THE FINAL CHAPTER
Yesterday morning we left our accommodation at St Andrew’s in Kabgayi and headed to the Genocide Museum in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. The guided tour of the museum was a very sombering experience and it brought up many ‘unsettling’ feelings. It was a very tough hour and a half, learning about the background of the genocide and the events that led up to it, the horrific events that occurred during the genocide and the aftermath of what occurred. It left all of us pilgrims with many questions like how can this happen and why? It also left us in admiration of the proud Rwandan people and how they have begun working very hard to rebuild their beautiful country. Primary school enrolment has risen from 950,000 in 1994 to 1.67 million today and secondary places have increased five-fold to 200,000. The victims and the people of Rwanda, are very much in our thoughts and prayers.

The Rwandan people have been very welcoming and very happy with the fact that we chose their country as a place to visit. We left Rwanda, Brother Stratton and other hard-working Marist Brothers after being immersed in their culture for 3 days, with a great love of the people of Rwanda.

We then at 6:30pm caught a plane to Nairobi, had a brief stop there and then headed off on a 8.5 hour flight to our final destination, London. In London we are staying at St Giles Hotel, right near Oxford Street and many tourist destinations including the Thames River, Buckingham Palace and the Lords Museum.

This morning we also had our final official Pilgrimage meeting and said our final goodbyes, thankyous and prayers. Special thankyous were given to Br John McMahon, Marie Dorrington, Carol Wark, Br Tony Caddy and Mgr Peter Jeffrey for their hard work and dedication in their efforts to organise and guide us through the pilgrimage. It has been a ‘life-changingexperience’ for all of us. The Marist spirit is very much alive and well in all of us as we all go back to all parts of Australia, to love and serve God!

Looking forward to sharing our experiences with our friends and family.

God bless

Tour of Marist schools in Rwanda

Monday 16th April

Another very busy day for the pilgrims as we were up for 8am breakfast before meeting Br Straton at 9.00am where he gave us a very informative outline of the history of the Marists' presence and work in Rwanda and all that is going on at present. He also spoke of the history of Rwanda and the changes in the political situation in recent decades. It was encouraging and inspiring to hear of the Marists' plans for another new school, this time in Kigali to give access to a catholic education to a growing number of middle class families who are looking for this service.

We departed at 9.30am for a very long day of travelling and visiting a range of Marist educational institutions well out into the countryside, about two hours plus away from Kigali.

Save: Community, Teacher Training College,Novitiate, Boarding School with enrolment
of 751, all boarders, middle class, Br Augustine is Principal.
Rwabuye: Community and Technical School which is disadvantaged; many ex-soldiers.
School run by the Brothers at the request of the government; owned by the government.
Gitarama/Byimana:
Large secondary school (upper class); school owned by the Brothers ; Br Stanislaus is
Principal.
Bukemero: Large Secondary and Primary
School at Bmimama for Disadvantaged.

The highlight for most of us was Bukemero, where we were able to visit some classes ranging from about Year 4 - Year 9 in Aussie terms. The local kids were thrilled to see us and after some initial shyness really opened up and answered questions, engaged in some activities and asked many questions about where we were from and what Australia is like. Such wonderful kids, all very keen to learn and especially develop their English. We received a great welcome from so many astonsihed pedestrians who were amazed to look up and see two busloads fowhilte folk driving by in their rurual neighbourhoods.

The Brothers are truly doing an outstanding job here and their pride in the very important services they are providing for individuals, community and country was wonderful to see.I must also note they are doing this great work in what we at home would consider primitive learning environments and while they do have some modern ICT equipment and internet  it is fair to say they are under resourced.

Br Straton then organised and hosted a beautiful buffet lunch at a local restaurant, for which we were all very grateful. from there we journeyed on to a Rwandan history and culture museum where we were able to learn a great deal in a short time about Rwandan customs, culture, geography, history and politics.

Another fascinating ( but very tiring ) day on Central East Africa!

FROM KENYA INTO RWANDA

Sunday 15th April 2012

Today was out final day in Kenya and we began by farewelling the lovely Sisters of Mercy who had looked after us wonderfully during our three days at the House of Spirituality. Our first stop was a return to Marist International College for Mass with the Brothers and many members of the local Kenyan community.It was a truly memorable celebration of the Eucharist which included a new member of the Catholic community being baptised, confirmed and receiving his first Holy Communion during the Mass. The highlight was certainly the very talented local musicians as the band, comprised largely of young Marist Brothers delivered magnificent liturgical music and fantastic harmonies in their enthusiastic rendition of some traditional hymns and local Kenyan hymns. A memorable Mass indeed, during which we were formally welcomed by the celebrating priest.

After Mass we joined several Brothers for morning tea to say thank you and farewell and make a presentation. The Brothers at MIC have developed a memorial park for Br Charles Howard and the next step was to pursue funding for some seating for visitors to sit quietly, reflect or talk, especially of their memories of Br Charles who did so much for establishment of the Marists in Kenya. The Brothers were thrilled to receive a combined donation from our Pilgrimage party which would finance the first stage of their planned seating.

From there we moved to a local shopping centre for lunch and final Kenyan gift/souvenir purchases before travelling to the airport. After a long delay we finally departed for Rwanda where were were met by Br Straton. Another hour's travelling by bus took us to St Andrew centre, where a hot meal awaited and finally - bed!

Jambo and Karibu from Africa

Jambo and Karibu (Hello and Welcome…),

Today, our second day in Africa was an opportunity for us to witness the presence of the Marist Brothers in the Africa Central East province.

Brother Valentin, province leader of the African Central East, spoke to the pilgrimage group regarding the history, impact and current day challenges for the Marists within Central Africa. The presence of over one hundred Marist Brothers in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic was evident in the province leadership, teaching in schools, and the formation of young Africans.  Br. Valentin spoke of the province being young and full of hope for the future, which we as pilgrims were now a part. African province assemblies in the past eleven years have placed a focus on the continuing development between the brothers and lay people to have a presence in the lives of others and to plan for the future.

In gaining an understanding of each of the Marist venues across the province, each had provided care and support for those in the communities by being a presence. Many of the places no longer exist, have been reopened, or were newly established after the brothers had undergone atrocities and challenges due to war and civil unrest. The inhumane stories regarding the treatment towards the brothers within the Democratic Republic of Congo, as were those from Rwanda, were difficult to comprehend considering they were there to help support the communities. The room fell silent as we remembered and prayed for those Marist Brothers from our family that had passed due to the horrible choices of others during the Rwandan genocide.

Thank you Brother Valentin for the information provided regarding the Central East Africa province and the role of the Marists.

Morning tea and lunch, thanks to the wonderful hospitality of the Dimesse Sisters, was a time to reflect and informally celebrate the work of the Marist Brothers in their short time in Central East Africa.

The afternoon involved a short drive to the Marist International College (MIC) where we were greeted by the brothers. The MIC tour enabled us to appreciate the work of the brothers in creating a centre for Marist formation, and recently a university that focusses on the development of teachers. The College also has a key responsibility in providing education for the poorer students with aspirations by assisting them financially.

A highlight of the experience at MIC was the privilege to plant a tree in small groups in the Br Charles Howard Memorial Garden. The tree was our contribution to remember an inspirational Australian Marist Brother who has influenced the African people, in particular his commitment to the development of the Marist International College in Karen, Nairobi, Kenya. It was great to see the Australian and African brothers together for a photograph with the memorial garden sign. The group looks forward to reacquainting themselves with the brothers who are doing their formation training at the College at the mass tomorrow.

Following our tour of the MIC, the pilgrims participated in a safari at the Nairobi Safari Reserve. In two buses we travelled through the reserve to witness an abundant amount of wildlife including lions, buffalo, rhinoceros, zebra, giraffes, impala, kudu, crocodile and baboons. “Wow, look at the beautiful lions!” The gasps of excitement and the camera clicking end a great day in beautiful Africa.

Tomorrow we travel to Rwanda to experience the children in the Marist schools which the pilgrims are much anticipating.

The Champagnat Pilgrims wish to extend our prayers to our fellow pilgrim Br John McMahon.

Habari za usiku (Good night)

Mark and Jenny Ashmore

Jambo and Karibu to Africa!

Friday 13^th April

Jambo and Karibu to Africa!   (Hello and Welcome…)

The proposed time in Kenya was rescheduled prior to the pilgrimage beginning and upon arrival at the Fulcimino Airport in Rome the flight was further delayed. A significant time was spent at the airport eating sandwiches and viewing various shops to see in the early morning of the delayed flight on Kenyan Airways to Nairobi.

Despite fears of a Kenyan Airways flight on Friday 13^th seemed daunting for many of the pilgrims due to safety the service was well received. The views during the flight over northern Africa were spectacular of the plains, lakes and mountain ranges for those that were awake. The flight into Nairobi revealed that there had been recent rain. Tired and weary the pilgrims disembarked and were met by a friendly Br Kiko at Nairobi airport.

Travelling from the airport to the Dimesse Sisters complex in Karen revealed African life in a variety of ways. Commercialism with new structures lining the road and huge billboards advertising products in English were easily visible. People observed from their vantage points beside the road of locals driving, riding and walking, not to mention the mzungas (white people) in two buses looking back at them with interest.

A short cut due to a traffic jam provided insight into the poverty of people in Nairobi. People living in galvanized roofed houses, walking with bare feet, climbing “unsafe” wooden scaffolding on building sites, and scavenging through rubbish were just some of the images that will stay at the forefront of the pilgrims mind in time to come. The view of Kibera, Nairobi’s largest ‘slum’, was confronting both in enormity and the poverty experienced by those living in these compacted galvanized dwellings.

Upon arriving at the Dimesse sisters complex and then banking and eating in the nukkmart galleria one could be excused for being in Australia and not in Africa on pilgrimage due to the niceties that was experienced. The difference was the security measures taken upon entering the shopping centre.

Br Kiko took the pilgrims to the Nairobi City Market to experience Nairobi life. People observed, talked and mingled with the local Nairobi shop owners as they sought a bargain of wooden sculptures, paintings, clothing and jewelry. “Jambo Australian, kangaroo” rang around the aisles of the market. Papa, meaning father, was also mentioned much to Peter and Paul’s lack of amusement. The excitement afterwards in the bus to dinner confirmed that most were happy with their ‘bargains’. The view of the meat section of the market was met with reservation. The markets were challenging, confronting and intimidating for many in the group, whilst others relished the opportunity to be with the African people.

An extravagant dinner at ‘Carnivore’, the beast of a feast, was a gastronomical affair of soups, potato, spinach…in extreme moderation. The main menu consisted of MEAT, MEAT and more MEAT! Chicken, Beef, Pork, Turkey and the interesting meat of Ostrich and Crocodile were delicious as the waiters cut the meat from stakes using large butcher knives until one could eat no more. One pilgrim mentioned, “How dangerous this knife is over my shoulder whilst it is cutting the meat”. Some pilgrims even ate ox balls and ostrich meat balls, African delicacies. Tusker beer washed down the meat as stories and laughter about the day echoed across the table. Happy Birthday to Carole, who due to some quick thinking by Magdy, organized a cake and the African waiters to sing in Swahili, all to the delight of pilgrims and restaurant guests alike.  The birthday wishes were much to her surprise!

It was a challenging and exhausting day as seen by the very weary pilgrims having ‘micro sleeps’ at dinner and on the bus. Despite the exhaustion it was a wonderful and enriching experience in beautiful ‘slow paced’ Africa.

Habari za usiku (Good night)

Mark and Jenny Ashmore

Marcellin College, Bulleen

'WHEN IN ROME'

Yesterday morning we woke up to a beautiful European sunny day. Once again in groups of 4-6 we set off to discover and learn more about the history and culture of Rome. We aimed to cram as much into the morning as possible with the aim of meeting back at our accommodation at 1:45pm for a meeting.

At 3pm yesterday we had the privilege of meeting the Marist Brothers Superior General, Brother Emili Turu. Brother Emili, along with Vicar General, Brother Joe McKee and Brother Michael De Waas from the General Council, spoke to us about the missions of the Marist Brothers, the work that they do today, their vision for the future and the importance of building ‘Inclusive’ cultures throughout the world. The Brothers also stressed the importance of the role of Lay Marists in continuing the Marist charism. It was a very informative meeting and one in which we did get time to ask many questions. Having that opportunity to speak openly with the Brothers was a tremendous privilege.

Brother Michael then took us on a tour of the General House before Monsignor Peter Jeffery presided at Mass in the General Council Chapel. Monsignor Peter spoke about the interactions that occurred during Pentecost, being able to communicate with people from all walks of life and how we can relate the Pentecost messages to the work of Marists today.

This morning, were up and about early to brave the cold and overcast weather conditions as we set off to the St Peter's Basilica where we were members of the Papal audience in St Peter's square. The whole group was excited and eager to hear what Pope Benedict XVI had to say. The gospel reading was the Emmaus story and it was read in many different languages including Italian, French, English, Spanish, German, Portugese and Polish among others.

It was amazing to see the huge number of young people who flocked to the square to receive a Papal blessing. We were lucky to get great 'viewing' seats after an advanced party of 13 left our accommodation at 6:45am to line up at the gates of St Peter's Square and save the rest of the group some seats. The latter party arrived just in the nick of time as there was growing pressure from members of the public to obtain the seats. All ended well and when the group 'Marist Pilgrims from Australia' was welcomed to the Vatican, there was large and enthusiastic cheer from our group. All in all, it was an experience that none of us could forget.

Brother John and other members of the Marist family back home, you are all still very much in our thoughts and prayers.

God bless,

Tim Kelly

‘La Valla, saying goodbye to L’Hermitage and our journey to Rome’

On Easter Sunday at 9:30am, we renewed our baptismal vows in the light of the Pascal candle at a beautiful mass said by Father John Craddock and Monsignor Peter Jeffrey at L’Hermitage chapel. The mass was also attended by many of the local people which created a great sense of universal community (Catholic).There was a great sense of Easter joy as we all wished each other signs of peace.

L’Hermitage then put on a magnificent 4 course meal for lunch which included crab meat and salad as the entrée, beef steak and French fries as the main course, and of course some locally made cheese and bread for dessert with some locally grown fruit to finish the meal (if anybody got this far).

After lunch we visited La Valla, which is situated approximately 8 kilometres north of L’Hermitage and high up in the mountains. It is the place where Marcellin was first appointed as a priest and where he set up his first school. He then built the L’Hermitage because his work was gathering such momentum that he needed to build a bigger formation house. It was an amazing experience to visit the birthplace of the Marist Brothers, the place where Marcellin and the first group of Brothers first began motivating young people with their enthusiasm for teaching and spreading the good news!

The next morning we said our goodbyes to Brother Neville, Brother George, Father John and other ‘family’ members at L’Hermitage. We were welcomed with great warmth and generosity and it was quite hard to say goodbye. Living at L’Hermitage for 5 nights was an inspiring experience and one which we will never forget, having the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of Father Marcellin Champagnat.

We then set off on the next chapter of our journey to Rome. We travelled by bus to Lyon and then caught a flight to Rome. We checked into our accommodation around 2:30pm and then quickly set off in groups of 4-6 to discover what Rome had to offer, and cram as much into our afternoon as possible. The Colosseum was a major hotspot, with the Trivia Fountain and the monument of Victoria Emmanuel also being popular places to visit.

Today we again are in Rome, seeking the various sights before gathering together at 2pm to share an audience with Brother Emili and other General House members.

The group is all going well. Some members have caught the cold and are taking it easy today to try and beat the ‘sniffles’ but all in all, we are all having a wonderful time. We are beginning to get to know each other quite well and have shared many great experiences which we are all extremely grateful for. Our thoughts and prayers are once again with Brother John McMahon and also our family members back home.

God bless,

Tim Kelly

Notre Dame College, Shepparton

L'Hermitage

Paris to Lyon...let's go back a few days

4th -5th of April (the days before Le Puy)

The morning we left Paris, it was clear blue skies and brisk air (the weather has and continues to be very kind to us). From what was three jam-packed days of sight seeing and initiation of our spiritual quest, we knew we were now heading to the rock...Marcellin country!! The confusion of the metro (mastered by some) was to be completely juxtaposed against the TGV (the very, very, very fast train to Lyon...300 kph). What took us two hours ...(all in relative silence mind you)...would probably have taken Marcellin Champagnat, weeks. How technology has changed the world we live in...in the past 200 years.

We were greeted by an awaiting bus and what transpired, was a one hour trip from Lyons to L'Hermitage. In France, there has always been a constant surprise around the corner, whether that had been the Eiffel Tower, the Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral...and what was magnificent in regards to the Hermitage... it was the fact that it is a peaceful majestic building that lies in the middle of a valley at the end of a secluded, quiet, still road where a creek meanders through the middle of the property. Please look at the photos attached...words are only one way of expressing the majestic beauty which is the Hermitage...and for many of us, it was like coming home.

Our tour of the Hermitage started with Brother Neville who took us to the statue of Marcellin which in itself is not deemed with many features...very non-descript...but he asked us to stare at the statue...and we were asked to be centred in the moment...and from there we walked through to the chapel and we were introduced to Marcellin's house of prayer: the chapel built in his name. We were then lead through his story depicted in the lead light windows and we were again called to be centred in standing around the reliquee (the remains of Marcellin Champagnat).  For us as a pilgrimage group, it was the beginning of our immersion into his life, his passion and his mission. From this experience it was striking to understand that what had started 200 years ago, has grown and it remains...and it is still so relevant...and it is the heartbeat for both religious and lay Marists today.

Before dinner (which by the way is a four course meal every night: soup, entree size meal, cheese...everyone needs cholesterol checks when we get back...and fruit) we were then taken on a tour through the display which details glimpses of Marcellin's life, the Marist order, as well as the development of the building of the Hermitage. It was simple...but meaningful and informative and very much prepared us for the next part of the tour: the Chapter room and Marcellin's bedroom. The Chapter room is now adorned with alfresco paintings, symbolic in their design and message but was originally the room in which the founding Marist Brothers would meet and deliberate and plan...and this room was significant to us as a pilgrimage group but it was walking into Marcellin's bedroom (the place of his life with the Marist Brothers and death) that was especially significant and meaningful. Here was a man that had created a vision...the physical creation of this was the building of the Hermitage itself, but more importantly was that he had formed a group of young men to educate the young. We came to understand that even on his death bed, he still engendered the intellectual power and respect of the Brothers and from this they were inspired to be a driving force and to live and bear witness to his story.

The end of the day had us remembering that we had sat in silence as a group in his bedroom, in silence...through the open window we had listened to the water flow over the rocks...we had been present with Marcellin Champagnat.

