After 20 years at St. James, I’ve developed a keen sense for how we are known as a parish. I believe we have a warm and welcoming community and that we are very active in our outreach ministries. We also have a unique church architecture that requires study to fully understand. The scallop shell is our symbol, and it appears in our altar, the ambo, our baptismal font, and the shape of the building.
In time I have come to understand the significance of the scallop shell, and how the many lines all coming to the same point, represent the Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of St James. You may be aware that the Camino starts in many European cities and ends at the tomb of St James inside the Cathedral. I’ve come to realize that this parallels the journey of Christian life, with each of us starting in our own place and hopefully, we are all led to our final resting place in heaven.