We have a tradition here at the Newman Centre. After our post-Easter Vigil Paschal banquet, those who wish to stay at the Centre all night and read one of the Gospels straight through up until Jesus' death. Then they wait until just before sunrise and climb to the top of Mont Royal. As the sun rises over Montréal, they proclaim the Gospel of the Resurrection. So, when Mission Jeunesse asked the Newman Centre to participate in the Marche des Rameaux, the answer was an easy yes. Even if our role in the celebration didn’t involve us starting at the top of the mountain, there was still something appropriate about the beginning and ending of Holy Week being connected to the place where, three hundred and eighty-one years ago, Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve set Montréal apart as the City of Mary. I will admit, however, that I was a bit nervous as well. Holy week is a strange time for a university chaplaincy. It’s undoubtedly one of the most solemn times of the liturgical year, but depending on the date of Easter, it must compete with midterms, final projects, or exams. I was worried that we wouldn`t get enough student volunteers. However, I was happily wrong. As always the Lord provided.

At the Newman Centre, our experience really began on the vigil of the Vigil. We gathered in our main hall to begin to split the palms that Dcn Jean Job had brought us earlier that day. The exercise of Palm splitting soon became a bonding experience for the students. They shared about courses they were in, the books they were reading, and future plans. Some theological topics were also broached including the Ecumenical movement, particularly Taizé, religious life, the Eastern Catholic Churches, and, to my great delight, the theological and economic works of the person I consider to be Quebec, if not Canada’s, greatest theologian, Fr. Bernard Lonergan, SJ. The good conversation and good company made the time pass easily.  

The next day was a bit more hectic. Between the weather conditions and Mgr. Lépine being at Prime Minister Mulroney`s funeral, we were unsure if the March was still even happening, and were unable to figure it out. Our response to this was to continue splitting palms and rehearsing our animation. Eventually, someone checked Instagram, and we received good news: the March was still on. Around 3:00 pm, we headed outside. It was so cold that we had to both make coffee and take turns inside warming up; however, despite the chilliness of the weather, our spirits burned with joy. Two of our students led us in traditional French hymns as we waited, and to our great surprise and delight, people started to gather in Newman`s driveway. As the crowd grew, so did the excitement, especially after we began to hear the music being blasted from the speakers accompanying the pilgrims who`d started on the mountains. When we saw the Cross, there was a great sense of joy. I had assumed we would just join the procession, so I was very touched when Mgr. Faubert stopped the group and allowed me to speak for a few minutes about the mission of the Newman Centre. He then proceeded to greet our student volunteers. This was a huge deal for them, as many of them had never met a bishop in person before.  

As we journeyed down the streets of Montréal, we were even more blessed when students from Newman were given the opportunity to carry the World Youth Day Cross at the head of the procession. What was particularly touching for me was the number of communities represented by the students who carried it: men and women, those born in Quebec and those born in other provinces and countries, native French speakers and those of us who are still learning, Latin Catholics and Melkites. It was truly a testament to the wide variety of young adults on the McGill campus who call Newman home.  

The ceremony was beautiful. In the following days, many of my students remarked to me about the joy they felt. One student commented on how much he enjoyed having the scouts help Mgr. Lépine read the Passion, especially the one scout who put on different voices for different characters. For my own part, I was very touched to see the clergy of Montreal’s commitment to the youth. Seeing so many priests and deacons come out during such a busy time to be with our young people was very heartwarming. I was sitting behind some of our Melkite students at the Mass and you could sense the palpable joy that they had seeing Mgr. El Jawich, their eparchial bishop, acting as the primary concelebrant.  

All in all, it was an excellent way to start Holy Week. While I am not sure if Mission Jeunesse will begin at the Cross again next year, I know that if they do, the Newman Centre will be ready and willing to welcome participants, and wherever we do begin, we will eagerly join them again on this journey. 

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