The Journey of one Young Marist

The phrase ‘shared Marist life’ has entered our vernacular in recent times. It names the many ways in which Marists (Brothers and Lay) are forming new and creative expressions of community, and bringing to life the Marist spirituality. In Adelaide, a group exists that stems out of the broad community of Sacred Heart College (senior and middle schools), including staff, parents, past students and the Brothers Somerton Park. Their way of bringing energy to shared Marist life has been to hold a series of events that  celebrate people and projects that are helping to bring vitality and viability to the Marist charism.

One such event was recently held when a crowd of over forty Marists came together at Sacred Heart College to hear Cassie Schumacher share her story of spending six months in El Salvador as part of a gap year in 2010. Brother Allen Sherry (Co-director of MAPS) gave a presentation that provided a social, cultural, political and ecclesiastical context to El Salvador, before interviewing Cassie about her experience.

Cassie engaged all those present with her honest and heartfelt retelling of the work she had been involved in, the people she had met along the way and the enormous impact the experience had on her at the time and continues to do so today. Cassie is keen, amongst her current study commitments, to begin a Marist Young Adult Ministry network in Adelaide. She is one of five young adults who will represent the Melbourne Province at World Youth Day celebrations and the parallel Marist world youth gatherings in August this year. We look forward to what comes from Cassie’s courage and passion, and wish her all the best with the adventures and challenges she has in front of her.