Mount St. Mary University Makes Pilgrimage

Representatives from the Mount St. Mary University faculty and staff were "unstoppable" in their energy and enthusiasm during their annual pilgrimage to south-central France. Led by President Ann McElaney-Johnson, the 20 pilgrims learned about the history and spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph as they walked in the footsteps of the founding sisters in Le Puy. Patrick (far left), together with Centre staff member, Eluiza (far right), served as guides for the walking tours of the pilgrimage. 

President Ann McElaney-Johnson

The group arrived in Annecy, France (near Geneva) on Friday, June 22 and made their way by bus to Le Puy on Saturday where they were greeted by Centre International staff and hosted to a tour of the Cathédrale de Notre Dame, la Place du Martouret, and l'Elise du Collège. In the evening, they all came to the Centre for a meal of veal, carrots, haricots verts, Auvergne blue cheese, and ice cream. As a special after-dinner drink, they tasted the local liqueur, Verveine. 

Shannon Green, Director of the CSJ Institute

On Sunday, after Mass at a local parish, the group returned to the Centre for a talk about the Congregation's history by Shannon Green, Director of the CSJ Institute at "The Mount." 




On Monday, the group visited The Kitchen and the Living History Centre--with some free time to shop for lace, lentils, and chocolates.

They also walked a few miles of the Camino de St. Jacques de Compostelle.

The pilgrims took time to reflect on their experiences and to share how each of them applied what they had learned about the early sisters to their work and ministry at the university.

On Tuesday, the group took to the road to see key places where Mother St. John Fontbonne: Bas en Basset (her birthplace), Monistrol (her first mission), St. Didion (where she was imprisoned during the French Revolution), St. Etienne (where she gathered the Black Daughters after the Revolution), and Lyon (where she led the Congregation beginning 1808).

As a special feature to the day-long road trip, the pilgrims had a picnic lunch in Monistrol at the convent of the sisters who live there. Everyone pitched in to set-up the lunch of pork slices, saucisson, baguette, cheese, salad, chips, cookies, soda and water. The picnic was arranged through La Coquille Saint Jacques deli store, which is located on Rue de St. Jacques that leads out of Le Puy and to the Camino.

Mount Saint Mary's University is a private, independent, Catholic liberal arts college, primarily for women, in Los Angeles, California. It was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1925. The University offers graduate, undergraduate, and associate's programs. 

"40 Days" of Rain on Le Puy--without an Ark

It was a difficult spring in Le Puy this year with too much rain, many storms, and cold temperatures--including snow on May 13. Farm crops and gardens especially suffered, and the weather didn't make it easy for the pilgrims and tourists who came through the city during this prime time of the season.

L'Éveil, the local newspaper, reported last week that the lentil crop has turned a devastating yellow when it should be green. Producers are very worried about their harvests. Fodder for dairy cows was also damaged and reduced, and farmers fear that this will affect milk production. 

Gardeners were likewise devastated by the inclement weather. Aphids and weeds have arrested their vegetables' growth and development. Many potatoes and tomatoes have rotted due to mildew. The hail storm broke many young and tender plants in two.

The International Centre was affected by the bad weather as well. When guests are dependent on walking to various places in town, it is more difficult for them to get around in the rain. One night we even had a hail storm while a few sisters were out waiting to see the luminaries. Being resourceful women, however, they sheltered under a porch to wait out the storm. 

The Borne River, which runs parallel to the Centre a couple blocks away, has been roaring downstream with very muddy, churned up waters. The water is normally clear with a tranquil flow. The banks were also flooded due to the excess water from the rain.

Pedestrian bridges over the Borne River were flooded and prevented crossings.

However, the rains have produced some long, tender grass for grazing animals. One unusually sunny day while on a walk, I encountered a herd of sheep whose shepherd had fenced them in along the river. It was a literal paradise for them with the babbling sounds of the river in the background and all that delicious grass to eat.  

They were a bit shy, however, and preferred to show me their derrières as they determinedly rushed ahead down to the end of their territory. Only then was I able to take a few photos--and even that seemed to be a struggle for them. To cope with my intrusion, they just ignored me and went on munching the fresh grass. 

Students from C/SSJ Colleges Make a Pilgrimage to Le Puy

Sixteen students from the nine colleges in the Association of Colleges of the Sisters of St. Joseph (ACSSJ) visited Le Puy June 17-21 to learn more about the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph. 

