End of the Pilgrimage

Santiago de Compostela is the end of the pilgrimage for pilgrims who make the Camino de Santiago. So, it seems appropriate that Santiago de Compostela was my final side trip of my sabbatical before heading back home. I was fortunate enough to concelebrate Mass at the main altar here in the cathedral of Santiago (St. James) and pray at his tomb:

As pilgrims enter the cathedral at the end of the camino, they encounter the world's most famous giant thurible, the "Botafumeiro," which takes eight men to operate. Since I was not there on a feast or solemnity, I did not get to see it in action, but there is plenty of video footage online.

Find out more at: http://catedraldesantiago.es/en/

Cathedrals of Spain's Mediterranean Coat

The Basilica of Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) is in the news once again as its newest feature alters Barcelona's skyline.

I was blessed with the fortune of being able to visit this magnificent basilica which has been under construction for over a hundred years:

As magnificent as Sagrada Familia is, I have to admit the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia was my favorite between the two. Here is a selfie I took of the outside:

And here is a shot of the inside:

Just when I though the tour was over, I went out this door which open to a courtyard surrounded by about a dozen side altars. Yes, those are ducks in the lower left hand corner:

Valencia is the other city I visited on the Mediterranean. There was construction both inside and outside the cathedral, so the pictures you find on the internet will be better than the ones I took. Here is a shot of the Blessed Sacrament chapel where I was blessed to offer holy Mass:

Finally, I took a stroll on the beach in Valencia and came across the coolest Burger King I have ever seen:

Cathedrals of Southern Spain

 I’m on a whirlwind tour of the cathedrals of Southern Spain. I find the area very intriguing because many of these cities were Muslim strongholds when the Moors ruled Spain for several centuries in the Middle Ages.

I took this picture from the famous Roman Bridge in Córdoba. This cathedral, which forms the skyline, used to be a mosque:

The cathedrals are massive and filled with the best artwork giving glory to God and telling the story of His love for us. 

Here are the apses of those in Toledo. Sevilla and Granada:

 

When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? Luke 18:8

 In this previous post I showed some of the celebration of the National Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar. The feast commemorates the encounter of St. James and the Blessed Virgin Mary at this site in Zaragoza:

The plaza is surrounded by a very large Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar (above), the church of St. John the Baptist, and the Cathedral of the Savior (below):

Some of the history promises great hope for the future. The Romans who built this amphitheater eventually converted to Christianity and were a powerful force in spreading the Gospel.

Much later, for several centuries, Spain was ruled by the Muslims who built this castle, but once again, the Truth of Christianity prevailed.

This gate marks the incursion of Napoleon, who wanted to conquer the world and destroy the Church.

Now the new enemy of the Gospel is secularism in all of its many forms. Time will tell if there will be faith, not only in Spain but in our own land as well.

Avila

 Rolling into Avila…

Torreciudad

 I’m on retreat with a dozen other priests at the Marian shrine called Torreciudad. Meaning “tower of the city,” it is one of the titles for Mary in some litanies as her powerful prayers assist in our protection and keeping watch. This devotion goes back to the 11th century. The picture above shows the priest bringing the Blessed Sacrament for the 5 PM exposition and Rosary. Below, can you see the new snowfall on the peaks of the Pyrenees between the layers of clouds?

 

Spanish Lottery

 I have not purchased any lottery tickets in Spain, but they sure do make it convenient. There is a live person in these little booths out on the sidewalk so one doesn't even have to go inside the store to buy them:

And if you don't feel like getting up and walking all the way over there to the booth, don't worry. They'll bring the booth to you!

Bilbao

 Bilbao is a large city near the northern coast of Spain just a few miles up river from the Atlantic Ocean. Here is a selfie of me in a park on the hill overlooking the city:

Bilbao is known for having the other Guggenheim Museum, with the original one being in New York. Anze from Slovenia poses for a picture while Hector from Venezuela descends the ramp to the entrance:

Here are some random people walking by as the smoke-on-the-water effect is happening:

Even though the city has a very Post-Christian feel of secularism, there are still some reminders of the rich Christian heritage of Spain:

Finally, taking a break from all the walking, are Francisco from Spain, Andres from Ecuador and Hector from Venezuela:

Our Lady of the Pillar

Our Lady of the Pillar is the national feast day in Spain on October 12th. Schools and universities are closed; people are off work; etc. The apparition is different from other Marian apparitions in that it happened during Mary's lifetime as she visited St. James in Zaragoza, Spain. I hear the location is an easy bus ride from Pamplona, so I hope to check it out soon.

