MacKillop-Woods Way Pilgrim Passport and Credentials
I am just writing an article now for the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne’s Kairos magazine on the Aussie Camino, and I thought it might be helpful to put in one post the links to all my posts plus the photos I took along the way.
Photos of the whole trip on Dropbox
5 April 2014 Melbourne to Portland
6 April 2014 Portland to Cape Bridgewater
7 April 2014 Cape Bridgewater to Bridgewater Lakes
8 April 2014 Lake Mombeong to Nelson
9 April 2014 Nelson to Port MacDonnell
10 April 2104 Port MacDonnell to Mount Gambier
11 April 2014 – Mount Gambier to Kalangadoo
David, just a small word of appreciation for this journal of your pilgrimage. I read it the other day soon after I discovered it and late this afternoon I actually looked through every single one of the 1232 photos and videos. That was assisted by having read the text a few days before. The trouble you would have gone to to write up the story, and stop to take all the photos and videos, was appreciated by me at least. Mind you I don’t know what any of it has to do with rejuvenating Catholicism but it was an interesting sentimental journey and a bit of nostalgia even though I’ve not been to that particular part of Australia myself.
I don’t think I would say that this has anything to do with “rejuvenating Catholicism”, but I do think it has something to do with faith, and therefore I do think it may have something to do with the ‘New Evangelisation’. But the connection is not ‘in your face’ – as I wrote in my first entry this is not ‘Captain Catholic’s Pilgrimage’. It is something anyone (almost anyone) can do and benefit from in some way, physically and spiritually.
I haven’t looked beyond the main page photos yet, but I already wish I was there. Ugh.. my twelve-year-old quickly came back with “What’s the point of a pilgrimage? It doesn’t do anything!” … I need to go on one, I think, preferably a long one. Alone. I can take my wife, probably. And my 3-year-old; she’s wiser in many ways.
Actually I should take him on one. That’ll teach him.
Your twelve year old has the same idea as some of the guys at the Kalangadoo Pub: “Why are you doing this?” The sheer uselessness of the exercise is part of the point – as with any retreat. As you can see from the photos, there is a lot of ’emptiness’ out there, and being in it is awe inspiring. BTW, you CAN do it yourself, alone or with your wife and 3-yrold. We will be doing it again next Easter. It would be great to have you along.
Enjoyed reading your Blog. Great to see the momentum is growing and others are eager to walk the Camino. Luke and I devised the pilgrimage, essentially, as a way of paying homage to our first Aussie saint but also to give people like ourselves access to a meaningful pilgrimage on our shores. It is a personal odyssey that provides the individual with the opportunity to take whatever they want out of it. For me, it was an opportunity to reflect upon where I am now, in a spiritual and pragmatic sense. I found it has given me the impetus to continue to take on life’s challenges and to cherish my family. I look forward to returning to the Camino later in the year and then travelling to Spain to undertake the Camino de Santiago in 2015.
Hi, Steven. I didn’t know about your involvement in developing the Aussie Camino. It would be great to have the chance to meet sometime, which I expect we will do as we work toward the future of the MacKillop-Woods Way. Thanks for your comment and reflection.