¡ VAMOS !

        Well, we’re all set to go now, to make our way to Stansted in the early morning autumn cool. Hopefully someone will have remembered what I’ve forgotten… something from the Mass kit, European adaptor, jungle formula spray, passport (probably that). It’s time for our small group to set out once again from Farm Street to walk the Catalan part of the Camino in the steps of St Ignatius of Loyola from Verdù to Manresa. And this year the funds raised go to a very important initiative: Project Bakhita, the anti-human trafficking project of the Westminster Diocese. As we walk we will be praying for the parish and the project and as a group of Jesuits and friends from Farm Street our thoughts will be very much on the Farm Street community, on friends, on supporters back home. I hope you will pray for us too and maybe follow this blog on http://farmstreetcamino.blogspot.co.uk/ and our reports on twitter. There’ll be plenty of snippets from the Ignatian Way as we pass through the villages and towns recalling Ignatius the Pilgrim’s own journey; there’ll be prayers; and hopefully some photos. But you may like to know a little more first about the Ignatian Camino and about Project Bakhita.

          Walking the Ignatian Camino is now being established as an official Apostolic Work of the Society of Jesus. As walking pilgrimages become increasingly popular many treat the Camino as an active kind of retreat, praying and discussing faith and life as they walk together. The trail runs from Basque country Loyola, the birthplace of St Ignatius, to Manresa, where Ignatius composed the Spiritual Exercises. We will start half-way at Verdù, just over the Aragon border in Catalunya, and walk 100 miles to Manresa, stopping on the way at places associated with Ignatius’ own life’s pilgrimage. On the last two days we make our way from the Monastery of the Black Madonna of Montserrat, where Ignatius laid down his sword and dedicated his life to Jesus, to Manresa. Along the way we will pray over and discuss the themes of Ignatius’ life and message.

But the fundraising focus of this year’s Camino is especially poignant. We start at the Shrine of the 17th century Jesuit St Peter Claver, known as “slave to the slaves”, who was born and baptized in the town of Verdù. Joining the Jesuits and volunteering for the foreign missions in Colombia, Peter Claver was deeply disturbed by the harsh treatment and living conditions of the African slaves. During his 40 years of ministry it is estimated that he personally catechized and baptized 300,000 slaves. But his ministry extended further than sacraments: he would follow up on them to ensure that as Christians they received their civil rights. 

        As we set off on our Camino with a Mass at St Peter Claver’s Shrine we will be praying especially for those affected by the evil of modern slavery, many of whom are under our nose not far from us here in central London, often migrants and refugees trapped in forced labour with little or no rights.
         Project Bakhita aims to help those trapped by slavery by providing refuge and professional help to those affected. The initiative has been specifically requested by Cardinal Vincent Nichols and is supported by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, the Metropolitan Police, the Home Office and religious congregations. The main focus of this is Caritas Bakhita House, a house of refuge in London where trafficked women and men can be brought to safety and given the help they need to escape the trap of the modern slave.
          Since the Farm Street appeal began, there have been many initiatives, including the 2015 Charity Ball and other dinners, auctions and collections, and this has meant that the appeal is thank God and thanks to the generosity of so many on target. We invite our blog readers to be generous in helping to keep us on target!
          However, raising funds is only part of the efforts for this initiative. By reading this blog you’re part of it and in particular we invite you to join our prayers for those affected. You might also want to visit Farm Street and pray at our Bakhita Shrine. There you will also find information about the project and the evil of human trafficking. In addition there is plenty of information online: visit: rcdow.org.uk/caritas/human-trafficking. 

To support the Bakhita Appeal, just go to www.jesuit.org.uk and follow the link to the Bakhita fundraising page.  Alternatively, if you wish to give cash or cheques (pay to ‘Farm Street Church’) please place in an envelope and mark ‘Bakhita’ and hand to any of the sacristans or parish clergy. 

          But that’s enough introduction today.  More on Sunday when we start the Ignatian trail at Verdù under the protection of St Peter Claver. 

Fr Dominic