And they’re off!

Par Debra Violette, Thursday, March 20 2008 à 11:06 :: General :: #2 :: rss

For the first leg at least, a send-off before THE send-off. On Holy Wednesday, in the latest of the wave of snowstorms that has marked this exceptional winter, the team of the Ark of the New Covenant has left Quebec City for Midland, ON. The Martyrs’ Shrine in Midland will be witness, on Easter Sunday, to the departure of the final walking pilgrimage via five national shrines.

We have been preparing this pilgrimage for months now. Recruiting the Portageurs (pilgrims), outlining the itinerary, finalising it with host dioceses and parishes, communicating with cities and police services, finding a vehicle and drivers, training in first aid, establishing a communications plan, preparing spiritual direction, filling suitcases (with warm coats and good socks!)… and so many more details.

After months of hard work, the team leaving from Quebec City is full of enthusiasm. This core group numbers six: Jerry, coordinator; Annie-Claude, assistant-coordinator; Fr. Frédéric, spiritual director; Mathieu, cameraman and reporter for ecdq.tv; Charles and Dominique. They will meet up with other Portageurs in Midland… and with the Ark of the New Covenant wrapping up its time in Toronto.

The Ark itself has been preparing for this pilgrimage for two years now. It has visited some sixty Canadian dioceses, stopping in churches, schools and religious congregations. It has gathered the faithful around the Eucharist and prepared countless hearts for the International Eucharistic Congress 2008. And that remains its objectives during this final journey over 64 days and 1600 km (of which 1000 on foot).



We invite you to follow the Ark of the New Covenant and the Portageurs on their pilgrimage. This blog will be written by the Portageurs themselves, starting Sunday March 23, when they hit the road following their preparatory retreat which starts tomorrow. Come read their eyewitness accounts, see photos and videos, and pray with them!

Today, we invite you to watch the newly released video

    > Interview with Sarah McDonald

    > Interview with Jerry Grzadka (the responsible for the pilgrimage)

Have a safe journey… and a blessed Easter Triduum!

Debra Violette
Witness to the journey of the Ark of the New Covenant

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Comments

1. On Tuesday 25 March 2008 à 15:56, by michelle

It is quiet in my house, now. My children are in school. I can finally share with all of you how much it means to me to be a portageur for the Ark of the New Covenant. Much like the portageur, who shared with us at Manresa Jesuit Centre that this was a realization of a dream for him, I share this feeling. Thank you to the clergy and the retreat participants at Manresa. Your reception was warm and filled with encouragement. The Easter Vigil was so beautiful. I pray that our non-Catholic Christian friends seek the fullness of our faith some day. After thanking awesome Andrew and friends at Greyhound, we got underway. My family was so thrilled to visit Martyrs Shrine again. My children loved walking (and singing with Fr. Mark!) as we travelled from Midland to Victoria Harbour. They felt excited and honoured to hold the handles of the Ark, just like the potageurs. My thanks to Fr. Frederic for encouraging me to take a turn. My husband, Dan, said our walk with you made this Easter very special. I will treasure in my heart, the blessing from Bishops Fornier and Hundt, the readers, the wonderful singing, and Fr. Liborio's Litany of the Saints. Thank you to Fr. Kirsten for the extra special effort he took to open up the Martyrs Shrine so early. I will never forget how special it felt to pray to the Lord with the circle of portageurs around the relics of the Martyrs. It really felt like the saints were praying with us! Many thanks to all of the people from St. Margaret's and outlying areas who joined us, or waved from their cars and windows of their homes, as we passed. As promised, I will keep you all in my prayers - especially those who expressed concerns about family members who have fallen away and their deepest hopes for renewal in Catholic communities who are struggling at this time. Bishop Fornier's special "laying on of hands" blessing made me feel so full of the Holy Spirit, that I prayed the whole congress prayer in French, this morning! Hopefully, I will have the prayer memorized by the time I meet up with the portageur team in Trois-Rivieres. I will wear my cross and portageur jacket to the Eucharistic Adoration at my parish ,tonight, to remind people to pray for us and to promote the pilgrimage.
God Bless
- Michelle Sullivan, portageur