The colleges represented include:

• Avila University -- Kansas City, MO
• Chestnut Hill College -- Philadelphia, PA
• The College of St. Rose -- Albany, NY
• Elms College -- Chicopee, MA
• Fontbonne University -- St. Louis, MO
• Mt. St. Mary's University -- Los Angeles, CA
• Regis College -- Weston, MA
• St. Catherine University -- St. Paul, MN
• St. Joseph College -- Brooklyn, NY

Arrival
After traveling for 20 hours from New York, some even longer, the students arrived happy and excited about what for most was their first trip to France and travel outside the USA. Students regarded this trip as the highlight of their lives.

The students were led by Sisters Kitty Hanley and Joan Lescinski together with Dan Leahy (Director of Campus Ministry and Service, St. Regis), Lori Helfrich (Director of Campus Ministry, Fontbonne University), and Martha Malinski (Executive Director, Association of Colleges of Sisters of St. Joseph). 

Sisters Kitty and Joan outside the Cathedral of Notre Dame.

Dan, Lori, and Martha on a climb to St. Michel.

Day 1
On Monday morning, after going to bed early the night before, the students had their petit déjeuner (breakfast) and left at the Centre at 9 a.m. to climb St. Michel.

The sisters then took them  on a walking tour of the city. They 
stopped for a lunch 
of lentils (a local product of Le Puy) at a local restaurant.

Later the group visited the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Some students climbed inside the statue of the Blessed Mother. 

Back at the Centre for the evening meal, they marveled that they had climbed the two mounts.

The students were really hyped for a French experience. They tried unfamiliar foods, talked with French people even though they didn't know the language, and even wore berets. C'est très chic! 


Day 2
On Tuesday morning, the group visited St. Joseph School, which is sponsored by the Institute of the Sisters of St. Joseph of France. They were very impressed with the knowledge and sophistication of middle and high school students they met who spoke to them in English.

After a lunch of crêpes in the restaurants of the Old City, the students visited the Kitchen of the first Sisters of St. Joseph (1650) with Sister Simone. They also witnessed the 350+ years of the Congregation's evolution at the Centre of Living History.

Never showing any signs of fatigue, the students walked back to the Old City at 10 p.m. to see the Luminaries of Le Puy, which are projected light shows on civic buildings. The Luminaries are played on a continuous loop every night from May through September. 

Day 3
The students went to 7 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral, which featured a send-off to pilgrims beginning their trek on the Camino de Santiago Compostella. Although The Way is 500 miles long, the students got a taste of it by following the first 8 miles of the Camino. Click on to this blog post for a full account of their experience.

They had the afternoon free and many went shopping for their last minute lace, post cards, lentils, souvenirs, and gifts.


Reflections
Every evening after dinner, the students shared their thoughts, feelings, and reflections of the day. The group leaders were both impressed and pleased with the students.

"They are really getting it," said Sister Kitty. "They are understanding what the sisters are all about."

For a more detailed report on the students' impressions of Le Puy, see Tatiania's blog. She is a journalism and religious studies major from St. Joseph College. 

The group left the Centre on Thursday morning to spend two days in Lyon where they will learn more about Mother St. John Fontbonne and visit the Motherhouse and Living History Centre. 

They will also visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Old Lyon, the Cathedral of St. Jean-Baptiste, Place Bellecour, the Ancient Palais de Justice, and the Gallo-Roman Amphitheater.

On Saturday morning they will head back to the USA satisfied with a cadre of new memories and new friends.

Students from C/SSJ Colleges Walk the Camino of St. James of Compostella

One of the highlights of the 16 ACSSJ students' trip to Le Puy was the 7 a.m. Mass for Pilgrims at the Cathedral of Notre Dame. 

The students were from the nine colleges in the Association of Colleges of the Sisters of St. Joseph (ACSSJ). They visited Le Puy June 17-21 to learn more about the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph. 

Most of the 100 people who attended were getting ready to launch their pilgrimage on the Camino de St. Jacques (a.k.a. The Way). This centuries-old pilgrimage starts from Le Puy and wends its way across the northern part of Spain to the Atlantic Ocean. People come from all over the world to make this sacred pilgrimage. Many of them walk the full 500 miles in 30-45 days while others walk some part of the Camino. The students walked the first four miles. In the above photo, they are at the Cathedral of Notre Dame posing with St. Jacques. 

After the Mass, the pilgrims were invited by the presiding bishop to gather under a statue of St. Jacques for a blessing. First, however, he asked the pilgrims where they were from. The students proudly raised their hands for the USA, and it seemed to please the bishop.

The bishop blessed all of the pilgrims as they prepared for their journey. Many of the students were greatly moved.

The bishop gave each of the pilgrims a St. Jacques de Compostelle medal as a remembrance of this important spiritual journey.

The bishop invited all the pilgrims to write their intentions for their pilgrimage on a piece of paper and put it in a box under the statue of St. Jacques.








