The Pilgrimage: L'Arche International Family Day

On pilgrimage day, we awoke to clouds and a sense that rain was on its way.  Regardless, you could feel the excitement and anticipation all around.  This was the day we had been dreaming of and planning for now for months.  After sharing a warm and delicious breakfast together, we left the house at about 8:20.  We got dropped off at the chosen meeting spot, which was approximately 2.5 km from the Sanctuary of Schoenstatt, where we would celebrate liturgy together and share a meal after the pilgrimage.  During the majority of the morning, it did indeed rain...and yet the rain and clouds would not dampen our spirits.  We marched on, cheering and celebrating L'Arche in Mexico and around the world.

There were 60-80 of us walking together: daily life members, family members, friends, board members, members from the L'Arche community in Mexico City, our PACOS friends...and more. We sang and chanted together the entire way.  Viva El Arca!  Throughout the day, I was aware of our friends in L'Arche around the world having their own unique celebrations- honoring 50 years of L'Arche.  I was holding them in my thoughts and prayers...and I know they were holding us in theirs.

“We mark a time of Jubilee in order to be strengthened for the journey ahead.  We are a pilgrim people, sharing a journey.  We have a sense of our destination and we are not sure of what lies ahead.  We need each other, not simply in a collective sense but we need each member to contribute her or his gift.  The actions of remembering, of reconciliation, of renewing relationships, of celebrating and giving thanks, enable us to become more aware of our identity and then with renewed hope and energy we can go forward in 
living our mission.”

Eileen Glass, Vice-International Leader of L'Arche