By Amanda Murthy
Veronica Kurak had seen an advertisement in a local newspaper for a tour group walking the “León to Santiago de Compostela” leg of the Camino Francés (also known as The French Way) and even watched the movie The Way, which honours the Camino de Santiago and promotes the traditional pilgrimage.
“This had made me curious about the journey of partaking in a Camino, but my greater motivation was the fact that I had lost my sister that year and I needed some time out,” Veronica explained.
The Mount Lawley parishioner – who is the Administration Officer for the Western Australian Professional Standards Office (WAPSO) and volunteers as a gardener for the Pregnancy Assistance – shared with The Record that upon signing up for her first pilgrimage with a women’s tour group, Veronica discovered that her experiences had begun even before the journey began.
“There were two other ladies coming from Perth, we decided to meet each other before our adventure began,” Veronica said.
“I was surprised to find a connection with both the ladies. One who was indirectly related to an old friend of mine, and the other had cared for my sister in her last days at the hospital – what are the odds!
There was no denying that God was already working wonders in my life even before the trip had taken place. We formed such a bond, that we still remain good friends,” she added.
Since her first Camino back in 2014, Veronica has walked three more Caminos (the Francés, the Del Norte and the Portugués with Finisterre), completing the entire route, which spanned more than 800 kilometres per pilgrimage.
“There is a tremendous sense of camaraderie and community during a Camino that is so special to me – I have made friends from countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Holland and Belgium.
“We walk together, we eat together, we suffer hills and rain together, and above all, we laugh together,” Veronica continued.
“Pilgrims look out for each other, everyone wants to know how an injured pilgrim is faring and everyone is genuinely concerned that we all make it through safely – the best part of it all is that the friends you make will remain with you.”
Besides forging strong bonds with the other pilgrims, Veronica cited that it was in the quiet moments and stunning nature, that she felt the presence of God most.
“[In all my Camino experiences] I really enjoyed setting out on my own and sometimes you are literally on your own with not another pilgrim in sight,” she expressed.
“For me, these were times for contemplation, prayer, the rosary or just mindfulness of the beauty around me.
“And when the pilgrims were walking with a companion, they did not necessarily spend their time talking about their lives back home; often the conversations were very there-and-then focused,” she went on to say.
For those contemplating whether they should walk a Camino, Veronica says: “just do it! We ‘seasoned’ pilgrims do it for many reasons”.
“The Camino is a break from the frenzy of the world, a time for contemplation and prayer, a physical and emotional challenge, a chance to see nature close-up, an opportunity to meet people from all over the world, a parade of landscapes to admire, and the freedom to eat plenty of yummy, local food and sample the local cuisines (because you’ll walk it all off the next day!).
“Furthermore, a Camino can be as short or as long as you like – you can stay in albergues (hostels) or hotels, you can carry your pack or have it couriered, you can have a fixed destination and distance each day or you can walk as far as your feet will carry you. It’s completely up to you!
“On a Camino, God takes your hand, walks with you, He listens to you and showcases the very best of people and His creations and this is what I hope everyone will be able to experience, in their own way,” Veronica concluded.