Brian Fenaughty and Tracey Dorian

L’Hermitage:  April 6^th

Le Puys: It’s amazing to think that today we were at the same Cathedral that Marcellin Champagnat would have prayed at...and more specifically he would have prayed to the Black Madonna (situated in the Cathedral) for guidance and help.  The Black Madonna is a petite statue but one that holds immense importance for the Catholic faithful worldwide and also our Marist Brothers. To sit in quiet meditation, where we all had the chance to pray for our own intentions and then sing the Salve Regina, was both moving and humbling. Today, the fact that it is Good Friday, there was an inherent stillness and serenity...it fell upon the complete gathering and we were transported to another time and place...and in this Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Puys, with its majestic interior but more importantly spiritual history (miracles have been performed here), there was no wonder why.

The much revered healing stone within this Cathedral (a slate slab)...lay adjacent to the Black Madonna and here pilgrims from across the world can touch or lie on the stone and absorb its healing properties...and that is exactly what we did. Individually we lay on the healing, asking God for his healing, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual...it was a moment of immense power.

Moving to the next part of our pilgrimage, we traced the steps of many others (over 300 up a steep cliff) to the chapel of St Michael d’Aighuille. Our heart goes out to the Parish Priest who must climb these stairs daily for mass in the chapel. This chapel was like a cave perched upon a rock...sparsely lit by small  stained glass windows...primitive but still inspiring in its prayerful atmosphere.

Lunch...well, we pretty much found a little cafe/restaurant in the main square of Le Puys...salmon salads, crepes or baguettes with a glass of red, cafe au lait or beer were the choice of the epicurists’  day. On the return to the bus, some pilgrims fell prey to the numerous delights of leather handbags, jackets...and considering it is Easter...the chocolatier (as if anyone needed an excuse).

Our Good Friday ceremony this evening was one of Christianity at its simple best. With 45 of us present within the Hermitage Chapel, we venerated the cross and reflected on our own brokenness (a beautiful song reflecting this was playing during this part of the ceremony). This ceremony was jointly celebrated by our two priests, Monsignor Peter Jefferies and Father John Craddock...their masses with us have been meani ngful, simplistic and fitting for our spiritual exploration and today was no exception.

We finished our night with time of personal reflection and sharing within the revered rooms of the Marist Brothers meeting room, which adjoins Marcellin’s bedroom (the room in which he also passed away). There could not have been a better way to complete  Good Friday at the Hermitage.

There is still so much to share...stay tuned for an entry on what it was like entering the Hermitage and our day at Fouviere!! Brother John...you are still very much in our prayers!

Brian Fenaughty and Tracey Dorian

Taking off and in Paris

Firstly, every member of the 2012 Champagnat Pilgrimage group has been thinking of everyone back home; you have been in our prayers and thoughts!! The blog entry you are about to read was initially set up as a breakdown of what happened each day, but due to the fact that last night was the first time we were able to upload any information, I have decided to condense it down to a rough snapshot of what has already been a very moving and memorable experience of walking in the footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat.

The beginning of our journey, has already been one of surprises. Those initial feelings of nervous anticipation and contained excitement have quickly dissipated within our first few days here in Paris. Having visited the magnificent Saint Sulpice Basilica where Marcellin must have prayed and maybe even said mass and also having stood in the courtyard of Missions Etrangers where Marcellin stayed whilst in Paris (both resting and recuperating)...you can understand that Marcellin found some peace and contentment whilst spending time in Paris...there is a sense of escaping the world and you can get lost in the beauty that lies hidden behind so many corners. 

Here is just a snapshot of what it was like getting from Australia to Paris:

We basically all arrived in Singapore having had about a 7.5 hour flight. It was a movie marathon session with The Descendants and The Artist seeming to be the main movies of choice. Disembarking the plane, the pilgrims from across Australia finally met and what was (for example) a group of 8 from Adelaide became a group of 38 from Australia...the Marist Pilgrimage group of 2012.

