header

Sunday 4th April to Wednesday 29th April 2010

The 2010 Hermitage Pilgrimage and Study Tour

Contact: Mrs Carole Wark
Phone: 02 98196622
Carole's email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Hermitage Pilgrimage & Study Tour is a 26 day Marist leadership program providing an opportunity for participants to visit the cradle of the Marist Project in France and Italy. It enables participants to explore the charism that is at the heart of Marist mission, including areas covering:

the early origins – the situation in France and Europe from which the Marist Project was born;
profiles of the early Marist founders and their followers;
Marist pedagogy: Its development and distinctive characteristics; and
Marian spirituality: Mary as the Model of True Discipleship.

The Hermitage Pilgrimage and Study Tour follows in the tradition of four previous Marist leadership study tours: Hermitage ‘99, Hermitage ‘02, Hermitage ‘05 and Hermitage ‘07.

The Hermitage Pilgrimage and Study Tour can be used to gain unit accreditation through and arrangement with Marist Brothers Sydney Province and ACU National.

The Hermitage Pilgrimage and Study Tour program can gain unit accreditation under the following Schools at ACU National:

School of Religious Education
School of Educational Leadership
School of Education
School of Theology

Studies through these Schools gain unit accreditation toward the following areas of study:

Graduate Certificate in Religious Education
Graduate Diploma in Religious Education
Master of Religious Education
Master of Arts (Theology)
Master of Education
Master of Educational Leadership
Master of Leadership & Spirituality

Assessment and Marking:

Determination of the assessment topic/area of research and the marking of assessment is undertaken by the Marist Ministries Office in conjunction with ACU National. For the Master of Religious Education, the assessment topic should be agreed upon prior to the student undertaking the program.

For detailed course information regarding Marist accredited programs please contact Mr Tony Clarke at the Marist Ministries Office.

A review of the 2007 The Hermitage Pilgrimage
and Study Tour

The 26 day Sydney Province Hermitage Pilgrimage and Study Tour provided a precious opportunity for 28 participants, 10 Marist Brothers and 18 Lay Marists, to immerse themselves in the very heart and cradle of the Marist project in France. Participants came from NSW, ACT and Queensland.
Although the pilgrimage destinations also led participants to Paris, Avignon, Nice, Monaco, Florence, Siena, Assisi and Rome, it was their experience of the French Provincial cities of Lyon and Le Puy, and the countryside and villages of The Hermitage where they encountered Champagnat and his living spirit.
The group were enriched by international speakers including Fr John Fuellenbach SVD (Professor of Theology, Pontifical Gregorian University & Beda College, Rome), Fr Craig Larkin SM (Vicar General, Marist Fathers, Rome), Br Luis Sobrado FMS (Vicar General, Marist Brothers Rome), and local presenters Br David Hall FMS (Executive Director, Marist Ministries Office, Drummoyne, NSW) and Br Neville Solomon FMS (Head of School, Ashgrove, QLD).
‘The experience of the Hermitage was an experience of the heart. In spite of having heard the Champagnat story each year since 1975, never was it more profound nor more touching than it was in this place where the institute began. To walk the tracks, visit the sacred places of Champagnats life and reflect on the origins of the story with Br Alain Delorme and Br David Hall was to understand why, some 200 years on, the story still has resonance. It was a rare privilege.’