by ROWENA OREJANA
Parishioners of St Joseph’s in Upper Hutt powered through more than 30 kilometres of a “Hikoi of Mercy Walk” with prayers, songs and camaraderie.
Hugh Steel, one of the organisers of the event, said the idea came about during one of their discussions on what they could do to mark the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
“This was one idea we had, based loosely on the stories we had heard about pilgrimages overseas, and our desire to step out literally and figuratively in faith,” he said.
From left to right, hikoi participants Hugh Steel, Carole Hoult, Susan Lloyd, Kathleen Emmerson,
Nicholas Bennett, Geraldine Sims, Nigel and Chelsea Bennett with Mike Williams, on the steps into the chapel at St Pat’s, Silverstream.
Mr Steel said 24 people, whose ages ranged from 7 to 80, set out at 7.15am and arrived at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Wellington at 5.55pm on June 5.
“We stopped every 2 or 3km on our journey to read a Station of the Cross, using the Pope’s Stations of the Cross booklet for the Year of Mercy,” said Mr Steel.
“At each station we also sang and prayed an intention such as a prayer for the gift of mercy, an increase of faith in ourselves, our families and friends, prayer for justice, for the homeless, the hungry, for peace in our hearts and the world, for victims of crime and for the perpetrators of crime that they will receive God’s Mercy and be changed by his love.”
They also dedicated the hikoi to the conversion of the heart of the person most in need of God’s mercy and to experience his unconditional love,” said Mr Steel.
“We prayed for family friends and all who needed our prayer, and we carried them all through the door of mercy with us,” he said.
Although it took them 11 hours to complete the pilgrimage, Mr Steel said the “wonderful hospitality” they received from each of the parishes they visited gave them strength to continue.
“[It was] a true pilgrim experience with us sharing what food we had taken with those who hosted us at St Michael’s Taita, and sharing in the reciting of the stations with St Michael’s youth group, Our Lady of the Valleys, and Kathryn from St Peter and Paul’s, who hosted us for a quick drink stop during a glorious Wellington afternoon,” he said.
Mr Steel said the last 5 kilometres, as the sun was setting, were the hardest.
“The songs Were you there when they crucified The Lord? and The power of your love helped us all to finish the walk. Our final destination was a blessing in more ways than one, as a significant lifelong memory came to a finish,” he said.
The pilgrimage ended with 7pm Mass at the cathedral.
But although they will always cherish the memory, there are no plans of making it an annual event.
“We don’t plan to do it again in a hurry. Perhaps we will repeat it with other parishes actually walking their own patch as a relay,” Mr Steel said
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