Before they left the cathedral, Sister Kitty invited the students to bless one another.

The students began their pilgrimage by filing out of the side door of the church and downward through a stone gate that leads through the city. 
 




















  



Scallop shells have been posted  to help guide the pilgrims along The Way.

On the Rue de St. Jacques in Le Puy (just off Place du Plot), pilgrims follow the road that once led out of one of the city's seven gates when Le Puy was a walled city.












Someone a long time ago made a ceramic of St. Jacques and placed it next to the sign above.













Outside Le Puy, the students walked up a steep hill. Near its summit was a statue of St. Jacques. The students were more than willing to pose for another group shot.

The Camino de St. Jacques de Compostelle


Le Puy was one of the original routes of the Camino, however, there are several others including the following as posted on the Camino de Santiago website:

• Camino Francés (French Way)
• Camino de Finisterre & Muxia
• Camino Aragones
• Le Puy Route
• Camí de Sant Jaume
• Camino de Madrid
• Camino Ingles
• Camino Primitivo
• Camino Portugués
• Tunnel Route
• Via de la Plata
• Camino del Salvador
• Camino del Norte (Northern Way)

The pilgrimage from Le Puy to St. Jacques de Compostelle began in the 10th century in response to Muslim invasions in Jerusalem, North Africa, Spain, and France. In the 11th century, people began talking about a reconquest of Spain, which the Moors had conquered in 711. Because St. James was believed to be the evangelist of Spain, people began making pilgrimages there in his name. Thanks to the promotion of the pilgrimage by Archbishop Diego Gelmírez (1100-1140), St. Jacques de Compostelle ranked with Rome and Jerusalem among the great destinations of medieval pilgrimage. For more info about the pilgrimage see The Confraternity of St. James website.

The Camino has become very popular in recent years as more and more people seek a spiritual experience through pilgrimage. Some say this is happening because the world is in such a mess. Whatever the reason, pilgrims of all shapes, sizes, ages, nationalities, and religions are attracted to the Camino--and they all have different reasons for following it.  

To learn about people's personal stories and experiences on the Camino, see the Martin Sheen film called: The Way or click on to several YouTube documentaries.

Philadelphia Sisters Make a Pilgrimage to Le Puy

Sixteen sisters from the Chestnut Hill (Philadelphia) congregation weathered torrential rains and a hail storm during their week-long pilgrimage to Le Puy, but their enthusiasm, patience and excitement about “coming home” never deterred them--or slowed them down. 

One thing they surely discovered was that being a pilgrim isn't all that easy. Their journey started out on Wednesday, June 6 with a long plane ride from Philadelphia to Frankfort, Germany, and another to Lyon. At the Lyon airport they were greeted by a bus that pulled a trailer filled with their luggage. 

They finally arrived in Le Puy just after a rain storm. (It had been raining in Le Puy nearly every day for the past month.) They had to drag their luggage up one or two flights of stairs to their rooms because the elevator at the Centre was being repaired. Then, just as everyone was settled in their rooms, the repairman finished his work! 

The theme of the pilgrimage was to walk in the footsteps of the sister-founders. Sr. Dolores Clerico and Sr. Sheila Holly were the group leaders. 

Each morning, the sisters prayed together around a candle and received some input on the history of the founding sisters. In the afternoons they visited sacred SSJ sites in the old city and explore other interesting places.  

 

Meals begin with prayer led by one of the sisters. Then, one by one, the sisters of each table go to the buffet table to fill their plates with delicious French food.

The sisters enthusiastically signed up for kitchen clean-up. Kitchen duty entails a team of two sisters who prepare the dishes for the dishwasher while a third sister shakes out the table cloths and sweeps the dining room floor.

On one of the first evenings at the Center, a couple ace gardeners noticed the Centre's rose bushes needed trimming so they pitched in to do the work. Many thanks to Vickie and Donna with some help from Mary, Mary Elizabeth, and Bonnie to do this much-needed job.

 

During the rosebush trimming, they made some new friends.  

Some candid photos of the group.

 

During the final two days, the sisters climbed St. Michel (right). Others went up to the Notre Dame statue. Most of them went to the St. Joseph Mount--again in the rain.

On Wednesday, June 13, the sisters packed their bags and headed for Lyon to visit the Lyon Congregation's Heritage Center to learn more about Mother St. John Fontbonne. On the way, they stopped at her birthplace in Bas-en Basset and Monistrol, the town where she entered the community and later became a local superior.                 

Many sisters described their experience of Le Puy as "coming home." Their visit to the Kitchen where the founding sisters lived was especially meaningful.