Roads to Santiago - a Spiritual Companion

On Monday, the Confraternity of Saint James celebrated its 25th anniversary, with a reception at the House of Lords, hosted by Baroness Andrews, represented by Lord Clarke of Hampstead,

To mark the anniversary, the charity has published Roads to Santiago - a Spiritual Guide for Pilgrims. This beautiful Spiritual Companion for pilgrims, which comprises reflections, stunning images and scripture passages chosen by 25 members of the Confraternity. It is a small book which will fit into any rucksack and should be essential reading for anyone planning to walk one of the ancient pilgrim routes leading to Santiago de Compostella.

At the launch, John Rafferty, 'the driving force behind the book' - praised the achievements of the Confraternity who have achieved so much, with very modest resources.

Praising the book, Fr Michael Mcgreavey from Redemptorist Press said: "This book is light to carry - but it is by no means a lightweight." Fr Michael concluded with a prayer written by an early pilgrim, the Abbess of Rothamel in 1078:

O Lord whose word makes all things holy, bless we beseech you these emblems, rucksacks and staffs to be used on this pilgrimage. May all those who carry them arrive safely at the shrine of St. James the Apostle, the objective of their journey. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

In 2007 more than 100,000 people walked to Santiago and this number is increasing every year. The Confraternity . with 2,000 members publishes guides to the many pilgrim routes and provides practical help and research. It also runs a scheme for people with disabilities who need assistance.

Roads to Santiago - a Spiritual Guide for Pilgrims - Redemptorist Press Price £6.95

If you are planning go on El Camino make your starting point a visit to: www.csj.org.uk
LONDON - 23 May 2008 - 230 words