We began the celebration with a vigil Mass and procession on October 11th with the auxiliary bishop at St. Nicholas church, which was built 1,000 years ago. Here are some shots:

Adiós to Spanish Class

 I'm looking forward to my final exam in Spanish class next Wednesday. Even though I've been studying Spanish off and on since I was 11 years old, the class has reminded me it would be lifelong process to master the language. However, in the course of this exercise in humility, some people have told me my skills have improved. 

I took a selfie in class while sporting the Silverhawks mask. Next to me is Cielo (her Spanish name) from Tokyo, continuing Nascar style (counter-clockwise) around the room are Nao from Yokohama, Japan; and a guy from Russia who transferred in late and may have dropped the class since I took the selfie. At the far right is Camille from Bordeaux, France. Out of the shot next to her would be Mona from Belgium and Lena from Germany. Continuing around in the front row are Zoli from Hungary, then Adela, our teacher from Mexico. I find it very interesting that most of the Spanish professors I have met are from Latin American countries. I have not asked why but it may be because the Latin American pronunciation is a little more simplified and more common around the world. Behind the teacher, we cannot see Kendra from Angola. The teacher is speaking to Sophia from the Philippines. Finishing up the circle are Shakri from Iran, Nikita from Ukraine, and Anze from Slovenia. God bless them for tolerating the old, bald American priest for the past six weeks!

More in Pamplona

 Pamplona also has this giant statue of our beloved Pope Saint John Paul II in a roundabout near downtown:

And not too far from downtown is the ciudadela (fortress) going back to Medieval times. Evidently it is still used for people to exercise their horses:

This one has a great view of some neighborhoods and mountains nearby:

Finally, just down the hill from where I'm staying is the Rio Arga with a park in either side. With the walking trail it reminds me of the Little Miami back home. Accompanying me were Lucas from Brazil and Patrick from Mexico.

Deacon Ray Kroger: Requiescat in pace

 I was saddened to learn this morning of the passing of my friend and fellow worker in the "Carpenter's Union," Deacon Ray Kroger into eternity. I never had the chance to know Ray as an active deacon or serve with him at the altar. Since I met him a little over four years ago, he has been in senior status, which brings me to my first point of comfort. Deacon Ray was an excellent example to me of patient suffering. He was always joyful and always in good humor every time I saw him, which was most days, as he was a daily communicant. His joy and humor were amazing because his hunched over body and nearly inaudible voice told a different story. As he declined in health, I never heard any complaints but only quiet words of joy and his quick wit.

Since I am in Spain on sabbatical, I am saddened that I did not get to visit with Deacon Ray in his last days of life here on earth, and I will not be able to participate in his funeral. But this brings me to my second point of comfort: the Communion of Saints. Even though we are separated by thousands of miles and the Atlantic Ocean, neither the miles nor the ocean nor even death can keep us from the charity of Jesus Christ. Since Jesus conquered death in his Resurrection he showed that he is stronger than death. And since He is not limited by time or space, or even death, Deacon Ray and I are still able to pray for each other and I can offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the repose of his soul and the comfort of his family on a different continent. Requiescat in pace.

San Sabastian

 If one drives north from Pamplona, in about an hour, one will find oneself at either the border of France or at the Atlantic Ocean. 

This past Saturday, I entered an automobile for the first time since I arrived in Spain on September 2nd and had the opportunity to visit San Sabastian on the Atlantic coast. It's a huge semicircle beach with an island in the middle of the bay. Behind the beach is a huge wall on top of which is the street at the edge of the city of San Sabastian and other geological formations. Check out this short panoramic video:

While we were having lunch on the grass in front of a historic palace, 

two different sets of newlyweds came by for photo opps.

The town has St. Vincent church and the cathedral as "bookends" at either end of town.

My companions praying near the tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament present:

Pamplona

Of course, Pamplona is known for the Feast of St. Fermin, which includes the running of the bulls depicted here:

Pamplona is also the place where Ernest Hemingway lived as he wrote some of his works. This is the building where he stayed:

Finally for this post, the famous Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way, goes right through Pamplona. Pilgrims walk from the south of France all the way across northern Spain to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Graphics of shells mark the way for the pilgrims to follow. This is the first one I saw, which is on the campus of the University of Navarra, where I have my Spanish class: