It feels a little strange finishing the term and yet still having two weeks until we celebrate Holy Week and the feast of Easter. We will celebrate this important liturgical feast when we return on Tuesday 22 April.
As we mark the Year of Jubilee with the theme Pilgrims of Hope, we reflect on how the Lenten journey can be considered a pilgrimage towards Easter. This week I came across this reflection from Cara Callbeck sharing her experiences of being a pilgrim in Paris and how this connected to her Lenten journey. She wrote:
Pope Francis spoke of pilgrimages and how often the pilgrim reaches a sanctuary feeling tired, hungry, and thirsty, and how those physical conditions often reflect the inner condition. Thinking back to that moment we entered the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, yes, we were indeed tired, wet, and hungry (and admittedly a tad cranky) when we finally reached our destination. We found a pew amongst the sizeable crowd gathered, and I began to take it all in. I observed all of the people of so many races and ethnicities, who had all found their way to the shrine that day. Clearly, there were pilgrims here from all around the world. Then Mass began, and despite all of our diverse backgrounds and varied paths, we celebrated together. We prayed the Our Father in our own languages but still as one. My husband and I had only managed to find a pew near the back and I could not see much at all, but it was still one of the most beautiful Masses I have ever attended. We were together, we had reached our pilgrimage destination, and we were all welcome. It felt as though, in that pilgrim’s welcome, the trials of our journey were washed clean with the rain.
How like the experience of a pilgrim journeying to a shrine is the experience of Lent! While we all have our own journeys with varied adventures along the way, we are all journeying towards our Easter destination—that glorious day when we come together to celebrate our Lord’s triumph over death. We may arrive tired from the trials of our Lenten journey, hungry from our sacrifices, or frustrated about that which we have lost along the way. But, as we all arrive at our Easter destination together, we are welcomed among our fellow pilgrims, and together we are washed clean and renewed.
The full article can be found Pilgrims in Paris and a Lesson for Lent – Ignatian Spirituality
Perhaps this year you might feel the invitation to join one of the local parish celebrations of Holy Week or Easter, a time to bring our hurts, fears and disappoints and embrace the life-giving power of the risen Jesus.
Recently I attended the inaugural Kildare Ministries Oration by Professor Gillian Triggs. The oration, hosted by the Trustees of Kildare Ministries, is a way of continuing the challenge and invitation of the 10th Anniversary Conference to ‘cross new seas’ through encounter, dreaming and doing. Professor Triggs spoke of the challenges and the hope filled solutions that are being trialled by countries and organisations around the world to ensure the millions of people facing displacement are provided hospitality, justice and compassion. The inaugural oration was written about as a feature article by Melbourne Catholic. You can access the article via this link: https://melbournecatholic.org/news/first-crossing-new-seas-oration-highlights-our-shared-responsibility-to-welcome-and-protect A video recording of the oration can be accessed here: https://vimeo.com/event/4982137/e9f2fb1bf1
Next week we will be able to express these values in our local setting as we host the annual refugee holiday program. Along with staff and students from our combined Geelong Catholic Secondary Colleges and working with Cultura, we will host young people who are making their home in Geelong. Thanks to Bridget Taylor our Living Justice Leader for coordinating the event.
It has been a busy term, a great start to the year with many things underway especially in relation to actioning our new strategic plan ‘One Pace Beyond’. It is a good time for a pause, reset and rest before we embark on our next term of learning. Works are progressing well with our open space between the Oak Centre and Clonard House with façade works, stairs and the lift well underway. We are hopeful this work will be completed by the end of next term enabling us to fully reutilise this space especially during break times.
We wish everyone a safe, blessed and peace filled break and Easter time.
Blessings
Luci