The next leg of our journey was the 13.5 hour flight from Singapore to London...mega movie marathon for those that couldn’t sleep!! Huge cudos to Marie, Carole and Brother Tony (our fearless and tireless leaders) who managed to negotiate such a large group through the various airport terminals to see us connect with our flight from London to Paris (not as smooth as one would imagine...security section nearly had a couple of people miss their flight).  Needless to say, God was working with us...and the third leg of our journey saw us negotiating our way out of the baggage carousel in Paris into a ground swell of people...and yes, we did find each other and our pink bus. With a sigh of relief (and that was from many of our swollen ankles), we sat back and allowed our bus driver to driect us to our place of residence for the next few days: Hotel Magendie, Rue Corvisert, Paris.

I believe you can tell the fundamental cohesiveness of a group when they are hit with a mild sniff of adversity...we had ours when discovering that after 24+ hours in planes and airports and somewhat in need of freshening up and putting on our best visage for Paris...that our rooms were not going to be ready until 2pm. Our response to that: we dumped our bags in a few rooms and went out to greet Paris...the sun was shining, the sky was blue...not a moment was to be wasted!  

From the tourist perspective, the group has definitely made the most of every prominent site across this spectacular landscape. Each day has seen us crisscross the terrain and every morning over breakfast, the banquet of what was devoured the day before has been shared: Notre Dame, Champs Elysees, Le Louvre, Tomb of Napoleon I, Sacre Coeur, Montmartre...and who could forget...the Eiffel Tower (both by day and night, unbelievably spectacular..and it is that reality check that  you are actually in Paris...it is no longer surreal)!  And the food...well, all I can say is...creme brulee!!

It’s been more than just  site seeing though (and gaining a few blisters along the way)...it’s been about absorbing an historical perspective of Marcellin...not only where he walked and what he would have seen but also, through the sharings of Brother Neville, we have gained an awareness of what was happening in his world at the same time. Napoleon and the Revolution, the changes within the Church...Marcellin’s own vision for his order...I know we have only scratched the surface and there is so much to still discover. Paris was enchanting, mesmerising and the memories...especially shared with this groupd of people, will stay with me for my lifetime...but what is even more exciting is that the Hermitage awaits!!

Brother John McMahon...we know that you have been with us in spirit...and our prayers are with you!!

Tracey Dorian

Wednesday April 4 6.00 p.m - Messages from Paris

Have now spent 2 and 1/2 days in Paris, part of our time walking in the steps of Marcellin, while other times we are just walking between the architectural beauties of this famous city.

We have all been working hard trying to remember names of all in group. With 38 this is a bit of a challenge, especially for those of us who don’t have a good head for names. The bigger challenge will be to ensure we take the opportunity to spend some quality time with as many in the group as possible to find out their story and to learn from them within this three weeks of shared experience. John McMahon provided what appeared sound advice prior to our departure from Melbourne which was to ensure that we spent time listening. Important for our interactions within the group and for those whom we encounter on the way to ensure we develop the richness of the experience.

So in short some highlights to now:

·         The architecture, everywhere you look just another magnificent structure.

·         The Louvre. The opulence and the obvious historical wealth and excess which led to such a place is difficult to comprehend.

·         Br Neville Solomon’s sharing of his wisdom and insights into Marcellin Champagnat and bringing him to life so richly in Marcellin’s homeland.

·         St. Sulpice, Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur. What magnificent celebrations of the richness of our Catholic traditions and how Jesus Christ can inspire such creativity, craftship and care. They are breath taking.

·         Mons. Jeffrey’s leading us with humility and great insight in a wonderful shared mass this morning at the Seminary of the Foreign Missions. A place where Marcellin lived and worked in 1838 while unwell but determined to work through the politics of the day to have the work of the Brothers approved by the government. Thanks Mons. for a service we are so appreciative to be a part of and thankful you are with us.

The group is all going well. Some tired legs and a few blisters. Our thoughts and prayers are ever present for John McMahon. As after three or so days it is so difficult to describe how fortunate, privileged and blessed we feel for the gift that John has provided to us through his work in establishing and maintaining the pilgrimage.

I know others will also place posts on the blog for this part of the trip, with some photos to follow. All the best to those back home.

John Geary

Catholic College Bendigo

Up, up and away!

