Morena,/ Good morning,
As part of my role and work with Passionist Family Groups I wanted to share with you a reflection on my recent journey on the Camino:
Paul’s Camino Journey Reflection 2025
On 1 June 2025, my son Sam and I arrived in St Jean Pied de Port in France to start our shared Camino journey. There was so much we did not know. Could we continuously walk around 25 kms per day for 32 days straight? Could we support one another whilst allowing for our differences? Could we be understood? Our thirteen-year dream after watching the film, ‘The Way’ was now a reality.
We had read books, watched ‘The Way’ again and I had seen the more recent film ‘The Way – My Way’ so, in one sense I knew it was not going to be a ‘walk in the park.’ (No pun intended.)
I wrote a daily journal of how we fared. This however is my reflection on our Camino experience. As I walked, I sort to be open, to learn, to change aspects of me, to share, and as the days rolled into weeks all this came to pass.
I learnt that months of preparation can fall short when you must get up very early every day – day after day and walk 25+ kms. There were doubts, trying moments, a pack that was too heavy, the pain of blistered feet faltering, and the realisation this would be something I could not do on my own.
I slowly had to let go – let others in; listen to them and their pain, their struggles, their past and present stories. I was a pilgrim wanting to travel with love, forgiveness, change and challenge. For me God was very much in this! I always knew I could rely on Sam as he could on me but as time marched on and we met so many fantastic people, we also started to rely on them for support, along the way. Occasionally, for me it might be physical support (those uneven, rocky downhills) but it was support through verbal encouragement, accepting the suggestion of letting my pack be transported to our daily destination, accepting advice on blister recovery, admitting it was tough going in the very hot temperatures we were walking in. In a matter of days, I quickly understood anew the value and importance of Connection with a capital C.
Many other pilgrims came in and out of our days as we walked. Some just passed by calling out, “Buen Camino.” Some walked alongside for a few hours, some a few days and nights where we might share our meals, ideas, histories, certainly stories but every one of them left us with our hearts filled with the warmth of human kindness. There’s no simpler way to say it other than people walking the Camino just bloody care about each other. I was reminded of the Emmaus story from Luke’s gospel, Chapter 24.
In the last 2-3 weeks of our pilgrimage our sense of ‘family’ became stronger than ever as the fellow pilgrims who shared our days and nights solidified. France, Hungary, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, the USA, and Germany were some of the nationalities in our ‘family.’ We forged lifelong bonds with ordinary men and women with whom we now share extraordinary memories. I really felt God in the down-to-earth interaction of our laughter, tears, getting to know and accepting each other through trust, respect and sharing so much. Similar to many discussions and experiences in the forty years I have been involved with Passionist Family Groups both in New Zealand and Australia, we were ‘living community’!
I want to thank the WhatsApp and other social media platform creators. How wonderfully easy it is to stay in touch with these dear ’new’ friends.
So, what did I learn or affirm about myself when encountering others on the road?
I believe time to ‘be’, ‘to listen’, ‘to wait, ‘to acknowledge and empathise’, to extend care and concern when possible and appropriate, to hear what is said through spoken words but also non-verbal gestures, and to allow others to help, encourage and humbly affirm me.
I believe I am a more fulfilled person because of the encounters (fleeting and close) with these amazing people. After all, the point of living life is to be for others not hold onto to what we have, but to reach out and share when and where we can. It’s an act of service in and through loving kindness.
The effect of ‘my’ Camino will be with me forever. Heartfelt and loving thanks to Clare who kept the home fires burning while I realised this ‘dream’ and to Sam who was my constant companion on the road; always checking on me, caring for me, encouraging me. He was as thoughtful, kind, generous and compassionate with me as he was with our fellow pilgrims, especially those who became our Camino ‘family.’
To say I was proud of him as my son and as a man would be an understatement.
Buen Camino
Paul Traynor July 2025
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Have a good week – God go with you,
Paul
Scripture reflection: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 3 August 2025.
Life does not consist in the abundance of one’s possessions
Draw near to your servants, O Lord, and answer their prayers with unceasing kindness, that, for those who glory in you as their Creator and guide, you may restore what you have created and keep safe what you have restored.
