Alone and in community (September)
A pilgrimage can be undertaken alone or with others. It is often a combination of both personal and communal moments. Even though we may be journeying with others, each person’s pilgrimage experience is unique. There may also be days where we do not hear or see from others on the pilgrimage, yet we are reassured in the knowledge that there are others who have and are undertaking similar journeys.
To commit to a pilgrimage requires courage, particularly in our Mercy pilgrimage where we are being asked to reflect, evaluate, act and journey as people who bring hope to our lives and to those around us. For inspiration this month we will focus on two women who displayed enormous courage by undertaking sacred travel – Mary, the Mother of Jesus and Catherine McAuley. Both embarked on their respective travels not knowing where their journey would take them, yet they relied on their faith for guidance, reassurance and hope.
This month you are invited to:
- View the reflection video – in community with all the other Mercy pilgrims, you are invited to view the video which brings to our prayerful attention moments of God speaking through the prophets and scripture. The video commences with four occasions of sacred travel, followed by a series of inspiring comments about hope as understood by Christians.
- Pray and ponder – using the reflection sheets that will be emailed to you each Friday during September. The first three that features Mary as pilgrim. In the fourth week, coinciding with Mercy Day, we will journey with Catherine McAuley and her incredible sacred travel (pilgrimage), leaving a legacy that continues through us in this present day.
Week One – Click here
Week Two – Click here
- Watch the recent Halfway Mark Zoom , where our community of pilgrims with gather and share about the pilgrimage so far – Click here
- Sing the Pilgrims’ Song
- Record your thoughts in your Journal
- Nourish your soul through the items in your backpack and bilum
- Share Your Reflections in the Pilgrims’ Place.
Sister Patricia McDermott, Sister Karen Risson and Carmel Ross.
Thank you to the following people who were involved in preparing this material for Step Four: Sisters Melita Bagnall, Nance Cale, Cheryl Camp, Silvia Campo, Lecia Coombe, Jackie Ford, Faith Jones, Tricia McDermott, Nola Morrissy, Carina Morton, Elizabeth Nicholls, Duyen Nguyen, Karen Risson, Theresia Tina; Tracey Caroll; Diana Pickett; Carmel Ross; Angela Scarafilo; Domenic Talia; Mark Thompson; Cynthia Mulholland; and, John Rochester.