Students Leave for India

On Sunday 1 December fourteen students and four teachers left Perth for five weeks in India. On Saturday night they were commissioned during a special Mass in the Trinity Chapel. This is Trinity College’s sixth Pilgrimage. The first was led by Mr Jim McGinnis in 1991. Jim now lives and works permanently in Calcutta. Others were led by Br Pat O’Doherty. This pilgrimage is being led by Br Rob Callen.

This journey is called a “Pilgrimage” and not a “trip” because it has a sacred purpose, and it reminds us that we are not tourists, but rather visitors who have come to both give and receive; to learn and to love; to enjoy and to embrace friends from another culture.

The boys have paid their own fares and will be away from family and friends for Christmas and New Year’s eve. They will learn much about others, but they will also learn so much about themselves.

These pilgrims take with them $35,000 mission money raised by the Trinity school community, and on behalf of the College the boys will make donations to seven different projects: • MITHRA– the home in Chennai for slum children with severe disabilities; • Mr Jim McGinniss’ winter blanket project for the homeless; • The Christian Brothers’ projects in

Bajpe (Mangalore), Mandal (Gujarat),

Asansol, St. Mary’s Orphanage, Dum

Dum, Calcutta, and R.I.C.E.,

Mawjrong, Shillong.

Our pilgrims will spend time working in some of these centres and learning from the Indian Christian Brothers about their ministry. They will also spend time working with the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta in Shishu Bivhan (abandoned babies), Kalighat (the dying destitute), Nabo Jibon (homeless children), Prem Dan (mentally ill) and Titigarth (people with leprosy).

The pilgrimage is an opportunity provided by the College for our students to put their faith into action and to immerse themselves in another culture and to live the ideals of Blessed Edmund Rice – “to give to the poor in handfuls”.

Brother Rob Callen Pilgrimage Leader

IINDIAPILGRIMAGE

Back: Thomas Duffy, David Slack-Smith, Michael Lush, Nathan Howe, Adam Bird, Luke Webster Middle: Michael Bastow, Garrett Bray, Daniel Brierty, Andrew Dornbierer, Ryan Blair, Michael Sims Front: Cameron Jansen, Mr B Nugent, Ms S Prior, Br R Callen, Mr PWright, Nicholas Mony De Kerloy