Testimonial — The Rev. John Beddingfield
A fire was rekindled there…
…and it keeps burning even more brightly. I hope you will join me and others in trying to ensure the future of a place of welcome in Santiago de Compostela.
Video transcript:
For some years it has felt like St. James was almost tugging on my sleeve to come and follow. From at least my seminary years, I’ve read of saints and holy people who have followed in the say of St. James and made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. A friend and colleague’s mother made a pilgrimage and talked about it in our church. From that point on I thought, “I want to do this.” Now for the past seven years I’ve served the Church of the Holy Trinity as rector on Manhattans’ Upper East Side. Our church was initially a mission of St. James Episcopal Church. In our church architecture there are actually scallop shells to remind us of our heritage in St. James.
Finally, in June of 2022 I made my first Camino and did a shorter Camino Frances, about 115 km. But I hope and pray that I can do more in the future. I also hope and pray, and am doing everything I can to encourage the vision, that when I finish in Santiago de Compostela in years to come, I can rest and relax and reconnect with others at the Anglican Pilgrim Centre in Santiago de Compostela.
Already, there is an Anglican Eucharist available for those who make their way to that holy city. We can connect from there and continue connecting when we get back to our home places. But we need to raise money and interest and enthusiasm to be able kamagra jelly to purchase property and have a proper center of welcome, of program, of refuge, of evangelism, of spreading the Good News of Christ on the Way of St. James and beyond.
So many people say that real Camino begins at Santiago de Compostela, and I believe that’s the case. For me anyway, a fire was rekindled there, and it keeps burning even more brightly. I hope you will join me and others in trying to ensure the future of a place of welcome in Santiago de Compostela.