THE story of Mary MacKillop continues to attract pilgrims to Penola as followers retrace her steps through the South East.
A group of 10 walkers from across Australia arrived in Penola last week as the culmination of their 200km trek in tribute to the cherished saint.
Pilgrim Jackson Saunders from Bendigo took part in the Aussie Camino and described the experience as inspirational, teaching him the importance of appreciating the smaller aspects of life.
“I wanted to embark on the Aussie Camino because my faith is important to me and I have always been very inspired by the story of saint Mary MacKillop, ” Mr Saunders said.
“I am motivated by the way she reached out to the neglected, the poor and the vulnerable and her legacy still lives on today.”
The group followed in the footsteps of the local saint, beginning their journey in Portland, the town where Mary Mackillop began teaching, and finished in Penola, where she started her first school.
Pilgrims on the journey were aged between mid-20s and late-60s, travelling from Tasmania, Melbourne, Bendigo, Adelaide and Sydney to take part.
“We had a fantastic group and great momentum, averaging around 4km per hour,” Mr Saunders said.
“Great relationships were made and in total we were together for almost 10 days, but it seemed like we have known each other for months.”
Thankfully there were no serious injuries on the trek, however Mr Saunders said the last four days of the journey were the most challenging.
“We had two days where the temperature was around 34 degrees, so we were looking forward to an ice cream at the end of those two days,” he said.
“Following that, the weather we faced over the next few days was the polar opposite as we were walking in constant rain.”
He said the experience taught them to not only be present in the moment, but to also be thankful for the things often taken for granted in life.
“For instance, a hot shower was something I was delighted to have after being soaked in the rain all day,” Mr Saunders said.
The 26-year-old is a seminarian in Bendigo and decided to endeavour on the Camino as a break from his studies.
“I am in my third year of study and I was delighted to do the Aussie Camino as part of my break to learn more about the life of saint Mary MacKillop – she is is our Aussie saint after all,” he said.
Describing the entire experience, Mr Saunders said it was a truly special pilgrimage, where they learnt about their own relationships with God and the inspiring story of Mary MacKillop.
“I love Penola, I love the people and their is a great sense of the town being a special and sacred place,” Mr Saunders said.
