Written by Father Michael
My introduction to the WAY OF ST. JAMES was through a scallop shell. Hannah Greene’s book, LITTLE SAINT, begins each chapter with a small scallop. In one sense it is buried in the sandy bottom of an ocean, unperceivable except to the clam digger. I read this story of one day in the small town of Conques, France that took Greene a lifetime to write and like Greene and her husband I fell in love with this place which they returned for many years and dug deeper into the story of St. Foy, the little saint, and her tiny town. When I finished the book I sat with it in my lap and noticed for the first time the scallop. What did it mean, what was the point?
Conques is a town on the pilgrimage route El Camino de Santiago de Compostela (The way of St. James in Compostela, Galicia Spain . Pilgrims from all over Europe for a thousand years have made this walk. Along the 736 km route from Conques travelers would pass the Bay of Biscay that splashed scallop shells upon the shore. Who can resist picking up sea shells? The scallop shell became a proof of passage. Hannah Greene pick up this symbol and it lead me to learn about THE WAY. It is one the things on my life “to do” list.
It has moved higher up my list in the last few months as I have heard of the movie, THE WAY. Martin Sheen, who is a year and half older than me, made this movie with his son, Emilio Estevez. Sheen walked the route with the crew. He lived the life of a pilgrim for months.
Pilgrimages all have a different impact and meaning on the way, as numerous as the variety of scallop shells each very similar but each unique. The movie itself is varied. It is not a pilgrim’s guide or travelogue. It does not preach. It is a story of human emotion. I have read about the movie and have viewed film trailers. Trailers, of course, always pick the best sounds bites. One though is worth the price of admission. A heavy loud Irishman who grates on Sheen’s character with his constant chatter belts out irascibly after pilgrims pass by on bikes: “What! You can do this thing on a bike. Why the hell are we walking?” Another sojourner says “I like this guy.”, the Irishman. Sheen quips: “It wears off quickly.”
The road is full of jokes and jolts. Some expected emotions and many unexpected are found along the way.
I recommend it for your holiday enjoyment. Needless to say this A+ movie is being released to a limited market. You will have to travel to Three Oaks, MI, the Vickers Theatre, 6 N. Elm Street to see it. The theater is worth the trip. It will be shown 12/22, 12/23, 12/26 and 12/27 at 6 pm Michigan time. 12/29, 12/30. 12/31, 1/1, 1/2 at 9 pm and 3:45 pm on 1/1. Phone: 269-756-3522, www.vickerstheatre.com.