Students from Athlone's Marist College complete leadership trip to France
Transition Year Marist College Leaders travelled from Athlone to L’Hermitage, in France, recently.
This trip was part of the Marist Leadership programme which takes place each year and sees three Irish and three Scottish Marist schools come together to learn about the life of Marist Brothers' founder Marcellin Champagnat.
The students also have the opportunity to visit some of the significant heritage sites, develop leaderships skills, and connect with one another as Marist comrades.
Students experience the story and history of Marcellin Champagnat and relive the story by visiting where he grew up in La Rosey, the first school that he built in La Valla and walked in his footsteps through the valley towards L’Hermitage.
Marist Leader, John Lane reflected on his experience in L’Hermitage, saying: "If I had to describe the trip to L’Hermitage in one word, it would be ‘insightful’.
"Even though we were only in France a few days I still learned a lot, met new people who I am still friends with, and had the privilege of visiting places connected with the beginnings of the Marist Brothers.
"One of the quotes I was given on our first day was 'We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams,' by Arthur O’Shaughnessy. At first I did not really understand it, but after thinking more about it I began to see it as being about how something significant can begin with one person having an idea.
"That made me think of Marcellin Champagnat. Seeing the cross at La Rosey, with the names of countries from around the world where there is a Marist presence, showed me how far an idea from over 200 years ago has travelled.
"Another moment that stayed with me was visiting Marcellin’s room at L’Hermitage," John added.
"You could hear the river and the breeze from inside, and it made me think about how before we knew him as a saint and the founder of the Marist Brothers, he was also an ordinary human being living and working there.
"Leadership is not always one person giving instructions and the leadership activities helped me understand that. Sometimes it means being willing to speak up yourself, but it also means listening, communicating and trusting other people and knowing when to follow.
"I think the trip will help us carry our role as Marist Leaders with a better understanding of what it actually represents. It is easier to represent something when you understand where it came from.
"More than anything, I am very grateful that we were given the opportunity to make this pilgrimage and experience it together as Marist Leaders.
"I came home feeling that despite everything we had learned, there was still so much more to understand and appreciate. I would definitely love the opportunity to return to L’Hermitage again in the future," John concluded.