5. To Larrasoana - With Alfred November 2, 2011 Alfred walks across the floor with the poise of a dancer, a gymnast to his trampoline. At the end of the first day of the Camino we share the same small cubicle, along with two others, in Roncesvalles. He’s Brighton born but grew up in Scotland which he claims as his native place. He was to become my first companion on the Camino. We had just been to Mass in the monastery chapel where I participated as a member of the congregation with the other pilgrims. Before holy communion one of the celebrating priests announced that communion is only for Catholics but that others could come for a blessing. My immediate reaction was to ask myself what it must be like for a non-catholic to be told this. I got my answer from Alfred back in our cubicle where he was pacing. When I asked “how are you?” he blurted out his hurt and anger at the exclusion he had just experienced which he saw as an exercise of power on the part of the Church.
...CAMINO2SANTIAGO 2011 by Eamonn Monson sac