

One fun game that I learned from the others during this pilgrimage was the “High / Low / Buffalo” sharing game that we did a few times to briefly share, if wanting to, the highs (positives), lows (challenges) and “Buffalo's” (unexpected wonders / random fact or interesting details) that we may have experienced on a given day or after some specific activity!

The destination for the pilgrimage was technically Santiago Spain, and I can vividly recall seeing - and all of us verbalizing for motivation - the posted marking signs numbering along this St. James Way with the Yellow Arrows and Shells denoting how many more kilometers were needed to complete the Way.

And like any graduation event, completing the Compostela was actually a “Commencement” reminder for all of us to live in the present moment, be true to self and fully take on the Pauline motto:

Galatians 2:20 - “And I live, now not I; but Christ liveth in me. And that I live now in the flesh: I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered himself for me.”

It was very poignant as we were getting closer to completing our el camino that we were able to consider using little rocks found on the way that could signify someone or something that embodied our main concerns that we were addressing per the walks.

And we were able to reverently and quietly place these rocks on a very special spot near Santiago.

Father Patrick then met us after we had descended and he privately prayed over us with a blessing that was very special and heartfelt!

During the entire el camino, we all enjoyed many fun filled meals, simple cafe or beer and wine breaks as we had only just met most of our other pilgrim Buen Camino walkers and leaders.

It was so neat to cultivate some very personal and life-long relationships with others, and nothing could be deeper than sharing in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and even Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament a few times!

Sure, like any interactions, we had some moments and situations that involved the need for conflict resolutions, but we addressed them and moved onward in honesty, care and love.

When we all had to depart from each other at the conclusion of the entire pilgrimage, it was very difficult and tear provoking when we left each other in Madrid … which happened to be where Pope Leo XIV had just visited earlier that week in fostering love and peace for the world! ...

… something we Buen Camino pilgrims, in our own little ways, certainly promoted to and with every other person we were blessed to encounter … even when having to give or receive those “Car!!!” warnings!