Prayers for Denise - 25th July at Mid-Day

[sillydoll]

APPEAL FOR A FEW MOMENTS OF PRAYER FOR A MISSING PILGRIM - MID-DAY 25TH JULY (ST JAMES' FEAST DAY)
Three months ago Denise Thiem went missing while hiking the El Camino. She was last seen in Astorga. Pilgrims often lose touch with friends and family whilst on the Camino but Denise has disappeared without a trace, hasn’t used her credit cards, withdrawn money or emailed her family since then. Many people feel helpless and don’t know how to help the family who are still searching for Denise.
The St James Feast day celebrations will be held in Santiago and around the world on 25th July. Let’s pray for Denise and her family at mid-day on that day when the special pilgrim mass will be held in Santiago cathedral. Please share this appeal on Camino Forums, Saint James confraternities and our personal pages.

 

[wayfarer]

Thank you for posting this sillydoll, a really nice thing to do.

 

[krazeekuban]

We are also honoring her at our St James get together here in Phoenix. She is always in our thoughts.

 

[t2andreo]

I will be working at the pilgrim office in Santiago on that date. I will attend Mass for her then. I put it in my iCalendar so I do not forget.

Just FYI, this is St. James feast day and is a major holiday in Spain.

 

[KylieM]

In my thoughts today and 25th of July

 

[JohnCP43]

On her Fox News Network program On the Record this evening Greta Van Sustern presented a fairly long segment devoted to Denise including an interview with her brother Cedric. It was reasonably objective, not sensationalized, and with the exception of only a few minor points, factual. I am sure many many more Americans are now aware of her disappearance and its effect on her family and on all of us.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

View attachment 19670 APPEAL FOR A FEW MOMENTS OF PRAYER FOR A MISSING PILGRIM - MID-DAY 25TH JULY (ST JAMES' FEAST DAY)
Three months ago Denise Thiem went missing while hiking the El Camino. She was last seen in Astorga. Pilgrims often lose touch with friends and family whilst on the Camino but Denise has disappeared without a trace, hasn’t used her credit cards, withdrawn money or emailed her family since then. Many people feel helpless and don’t know how to help the family who are still searching for Denise.
The St James Feast day celebrations will be held in Santiago and around the world on 25th July. Let’s pray for Denise and her family at mid-day on that day when the special pilgrim mass will be held in Santiago cathedral. Please share this appeal on Camino Forums, Saint James confraternities and our personal pages.

Great to do this, I already put it on the calendar. Wish you all well, Peter.

 

[gittiharre]

I will be walking on the Via Baltica with a friend that day and will have a moment of silence for her.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

I am taking a church service next Sunday: Denise will be mentioned specifically by name.
I've also made a note of 25th.
Wherever she is, whatever she is doing, may God be with her, help her, bring her comfort and bring her peace.
Blessings to our readers - and to Denise - from England.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

I'll start my camino at that date and will think of Denise.

 

[Gailsie]

I check the forum almost every day hoping for news of Denise and always pray for her and her family. I will certainly add my name to those praying on July 25th. It is such a wonderful idea, thank you for suggesting it.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Today, I wrote separate letters to President Obama, Michele Obama, and the American ambassador in Spain. I also posted a plea on the US Embassy in Spain FB page. I will continue to push those with resources to use them to find her.

 

[tillyjones]

I just today placed a rock at Cruz de Ferro for her.

 

[maricristina]

Thank you for this wonderful suggestion. I will forward it to the CSJ here in London though they are likely to have seen it already.

 

[Saint Mike II]

I can't think about 25 July without remembering that terrible train crash, but now I have another reason to remember St James day. In this day and age of almost instant communications it's difficult to understand how someone can "just go missing" but in Denise's case it would appear there are many unanswered questions. Some one MUST know more - please speak up!!

Hi Tilly - thanks the tip about a stone at the Cruz - I will now have 3 stones to deposit. Buen Camino.

