Pilgrims of Hope – A Pilgrimage Walk for the Year of Jubilee

To mark the year of Jubilee and aligned with our strategic commitment to provide greater connectedness with the natural world we held our first pilgrimage walk last Tuesday. The 9.6km walk has nine stops from Point Lonsdale Lighthouse through to Holy Trinity Church in Queenscliff which is a designated place of pilgrimage for the Jubilee Year. Our walk also included a stop at Santa Casa.

We were accompanied by Paul Skippen our new Liturgy, Retreat and Renewal Leader. Paul introduces himself below.

Zara from Year 7 shared this insightful reflection:

The Jubilee Pilgrimage walk from Point Lonsdale to Queenscliff was such a fun and special experience. It was about nine kilometres long, but it didn’t even feel that far because there was always something new to look at. The scenery was absolutely beautiful, the coastline was calm and sparkly and there were so many different types of plants and flowers all along the path. Everything looked so alive and colourful. One of my favourite parts was when we walked in silence for a while. At first it felt a bit awkward not talking, but then I started noticing so many little things, like the waves crashing, birds calling, and the wind brushing through the grass. We also got to pick up small but special things from the sand, like shells, rocks, seagrass, and sticks. It made me realise how simple things can still have meaning. The labyrinth was another really cool part. When I first saw it, I thought it was just a normal spiral that you walk around once, but when I actually started walking it, it was full of twists and turns that went on way longer than I expected! It reminded me that journeys can look simple at first but are often more complicated than they seem. The partner task was also pretty funny because I got paired up with my cousin by complete coincidence, even though my nanny is her second cousin and I’m still confused about how that works! It was still nice to catch up with her though. I also got to spend time with one of my friends from debating, and it was really fun getting to know her better during the walk. When we finally reached the church at the end, I felt calm and thoughtful. It made me think about everything we did during the day and how much I appreciated being part of it. Even though I didn’t exactly learn something new, I felt connected to nature, my friends and myself in a really nice way. It was such a beautiful experience and I’d definitely want to do something like it again.

From Mr Skippen:

I’m delighted to have joined the staff at Clonard College and become part of this vibrant faith community. When I saw the position advertised, knowing a bit of the school’s history, the Brigidine story and its link to Kildare Ministries, I knew that I would hopefully be a good fit for the position. (I was actually in Kildare in Ireland when I did my interview!)  As a new member of staff, I’m looking forward to getting to know the students, colleagues, and families who make Clonard such a welcoming place. I’m passionate about connecting everyday faith with everyday life in the lives of young people (and staff!) and I’m excited that in my leadership role here I’ll be able to work closely with students and staff in the prayer, liturgy and retreat space that is so central to our Catholic faith. I had the good fortune earlier in the week to go on the pilgrimage walk from Port Lonsdale to Queenscliff with a vibrant group of young women and staff. As we walked, talked, shared stories, prayed, laughed and reflected, I knew that at this time and in this place – God has called me to be. Thank you for such a warm welcome – I’m eager to be part of the Clonard journey in the years ahead.