On the weekend of Friday 14 to Sunday 16 March 2014 we had a reunion of 16 of the group of twenty who walked the Ignatian Camino in September 2013. We were hosted by Fr John Fitzgerald, the Parsh Priest of St Joseph’s Church, Warrnambool. We missed Peter and Chona Walden (Sydney), Fr Joe Taylor (Shepparton) and Tracy Ling (Hong Kong) who were unable to join with us.

In the evening of Friday 14th March 2014 we had a barbecue at St Joseph’s during which we shared our experiences since the Ignatian Camino. Later we watched a movie which I made of the Camino.

Vin, Helen, Amanda, Jan, Paddy and Kay at the barbecue

Watching the movie of our Ignatian Camino

Saturday 15th March 2014 

At 7.30am we had Mass followed by breakfast.  At 9.00am we had a group photo and then we were transferred by car to start our 18km walk around the rail trail and the promenade. For the entire 28 days of walking on the Ignatian Camino we had some rain for about 20 minutes on one day.  We woke on the Saturday morning to overcast skies and heavy rain.

Photo of the group outside the presbytery

We sang our Camino song.

Walking in the rain

Geraldine and Larry Naismith

Geraldine Naismith, Kay Quisenberry and Jan Fitzpatrick were joyous even though it was raining

Amanda Hickey, Stephen Delbridge, Sandra Dillon and Dani Chamberlin

We stopped for coffee along the way

The group in the pouring rain

Fr Paddy Mugavin’s sister Evelyn and her husband Ray O’Keefe prepared lunch for us.  Ray even provided cover from the rain.

Patrick Hynes, Larry Naismith and Vin Dillon

Vin Dillon, Evelyn O’Keefe and Jan Sebastian at lunch

Ray O’Keefe and Amanda Hickey

We returned from our walk at around 3.30pm and we had some free time before we assembled ay 6.00pm for a ‘Spanish Fiesta’ Dinner at St Joseph’s prepared by Shirley and Richard.

The pilgrims in the dining room at the presbytery at St Joseph’s Warrnambool

Spanish fiesta dinner