Marcelino Oreja speaks about the Way of St James at Friday lecture series
Marcelino Oreja, FCC Board member and Chairman of Spain's Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, was chosen by FCC volunteers to participate in the Friday lecture series at the Nuestra Casa retirement home in Collado Villalba on 19 November, coinciding with the ninth anniversary of the home, an initiative made possible by the Esther Koplowitz Foundation.
Mr Oreja, a former diplomat and government minister, gave a presentation entitled "The Way of St James and Christian roots in Europe", in which he provided an overview of the cultural and spiritual aspects of the pilgrimage to Compostela, which has underpinned Europe's identity for centuries based on its Christian roots.
It was Mr Oreja's second presentation at the home in the last year; he highlighted the fact that the Way of St James is classified as a UNESCO pilgrimage route. Mr Oreja emphasized the French route of the Way of St James, from Roncesvalles to Santiago de Compostela, focusing in particular on the journey's transcendental, spiritual experience. He was speaking from experience, since he himself has walked more than 400 kilometres of the Way. According to Mr Oreja: "The Way of St James reaffirms Christian values such as self-respect, the rights of others, marriage, family, and respect for Christian spirit and religion". Then a number of attendees shared their experiences on the Way of St James.
The event culminated with a cake in celebration of the home's ninth birthday, and residents, management, guests and volunteers blew out the candles together.