Speaking from the heart of the Spiritan Mother House, Fr. Philip Marsh CSSp reflected on a pilgrimage that has drawn him and his companions from British Province—Frs. Hugh Davoreen CSSp and Scholastic William Sianyuka CSSp—into the very soul of Spiritan heritage. “We are in the middle of our pilgrimage of Spiritan foundations, spirituality, and hope,” he said with visible joy.
Their journey began in Saverne, the birthplace of Venerable Francis Libermann. “We were warmly welcomed by our community there,” Fr. Phil noted. As a Spiritan, it must surely be a moving experience to stand on the soil that formed one of the pillars of our Congregation. Not far from Saverne, they visited the retired Spiritans in Bloxheim. “We had the privilege of meeting some retired confreres like Pierre Hass and Jean Paul Hoch among many others.” Their stories are living reminders of lifelong fidelity to the mission.
Moreover, from there, the pilgrims arrived at the Mother House in Paris, a place rich with memory and meaning. “We celebrated Mass for the entire Congregation in the room where Libermann died.” It was a deeply prayerful moment, culled from their reports.
The pilgrimage also led them through the places associated with Claude Poullart des Places, including the very house where he died, surrounded by his growing band of seminarians. To walk through these places is to walk through the Spiritan history and to feel the Spirit breathing again.
Fr. Phil concluded with an open invitation: “I recommend this pilgrimage to all Spiritans who are able.” Such a journey, surely, is worth undertaking. It’s capable of reigniting our missionary zeal.
Happy for you brother William you visited all the places that our founder Libermann lived