 

[Gailsie]

Since July 25th is coming up this week, I thought that I would bring this back up to attention. It was great of Sillydoll to post this thread. I also passed along her suggestion on the Buddy System Facebook page. So hopefully we will have loads of people praying for Denise and her family.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Since July 25th is coming up this week, I thought that I would bring this back up to attention. It was great of Sillydoll to post this thread. I also passed along her suggestion on the Buddy System Facebook page. So hopefully we will have loads of people praying for Denise and her family.

Hello all, today at midday I burn a candle in church and stayed there for several minutes in silence thinking about Denise and here family.
Wish everybody well, Peter.

 

[t2andreo]

As promised earlier here, on Saturday, 25 July, the Feast of Saint James (Santiago), I attended Mass at the Cathedral at Santiago on behalf of missing American pilgrim Denise Thiem of Arizona.

I also made time to do the Abrazo (hug the statue of Santiago to thank him for a safe arrival at Santiago), as well as to briefly venerate the relics of Santiago in the crypt beneath the main altar; all on Denise's behalf. In any event, I offered prayers for her, her safety, soul, and the welfare of her family.

During the Catholic Mass I also offered silent prayers for her, and for the comfort of her family during this trying and stressful time.

As a practicing and hopefully faithful Catholic, I have done this at the end of each of my three Caminos. I was pleased to follow through on my commitment to do this for Denise.

I seriously hope this helps us toward a solution to her disappearance.

 

[Miki Goldie]

Even though I am commenting on this post years later in 2018, before I joined this forum, I was hugely affected by Denises' disappearance. I was walking the CF a year later in May/ June and came across 3 girls who had walked with her on and off that year. They were honouring her the next year 2016, with a new Camino. They said her brother Cedric,was in touch every evening without fail so when he didn't hear from her he came to Santiago and walked backwards showing her picture to all pilgrims. The police also noticed some females complaining of wrong arrows directing them to a farm and them being scared & attacked by a Spanish guy.They reported these luckily in Rabanal & the police investigated around El Ganzo. The murderer is now in jail.
A lesson for this terrible tragedy is to keep in touch regularly with loved ones and report any strange incidents asap to the nearest police station. I gave out many business cards with my photo & son's number on it during my Caminos, for safety reasons. May
Denise forever be remembered in our prayers.
I thought a conclusion needed to be written.
Love

 

[Bella2017]

Thank you for your post. We walked from Astorga to Rabinal this October on our Camino and I was thinking of Denise whilst we walked. It is so sad and I felt it could have happened to any of us. We must look after our fellow pilgrims and try to make it as safe as we can

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Thank you for your post. We walked from Astorga to Rabinal this October on our Camino and I was thinking of Denise whilst we walked. It is so sad and I felt it could have happened to any of us. We must look after our fellow pilgrims and try to make it as safe as we can

Did you visit the memory tree, just outside Astorga?

Wish you wel , Peter .

 

[Robo]

We paused there in May for a moment of prayer.
I'm not sure many people realise it is there.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

We paused there in May for a moment of prayer.
I'm not sure many people realise it is there.

Hi Robo ,
There is a sign beside the road , I was there in May to lay down all the shels .
There where Pilgrims passing and the only thing they where interesting in was there smartphone.
Found that so sad.

Wish you wel , Peter.

 

[Robo]

Hi Robo ,
There is a sign beside the road , I was there in May to lay down all the shels .
There where Pilgrims passing and the only thing they where interesting in was there smartphone.
Found that so sad.

Wish you well , Peter.

Yes I noticed that. And diving into that little Chapel. To grab a Sello.......
I see it's shown on Google Maps now...

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Yes I noticed that. And diving into that little Chapel? To grab a Sello.......

Indeed .

 

[Bella2017]

No I didn't notice it. I felt there should be something in her memory but I must have walked past it

 

[Robo]

No I didn't notice it. I felt there should be something in her memory but I must have walked past it

In fairness, it would be easy to miss. I had to research where it was and look out for it.