Calendar of exciting activities

With only four days to go before we leave for Jerusalem, A calendar of events and excursions we will be going on has just been put up on the website of the place we will be staying - you can see what we will be doing day by day at the link below.

All I need to do now is finish off the last few things for school, then pack my bags. It is a busy yet exciting time!

Calendar | Center for Biblical Formation – Notre-Dame de Sion

biblicalformation.org

Preparing for the Journey

I can't quite believe that this time next week I will be on a plane on my way to Jerusalem! I have lots of things to do before I leave. In the midst of all the preparations (finishing off work tasks, packing etc) I have been reading up on some of the sites we will be visiting.
I am also conscious that the preparations for a pilgrimage go beyond what I need to read about or pack in my suitcase - there is a preparation of the mind and heart for all that a trip to the Holy Land has to offer my spiritual being. This week will be busy in so many ways, but I also hope to find time to stop, reflect and prepare my heart for this amazing journey to the birthplace of Jesus.

Sharing the Journey

Over the last couple of days I have been visiting different classes at St. Aloysius Catholic College to tell them about my upcoming pilgrimage.
From the Preps and grade 1s and grade 4s to the grade 7s, the students have been excited to learn about some of the places we will be visiting on our journey and have certainly had some interesting questions! Many of these classes have now bookmarked this blog so they can follow my journey while I am away.
I hope many more classes in Catholic schools across Tasmania will also follow this blog so everyone can share in this amazing experience!

We are all Pilgrims on a Journey

With only two weeks to go till we leave for our pilgrimage, today some of the Hobart pilgrims gathered together and received a special blessing for our journey.  (The northern pilgrims will also be coming together in Launceston prior to our departure.)

We were reminded that every single one of us is on a pilgrimage with our final destination being not the Holy City of Jerusalem, or even returning home safely, but the ultimate destination of each of us is  to be with God.

This is the Blessing for Pilgrims we received today:

"All-powerful God, you always show mercy toward those who love you and you are never far away for those who seek you. Remain with your servants on this holy pilgrimage and guide their way in accord with your will. Shelter them with your protection by day, give them the light of your grace by night, and, as their companion on the journey, bring them to their destination in safety."

Welcome to my blog!

Welcome to my Journey to Jerusalem blog.

Three weeks today I will be arriving in Jerusalem for a one month pilgrimage and study tour.

Over the four weeks, I will be posting reflections and images from my time in the Holy Land.

Be sure to check out my Facebook page too!