I found this dialog very interesting. This year I completed my second
Camino Frances. Last year, injury compelled me to skip some significant bits. I returned this year as a matter of integrity, to walk it all, including the bits I had to skip. I have now done so, walking every last kilometer of the
Camino Frances at least once.
On both year's pilgrimages I experienced what several of you reported above concerning the apparent movitation of others. However, this year, I also had the honor to serve as a volunteer "Amigo" at the Pilgrim's Office for two weeks, after walking into Santiago at the end of May.
I can confirm the attitude on arrival of some of the people who start at Sarria in a sometimes cynical, or even fraudulent, minimal effort obtain a Compostela. In my experience, they are (and this is a very general and personal observation) among the rudest and most surly people in the sometimes long queues to request certification. They are also among the best dressed...
However, my PERSONAL view of this is different, and takes the longer, really REALLY longer view:
First, as all of us who have done this can attest, each person must do their own, private and personal Camino. NO one can tell you the right or wrong way to do it. You must make that personal and private determination from your own circumstances and spirit.
Second, many of us have learned in practice, one of
John Brierley's old saws: "Remember, that to criticize another, is to condemn yourself." I internalized that last year to mean that it was not up to me to have an opinion as to the validity of another's effort, motivation, or lack of same for doing a Camino. To do this, would simply cause unnecessary stress on ME. Someone, WAAAY above my pay grade would eventually sort that, and them, out. It is simply not worth my consideration or concern.
Third, and lastly, if any person believes that just possessing the Compostela will save their soul in the afterlife (this presumes one is a Catholic and believes...) they are only kidding themselves.
If one believes that there is an all-knowing and omniscient God, Creator, or Supreme Being, then it follows logically that this Being KNOWS who has been naughty and cheated in any way to obtain the special indulgence that the Catholic Church teaches attends to the spiritual measures surrounding the Compostela for practicing Catholics. Presumably, this includes many, if not most of the cynics who may cut corners to obtain their Compostela, as being an end in and of itself.
Conversely, being omniscient, this Being also logically KNOWS who has faithfully completed all the requirements for said indulgence. The Compostela is merely a piece of paper that serves as temporal evidence of a person having achieved at least part of the requirement for the spiritual remission of a penalty in the afterlife.
Thus, a person who contrives to obtain a Compostela falsely, and shows up at the proverbial Pearly Gates at some distant time, claiming some special privilege will be recognized and promptly escorted to the "penalty box" we Catholics call Purgatory. Like I said, someone way above my pay grade would eventually sort this...
So, in closing, I do not concern myself about what others do or do not do to obtain a Compostela. On the other hand, having worked at the Pilgrim's Office, experienced and worked in the long queues of faithful pilgrims patiently waiting outdoors in all weather to obtain their Compostela and / or Distance Certificate, I would wish that the "claim jumpers" or "pilgrim pretenders" (as I heard some refer to these folks) would just go away. That would shorten the lines appreciably for the others. But, human nature being what it is, I do not plan to hold my breathe...
Perhaps, His Holiness Pope Francis, might seem fit to increase the minimum distance on the
Camino Frances to 200 Km if by foot and 40o Km if by bicycle. My thought here is that, if something has become so easy to obtain over time, and is increasingly obtained casually, cyncically or callously, perhaps it loses some of it's value, perceived or otherwise. Maybe moving the goal posts might restore or increase credibility and value in the future.
I believe the current distance standard was established many years ago, when trail and road conditions, hiking equipment and bicycles were not as advanced as they are presently. My notion to push the goal posts back to 200 / 400 Km on the
Camino Frances moves the NEW starting point for pedestrian pilgrims to Ponferrada - if my dead reckoning skills are correct. Cyclists would have to start further back, obviously. On the bright side, Ponferrada is already situated to accommodate the influx of starting pilgrims and has rail and bus connections as good as Sarria.
Just thinking...