Carlota Valenzuela just arrived in Rome. She comes from Finisterre, Spain, a town that once represented the end of the known world. She is on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to discover God's plan for her.
While passing through Rome, she stopped for a few days to rest, visit relatives, and greet Pope Francis. The Pope appreciated her initiative and was amused by the clown nose she wore to meet him.
CARLOTA VALENZUELA
Finisterre to Jerusalem
He had a mini fit of laughter and I had another mini fit of laughter. I went to tell him a little bit about what I'm doing. I told him that I had come on foot to see him, that I had walked almost 1,900 miles to come and see him and he said, “What?!” And I told him that I am on a pilgrimage from Santiago to Jerusalem.
And then I told him that before seeing Jesus I wanted to come and say hello to Peter. And he said to me: “Very well, you have to greet the doorman.”
Carlota is recounting her journey on “Finisterre to Jerusalem,” an Instagram account where she shares what she is learning, speaks openly about her faith, and asks for help in finding someone to welcome her during her pilgrimage.
On her visit to see the Pope, Carlota gave him a small passport where she had written an important lesson she learned each month. Among other things, she learned to trust in God and to make joy her banner. That is why she asked him to bless her clown nose.
CARLOTA VALENZUELA
Finisterre to Jerusalem
So what I have asked him to do is to bless this nose so that I can continue to bring the joy of God to the families I meet along the way. So I already had it on to get the blessing and it was a very funny moment.
During her five months of walking, many people have asked Carlota the same question. If she plans to become a nun. She is amused by the question and believes that one is not a better Christian for having a specific vocation.
CARLOTA VALENZUELA
Finisterre to Jerusalem
God calls each one of us in a very personal way. God has a path for each one of us because he has created us differently. So to think that because you feel very dear to God and very close to God, you have to have a religious vocation? It seems to me that it is simplifying something much bigger and much more beautiful. So what I try to tell people is that faith is not just a priest, a nun, a monk and then normal people. We are all together and we are all Church. We cannot talk about the Church in the third person. Because the Church is the first person, the Church is us.
Carlota begins the second stage of her journey on June 7, just as she turns 30 years old. She intends to arrive in Jerusalem at Christmas. Now she will travel through countries where she does not know any language and believes it will be a “wild” experience. But she is not worried, confident that God is with her.
RM
TRANS: OG
