June 22–28, our Youth Group will be in Puerto Rico creating friendships in the task of helping others; exploring and reflecting on new places and cultures. Please check back soon for updates from the Puerto Rico trip.
One of today’s major highlights included, attending the pilgrim’s mass in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. At the beginning of the pilgrims' mass, the church read out a list of the number of pilgrims received in the pilgrims' office in the last 24 hours—where they traveled from and where they began their pilgrimage. Pictures cannot completely capture the stunning beauty of the altar. At the end of the mass we received an amazing surprise which was to see the famous Botafumeiro —the giant swinging incense burner weighing 53 kg that only swings during certain masses. Today it was privately sponsored by a group of pilgrims from Colorado. The experience was emotional and deeply moving for all of us.
Last day of walking the Camino. We are all happy and ready to arrive in Santiago and, after a short and peaceful stage, we finally made it. We arrived at Plaza do Obradoiro, where the incredible Cathedral of Santiago stands. As the group guide, and with this being the first of the eight times I will walk the Camino this summer, this has been a wonderful experience for me. Being able to get to know each member of the group during these ten days, share my culture with them, show them the place where I was born, and introduce them to the gastronomy of Galicia is something I will never forget. Every participant gave their all to complete the Camino, even those who faced greater difficulties or pain, and as a guide, that makes me very proud. Even though we have only known each other for ten days, the wonderful conversations, laughter, and moments we shared have made each and every one of them earn a special place in my heart. I hope that, if they ever return to Spain, we will meet again. Lastly, I would like to highlight three people: Linda Lee, Ann, and Jon, as they are the ones who organized the trip, and without them none of this would have been possible. Thank you for making my experience as a guide such a wonderful one. – Laura González, G roup Guide