Camino Stage 2: Préparatifs and Philip Endean RIP

On By Jeremy PembertonIn Church of England

I am getting ready for the second stage of my Camino – from Chateauroux to Limoges. If all goes well, by the 19th October, I will have done over 45% of the French part of my journey. Packing is tricky in autumn, and made even more so by climate change.

I will pick up where I left off, in Chateauroux, and spend another night  with Sylvie and Daniel Flamand before setting off
I am dedicating this part of my travels to the memory of Philip Endean SJ. Philip was a good friend at university in the mid 70s. When he graduated he joined the Jesuits, and spent his life in the service of Christ through the Society. His particular expertise was in Jesuit spirituality, and, as a graduate in English literature, he had a great passion for the poetry of Gerard  Manley Hopkins.


Philip was the inspiration for my Camino. He undertook it in the 70s, and though, for various reasons, I was not able to imitate him at the time, he inspired me; an inspiration I have guarded all these years until I have been able to fulfil it.

Philip taught all around the world, latterly in Paris, and it was there he died after several years of ill-health. Characteristically, he wrote to all his friends telling us he was dying, thereby giving us the chance to tell him how much we loved and valued him, and to assure him of our prayers on his last stage of our common journey.

His funeral last week was meant to be live streamed from the Parisian church where his requiem was held. At the appointed time there was nothing happening. Despite phone calls to the church, the live stream was never turned on. At one stage there were over one hundred and twenty people from all over the world waiting to share in the requiem – Philip would have been both frustrated by the inefficiency and wryly amused by the failure. He was dearly loved and will be greatly missed, and it will be an honour to remember him and pray for him as I walk.

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