Nearly forty pilgrims left Australia today for the commencement of the 2012 Champagnat Pilgrimage. Pilgrims flew from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Airports and will assemble in Singapore this evening prior to their flight together to London and then on to Paris tomorrow morning.  All seem to be looking forward to sharing their experiences together and to gaining a deeper insight into the spirituality and mission of Marcellin Champagnat.  We wish them bon voyage!

John McMahon

Pilgrims leaving from Melbourne being farewelled by a few supporters

Learning about Africa

Br Rod Thomson has pointed us to this very valuable presentation about the importance of understanding context when we meet a new people.  The video takes about 18 minutes and will help us prepare for our time away, particularly our time in Africa.  The video can be viewed here: Learning about Africa

John McMahon

Pilgrimage in Africa

Carole Wark kindly offers us the following tribute to recently deceased Br Charles Howard:

'[Charles] also wrote a pastoral letter to the Brothers of Africa, entitled "Pilgrimage in Africa".  This letter must have remained close to his heart since he quoted it at length in some private memoirs.  "The title may seem strange.  But it has been a pilgrimage in a real sense, a visiting of holy places, if one defines a holy place as one where God is found, where God speaks to us - through the goodness of people, through the needs of others, through the terrible suffering of many of His sons and daughters...

How often, as I saw hundreds and thousands of young people going to school in the morning, I wondered about their future... all their dreams and hopes and aspirations... knowing that, unless there were drastic changes, many of them would be frustrated in their efforts to find employment, to use the skills they had learnt, to fulfill their dreams...

Any visitor to Africa cannot but be struck by the role of women in society.  As the bishops of Zambia mentioned recently, "they are the background of our families and the leading actors in our economy."  ...  Here, as in most countries, women constitute the majority of the active Church members, whether lay or religious.  But for a variety of reasons - lack of formation, male dominance, forms of clericalism - they are often absent from decision-making in the Church.

The question for us is:  what are we being called to do?... what does this mean for us?... or do we think it is something that concerns only the politicians and other leaders?  Are there some signs of the times for [Marists] here?" '

Carole adds:

'These thoughts of Charles and his questions echo my reflections following some other reading I was doing yesterday on the numbers and patterns of attendance of girls in Kenyan schools and how the HIV/AIDS situation has impacted on the education of post-primary school girls in particular.  Our time together in Africa will have much to say to our hearts, I'm sure, and challenge significantly the work of our hands on our return.'

Thank you Carole.

John McMahon

Visiting the Travel Doctor

Hello fellow Marist pilgrims.

I hope that you are all enjoying counting down the short time remaining until we hit the skies together heading for Champagnat country. I can't wait!

As part of our preparation we were reminded about ensuring that our vaccinations were all up to date for Africa.  I had my jabs on Monday, have the second lot booked for Monday of next week and the final series one month away.  

Not being a seasoned traveller to Asia or Africa, I was interested to find that my local doctor was not able to give me the required yellow fever vaccination and suggested that I head for my closest Travel Vaccination Centre.  The doctor there was passionate about his work, and spent quite some time explaining to me every possibility for germ and virus disaster imaginable.  Suffice to say that I'd urge you, my fellow pilgrims, to make sure that you don't leave organising the jabs until the last minute.  Apparently we'll need the vaccination certificate to enter Rwanda as much as we'll need our passports.

The doctor also issued me with this advice:

When travelling in Africa and thinking food, which is me always, cook it, boil it, peel it and don't touch the animals.  I passed on the rabies shots, at $500 a pop and with 3 in the series.  My friendly doctor assured me that my travel insurance company will be happy to pay for immediate evacuation to London should I be unlucky enough to be bitten by a bat, a monkey or a dog.  I'll be relying on all of you to remind me when we're there to avoid anything with fur and teeth!!!

No pain, no gain.  Go get your shots.  See you for our meetings in just a few weeks.

Blessings,

Carole