“Everyone has something to learn on the Camino” is a saying as old as the pilgrimage itself.
The Camino de Santiago, also called “The Way,” includes a series of pilgrims’ paths leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Northwestern Spain, where tradition holds that the remains of the apostle are buried.
Actor and activist Martin Sheen has extended the streaming of his film “The Way,” which centers on the life significance of the Camino and complements of the stirring commencement address he gave on May 6, 2023, to the Loyola Marymount University graduating class. The film will be streamed through Father’s Day, June 17, and is available for $19.99, with one ticket per household. The showing is AirPlay and Chromecast capable. There is also a bonus virtual content: a special pre- and post-show presentation featuring Sheen, actor/director Emilio Estevez, and travel writer Rick Steves.
In the film, an American father (played by Martin Sheen) heads overseas to recover the body of his estranged son (played by Emilio Estevez) who died while traveling the “El Camino de Santiago” in Spain and decides to take the pilgrimage himself. The producers say that since its theatrical release in 2011, the film directed by Estevez has been “running a quiet marathon” garnering millions of fans across generations; widely admired by those who see the film as a rare work of art, uniquely balancing faith and doubt, sorrow and joy. And just as the Camino pilgrimage itself has been followed for a millennium to uncover deeper revelations in one’s life — “The Way” can also carry a similar impact for its audience.
And for those who are so motivated, the LMU Center for Religion and Spirituality and the Loyola Institute for Spirituality invite you to walk the historic Camino de Santiago with an LMU group. This trip, directed by Allan Figueroa Deck, S.J., will take place June 23-July 2, 2023.
Pilgrims are also fond of saying that no one can predict what you yourself will gain from your pilgrimage, but this much is certain: If you journey with an open and generous spirit, you will also receive generously.
