Pilgrimage to St Patrick’s Colebrook

Commencing with Mass at St John’s Catholic Church in Richmond, pilgrims walk 19 kilometres before camping overnight, and then walking a further 20 kilometres before reaching St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Colebrook for the concluding Mass.

“Tasmania lends itself to pilgrimage. The Island State is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, and a rich Catholic heritage,” said Archbishop Julian.

“It is also meant to have a dimension of prayer so we will have adoration on Saturday night, as well as having a Mass at the beginning and a Mass at the end of the pilgrimage.”

Archbishop Julian said he is encouraged by the number of young people who participate each year.

“I think people find a really wonderful experience – just very simply getting out in the open air and walking through very beautiful countryside.”

Pilgrims have described the experience as a chance to get away from technology, be surrounded by others who will strengthen their faith, and as one of the best experiences of their lives.

Launceston medical student Nicole Chong, 25, says one of her highlights of the pilgrimage was the outdoor night-time Benediction, which was “wonderful” but cold.

“The thing I liked most though was just walking. I got to talk to a lot of different kinds of people, which was nice, getting to know different people. And the other thing that I really liked was just talking to God as I was walking, just reflecting on His words and spending time with Him.”

For 24-year-old Matt Hope of Richmond, the pilgrimage was a chance to continue the journey of faith he experienced at World Youth Day in Panama.

“Events like this really help me to continue my journey and grow closer in my relationship with God,” he said.

Although he says you can “never be surrounded by enough people” who will support your faith journey, taking part in the pilgrimage has taught him the importance of being self-motivated when it comes to your faith.

“You don’t need to have people surrounding you to pray and grow in your relationship [with God]. It’s something you can do by yourself, whether it be in the car on the way to work, or just before you go to bed,” Matt said.

“And so I feel as though the fact that I can sacrifice a couple of days to come and do something like this, I can easily sacrifice 20 minutes during a normal day to pray the rosary,” he said.

Rejani Johnson, a 22-year-old international student from Hobart, says that her experience was one of making friends, discovering the Church in Tasmania and receiving grace from God through the physical difficulties of the walk.

Rejani says she took her rosary beads and called on the Virgin Mary for help when continuing to walk was difficult.

“I [said]: ‘Please Virgin Mary, give me the strength to reach there!”
She had a powerful experience during Holy Communion at the final Mass at St Patrick’s Church in Colebrook – at the end of completing the 40 kilometre walk.

“After the Holy Communion when I came [back to my seat] and prayed; literally my eyes were filling with tears. I don’t know why I cried, but I felt so emotional. It was like an accomplishment in my life that I will never forget,” she said.

“This has been the best experience of my life.”

The pilgrimage, held annually in March, is open to young people aged from 18-30.

Register here for the 2021 event.

Mass is celebrated at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Colebrook.