You have walked the Camino de Santiago and enjoyed staying at donativo albergues. They were usually located in "quaint - older" places but you enjoyed the convivial atmosphere among pilgrims that made you feel mentally refreshed in the morning when you left.
Did you know that much of the positive energy generated in these albergues comes from well trained volunteers called Hospitaleros who offer their services free of charge and live at the albergue for 15 days? Hospitaleros serve pilgrims in a spirit that has endured since the X century, and they become part of the local community during their stay.
There are training sessions being offered across Canada this year. If you are interested in returning to Spain as a hospitalero and would like to take the training, please know that (a) hospitaleros are needed (b) you would be expected to serve within 12 months of taking the training.
The Calgary Chapter of the Company of Pilgrims will offer a hospitalero training session this year (2023) on November 18 and 19 If there is interest. Participants will be limited to 15 people.
Contact Monique Rigole, Calgary Hospitalero training coordinator if you are interested in taking the course.
The Victoria Chapter will offer training on the weekend of September 1-3. Please contact Mary Virtue if you are interested and she will send you an application form.
The Sasktooon Chapter will be hosting a training session, led by Tom Friesen on the weekend of August 18-20. Again, please contact him directly for an application form.
Tom is also presenting training sessions in London next weekend, June 23-25 and in Ottawa sometime in January/February 2024.
Please check out the pages on the right to see more about the training and to also see where our Canadians are serving this year.
