Alan, Many viewers of this site will be able to advise you as well as I, but since you have no replies yet I thought I would 'chip in my pennyworth'. No you do not need a letter of intent from a priest, Catholic or otherwise. What you do need is a Pilgrim Passport/Record called a CREDENCIA, this proves to the hostels down the route your bonafides as a pilgrim - as opposed to a tourist looking for cheap accommodation. Further the 'passport' is stamped by each hostel proving your slow but steady progress down the route. These passports are obtainable, by memebers, from national pilgrim organisations like the 'Confraternity of St James' which serves Briitish (and other pilgrims) so well. As I say a pilgrim passport is supplied very speedily by the 'CSJ' for free to members whenever they want one. I also understand that 'passports' are fairly readily obtained at the Pilgrim Office in St Jean and at Cathedrals along the route - though I have no personal experience of these latter two. On arival in Santiago a pilgrim can go to the Pilgrim Office and there on production of the passport - with all its stamps proving you have walked at least the last 100 kilometres - receive a certificate, called a COMPOSTELA proving you have undertaken and completed the pilgrimage. For those undertaking the pilgrimage but without religious/spiritual intent another form of certification is available. Hope that clarifies the matter. Pilgrim