- by Sheila Dabu and John Humphries -

One thing that Christ asks each one of us to do is to come and follow Him. This past summer, the Newman Centre did just that as we pursued Jesus on three community pilgrimages. Each pilgrimage had its own unique setting and spiritual vibrancy.

The pilgrims were eager, brave and adventurous Newmanites, members of the St. Thomas Aquinas parish community, who came from a variety of ages, professions and cultural backgrounds, each with their own set of spiritual goals and expectations. Even with the uniqueness of each pilgrim's spiritual and life journey, our common bond was our Catholic faith.

Pilgrimage is a longstanding Christian tradition where, for centuries, pilgrims have journeyed "to venerate places sanctified by the life of Christ, by the lives of saints especially the martyrs - or by miracles," writes one American priest, Fr. John Hardenbrook.

Pilgrimage is a journey of the mind, body and soul where one's spiritual gaze is turned towards God, or to seeking God. It is also a journey that one does not take alone. God is always with us, even when we happen to stray from our path. Sometimes when things don't go our way, God reminds us that life is not necessarily about efficiency and taking the "right" road all the time. We begin to learn to trust in and surrender to God's will - to allow God to work in and through our lives and the lives of others whom God places in our path.

Throughout the course of the pilgrimages, we came to a greater understanding of God in our lives and in our community.

There are those at the Newman Centre who haven't made the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the original birthplace of Christianity, yet. This summer, Fr. Pat and the Newman Centre gave the Newman community an opportunity to journey to some of the sites where God has chosen to reveal Himself in Canada.

The first retreat was a journey to Penetanguishene, a two-day retreat at Fr. Steve's cottage and the Hogan cabin. It offered an escape from the busyness of the city and our everyday lives. The retreat also provided an opportunity for personal reflection on our faith with fellow parishioners and to develop friendships in the community. Despite the gas leak in the afternoon that summoned the local firefighters (and was no doubt the talk of the town that day), and the "lightning show" and thunderstorm in the evening, many felt a sense of peacefulness during the retreat. The visit to the Martyr's Shrine and Sainte-Marie-Among-the-Hurons in Midland, Ontario, highlighted a historic point in our Catholic faith in Canada. At the Martyr's Shrine, Canada's multicultural diversity was demonstrated by the shrines donated by various cultural groups such as the Ukraininan, Filipino, and Italian Catholics.

The second retreat was a day trip where about a dozen Newmanites enjoyed God's splendour amidst the beauty of the awe-inspiring Niagara Falls. The day started with Mass at Mount Carmel Spiritual Retreat Centre which is situated on a hill overlooking the Falls and is a site of pilgrimage for thousands of people each year.

There were also eye-opening visits to the Eastern Catholic Chapel at Mount Carmel and the Meditation Labyrinth. Marlon Matteo, a Carmelite novice and former Student Campus Minister, helped to arrange the tour of the Retreat Centre. The pilgrims then took in the sights and sounds of Niagara-on-the-Lake before heading home.

The final summer retreat was a pilgrimage in the truest sense. One might even say it was a voyage into the darkness that was the Chinese buffet. (Explanation to follow later.)

Quebec was a pilgrimage that was truly what one would expect a pilgrimage to be. Sixteen adventurous souls piled into two vans and in three days, journeyed over 2,000 kilometres, sometimes knowing where they were going, sometimes not.

The first stop was in Marmora at the farm of Troy Thompson's (former Student Campus Minister) grandmother. It is a local site of the Virgin Mary's apparition and of miraculous healings. We prayed the Stations of the Cross in the 120 acre Greensides farm that has now been donated to a religious order.

There was a quick detour at the Marmora mine where we witnessed a breathtaking view of the former quarry, filled with turquoise blue water.

Then, it was off to Cap-de-la-Madeleine in Trois-Rivieres, nestled on the shores of the St. Lawrence River and midway between Montreal and Toronto. It is one of 16 shrines of pilgrimage in Quebec along the St. Lawrence River, seven of which are dedicated to Mary. Our Lady of the Cape is the first Marian Shrine in Canada, a site of pilgrimage for millions, including Pope John Paul II.

During the journey, we prayed the Rosary, sang, joked and played trivia games to pass the hours away.

Our fearless leader, "Smokey Bear", aka John Humphries, led the way with his co-pilot Mary "Yellow Canary" Perotta while Paul "Red Bull" Kiss and his brother and co-pilot and navigator, Vitus, followed patiently behind in the other van.

We arrived at the Cap-de-la-Madeleine shrine just in time for the candlelight procession around Mary's shrine and the lake. It was one of the spiritual highlights of the day where we, from the Newman community who were nine hours from home, prayed the Rosary with people from all over North America.

Dr. Tina Avolio, one of the Newman pilgrims and a cancer researcher, was also impacted by the experience:

"It was late in the evening and our candles lit up our path around the lake. We proceeded around the lake in prayer and song, pausing to offer
intentions for those in need. It was in those moments that I experienced
something beautiful and remarkable. We, as pilgrams, had traveled
here together to find a place of peace, tranquility and beauty. And I knew
that as we continued on our journey together we would share more of these
moments that would contribute to our spiritual growth."

The next day, we headed for Sainte Anne de Beaupre and toured the Shrine dedicated to Mary's mother. One group prayed the Stations of the Cross. Another went to the Santa Scala which was a replica of the holy steps in Rome that represent the stairs that Christ ascended to during his trial with Pontius Pilate.

A stop over in Quebec city allowed us to get a taste of French Canadian culture, and the vibrancy of old Quebec and its many churches on a beautiful sunny day.

Afterwards, we had dinner at the Chinese buffet where we chose to take the scenic route in Trois Rivieres.

Pilgrimage is a way to seek Jesus. This lesson truly hit home when we realized how much God was there with us, even when we questioned where God was when we lost our way. In spite of the darkness that enveloped the roads that evening and the absence of road signs, we eventually found our way home.

The next morning, we attended Sunday Mass at the "Small Shrine" at Cap-de-la-Madeleine, built in 1720, which is the oldest church in Canada. We then ventured to St. Joseph's Oratory and learned about the story of Brother Andre who came from humble beginnings to build this magnificent church that has a spectacular view of Montreal.

This was our final pilgrimage visit. We drove back to Toronto and arrived right on schedule at 8:31pm as our itinerary had predicted with remarkable accuracy.

From meditating upon Christ's life, Passion, death and Resurrection through our visits to the various shrines, and praying the Stations of the Cross and the Rosary, one of the invaluable lessons we learned was that following Christ means taking up our own cross. And that following Him means going not only to Gethsemane and Calvary at the foot of the cross but also following Jesus out of his tomb after His resurrection and on the road to Emmaus with His disciples.

At times, it is necessary for a Christian to truly appreciate the strength that is Christ. One has to experience difficulties, challenges and obstacles. It is through challenges that you grow closer to those with whom you journey.

There were many spiritual insights gained on the various summer pilgrimages. One of the important lessons that many can take to heart is that it is not only about the destination that matters but also about the journey that took us there.

Though the summer is coming to an end and the memories of the retreat might begin to fade, the new relationships that have been forged and were sparked by the journeys are just beginning.

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