LECTIONARY READINGS
First reading: Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23
Responsorial psalm: Ps 89(90):3-6, 12-14, 17
Second reading: Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11
Gospel: Luke 12:13-21
Link to readings – Click here
This Sunday’s scripture asks three things of us: to make prudent use of the gifts given us; to keep our focus on the true riches that are to come rather than on the transitory wealth of this earthly life; and so, to want and to choose whatever leads to God’s life deepening in us.
The preacher of the First Reading, by exploring the vanity of earthly endeavours, calls us to remember God in all we do. The preacher of the Gospel (Jesus himself), tells of the parable of the rich man laying up treasure for himself in barns. He demonstrates the folly of accumulating wealth for wealth’s sake.
The Psalm reminds us that we ourselves are transitory and, like grass, come and go in the blink of an eye. But in the Lord, our refuge from generation to generation, do we find our true meaning. Therefore, St Paul, in the Second Reading, encourages us to put away all that is not of Christ in favour of a Christ-centred life. Then Christ will be all in all.
As Pilgrims of Hope in this Jubilee year, let’s continue to pray that we might be agents of the return of misappropriated wealth and riches, so that all might benefit from the generous bounty of God.
Formation: As stated in previous newsletter: “as part of this Jubilee Year- Paul will be offering to visit parishes and or regions to conduct a mini formation using two talks and discussion/sharing opportunities – one on ‘Belonging’ and the “On Being Church – Why community matters?”. If you or your community or region would like a presentation please let Paul know and dates that would suit you”.
Waihi-KatiKati-Paeroa August 2nd, Hamilton August 3rd, Cambridge August 4th,
Ashburton August 9th , Christchurch August 10th and New Plymouth Sept 13th for Formation
East Coast Bays 23rd September. At this stage Mt Maunganui and Whakatane now in late Sep-or Oct;
Safeguarding: “Working Together for a Safe Church”
Any complaints should be directed through the National Office of Professional Standards (NOPS) or report directly to the New Zealand Police or Oranga Tamariki.
Phone: 03 365 1993 or 0800 114 622
Email: prof.standards@nzcbc.org.nz
www.safeguarding.catholic.org.nz
Reminder: 5 Aims and Goals
- share & celebrate life & faith
- support one another (especially in need)
- reaching out to & include others
- build community/extended family
- show and give example to children
Please remember in your thoughts and prayer:
- Please remember Pauline Prendergast
- Remember Tim Bartells & family
- Please keep Linda Darbyshire and family in your prayer.
- Please remember Jocelyn Bryant, Kev and family in your prayer.
- Robyn Burns (Hil;)
- Remember Rencha who is dealing with cancer.
- Please remember Sean and Ann Mulcahy who are both battling major health issues
- Pease keep Di Buckley in your prayer
- Christine Geoghegan’s daughter Kate and extended families
- Pat Smith RIP and keep in prayer Maureen and family; Remember Pat Carson; Graeme Matthews; Adrian van de Pas and her son Robert ; Graeme and Margaret Armstrong
- Please remember Paul Davenport and his wife Jill;
- Clair and Ray Hague; Terry Nelson’s family;. Brian and Eleanor McFlynn ; Bryan Davidson; Richard and Sue Gibbs; Martin and Sally van der Wetering; Phil and Anne Drew .
- Keep in mind all those who are struggling with various aspects of mental health;; Keep people in Gaza and Israel in your prayer along with the people of the people of Ukraine: Keep in prayer the people of Sudan and Syria.
- Please pray for Dot and Neill Wilson (Invercargill)
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- Your own intentions
Humour:
- Why did the cow go to Hollywood? To be in the moo-vies.
- Did you hear about the cat that ate a lemon? Now it’s a sour puss.
- How do mice floss their teeth? With string cheese.
- What do you call a happy cowboy? A jolly rancher
- What did one wall say to the other? I’ll meet you at the corner.
- What do you call an anxious fly? A jitterbug.
- How did the piano get locked out of its car? It lost its keys.
- Why did the orchestra get struck by lightning? It had a conductor.
- Two eggs went to a party. They had a shell of a time.
- How do you make an eggroll? You push it.
- I’ve never been a fan of facial hair. But now it’s starting to grow on me