A combined pilgrimage co-ordinated by the University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) and Catholic Institute of Western Australia (CIWA) has provided participants with new opportunities to reflect on the Gospel, religious charisms, monastic heritage and their own faith journeys as leaders and teachers involved in Catholic Education.
The pilgrimage of faith and learning about Christian formation has just concluded in Ireland, after two years of careful planning.
CIWA Managing Director and UNDA Program Coordinator for Religious Education Dr John Topliss led the group with Spiritual Director Sr Catherine Warner PBVM.
They took 11 faith-filled Catholic school leaders and teachers from across Australia on the Borromeo’s Way Christian formation program for a week.
The immersion explored scripture, papal documents, Christian formation and evangelisation planning in Catholic schools. It also connected the rich heritage shared by Irish and Australian Catholic Education.
Participants travelled as part of their UNDA Master’s studies in Education or through the new Borromeo’s Way micro-credential pathway offered by UNDA and CIWA.
“It was an absolute privilege to lead such a dedicated group of students,” Dr Topliss said, noting many came from Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) schools throughout the state.
“I think the benefit of having a spiritual director like Sr Catherine Warner accompanying us on our journey made the journey even more special.”
Participants felt a renewed sense of purpose as they saw how the many charisms of founding religious orders, like the Benedictines, Mercy and Presentation Sisters, had influenced modern Catholic Education.
Those founders showed great courage and love to spread the Good News of Jesus. They did so despite the fear of grave punishment and even death under the Irish Penal Laws, which ran from the late 17th to the early 19th centuries.
The group spent four days studying formation and scripture at the beautiful Kylemore Abbey in Galway, home to a global centre of the US-based University of Notre Dame.
They then visited Catherine McAuley’s home at the Mercy International Centre in Dublin, before venturing to Cork to visit Nano Nagle Place.
Claire Kilroy, CEO of the Association of Patrons and Trustees of Catholic Schools in Ireland, also spoke to the group. She urged them to deal with the contemporary educational challenges both countries face with a positive mindset, and to be unapologetic in embracing their Catholic identity.
At each historic place, participants made a connection to their own vocations and journeys in leading a Catholic school, and to how they follow in Jesus’ footsteps today.
“Throughout the immersion, I found myself thinking about what that same daring for the Kingdom of God might look like in our own time,” one participant said.
“It became a pilgrimage of the heart,” another said. “I leave Kylemore with a full heart: grateful for the experience, grateful for the friendships, grateful for the shared journey and grateful for the opportunity to have walked this path together.”
A final visit to the monastic heritage site at Glendalough brought the immersion to a stunning conclusion. There, more than 1400 years ago, St Kevin and his monks were at the fore in educating and spreading Catholicism to the people of Ireland.
The Emeritus Archbishop BJ Hickey Scholarship gave significant assistance to the UNDA students in the program.
The Bishops of WA provided vital support, as did the Centre for Faith Enrichment and its Director, Dr Marco Ceccarelli. The Knights of the Southern Cross and CEWA provided further scholarship support.
Dr Topliss and Sr Catherine thanked their hosts at Notre Dame Kylemore, Mr Philippe Magnani and the Benedictine Sisters, and guest speakers Fr Brendan, Fr Eamonn and Br Colman.
They also thanked CEWA Executive Director Mrs Annette Morey, CEWA Director of RE Rev Mark Powell, and the CIWA Council and staff.
Their thanks extended to UNDA School of Education leaders Prof Jess Mantei and Mr Pat Hampton. Colleagues Caroline The, Sheona Kaschula, Megan Franken, Br Shane Lavery and Dr Lawrence Pang also gave invaluable support to this inaugural immersion.