Day 1: Monday,
October 2, 2006, USA / LISBON
Tour members are welcomed this evening at an
international airport for our departing flight to
Lisbon, arriving the next day.
Day 2: Tuesday,
LISBON / SANTEREM / FATIMA
Upon morning arrival in Lisbon, we visit the
birthplace of St. Anthony of Padua and the Lisbon
Cathedral. From there, we visit St Jeronimo’s
Monastery, and Belem Tower. We proceed to Santarem
and time permitting, we visit the Church of St
Stephen, where a Eucharistic miracle took place in
the 13th century. When a woman attempted to steal a
consecrated Host from Mass, the Host visibly became
flesh and began to bleed. To this day the precious
relic remains incorrupt for all to see. The church
has since been renamed the Church of the Holy
Miracle. We continue our journey into Fatima for
dinner and an overnight.
Day 3: Wednesday,
FATIMA
One of the greatest
events of this century took place in the village of
Fatima, Portugal, in 1917. The Mother of God
appeared to three children to bring the message of
the Gospel back to a world that was slipping away
from it. She told the children, “I desire that a
chapel be built here in my honor. I am the Lady of
the Rosary. I have come to warn the faithful to
amend their lives and to ask pardon for their sins.
People must pray the rosary every day and bear all
the sufferings that God sends them.” This morning we
visit the site of Our Lady’s apparitions, the
birthplace of the visionaries, and the Grotto where
the angel gave them Communion. After dinner we take
part in the Candlelight Procession with pilgrims
from around the world. Dinner and overnight in
Fatima.
Day 4: Thursday,
FATIMA / ALBA DE TORMES / AVILA
Today we depart Fatima for Alba de Tormes and the
Carmelite convent to see the preserved body of St
Teresa of Avila, one of the Church’s greatest
mystics. We also see her incorrupt heart. In her
autobiography, St Teresa spoke of the angel who
thrust an arrow into her heart, leaving it “on fire
with a great love of God.” After her death, when her
body was examined, she was found to have had a
perforation of the heart. It was in this way that
science confirmed one of her greatest mystical
experiences. Our journey continues as we travel
through the picturesque countryside to the lovely
12th century walled city of Avila to visit the
beautiful cathedral there. Dinner and overnight in
Avila.
Day 5: Friday, AVILA
/ SEGOVIA / BURGOS
This morning we visit the Monastery of the
Incarnation and the convent of St. Teresa, where the
saint experienced her remarkable vision of the
angel. This afternoon we travel to Segovia, where
the sacred relic of St John of the Cross is
enshrined. St John was the confessor of St Teresa
and often conferred with her on their experiences in
the spiritual life; he is one of Christianity’s
foremost authorities on spiritual and mystical
theology. We visit the convent near the Vera Cruz
church, constructed by the Templars, where the
mortal remains of Saint John of the Cross are
buried. Inside the city walls we also see the
best-conserved aqueduct of the Imperial Roman
Empire. In addition to viewing this 2000-year-old
engineering marvel, in passing we view Alcazar
castle, the last in the Spanish gothic style to be
constructed. The famous castle was an inspiration
for Walt Disney when he created his Cinderella
castle. We continue on to Burgos for dinner and
overnight.
Day 6: Saturday,
BURGOS / LOYOLA / PAMPLONA
This morning we visit the Cathedral in Burgos, one
of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in
Europe. We continue on to Loyola, where we visit the
birthplace
of St Ignatius, founder of the Society of Jesus
(Jesuits). There, we will see the magnificent 17th
century basilica dedicated to the saint. Behind the
sanctuary is the Santa Casa, the three story 14th
century family home of St Ignatius. Pilgrims are
invited to tour the rooms and visit the chamber
where the saint was born. The most venerated place
in this building is the room where Ignatius, at the
age of 30, was brought following his serious
wounding at the Battle of Pamplona. To pass the time
as his leg healed, he read the lives of the saints
and a book on the life of Christ. At this time a
great conversion took place in Ignatius;
approximately 13 years later he founded the Society
of Jesus. The place of his conversion is indicated
by a statue depicting the saint with a leg bandaged,
a book in one hand and the other hand outstretched,
while the face is turned heavenward. Today some
30,000 Jesuits work in 103 countries with more than
6,000 in the United States. We proceed to Pamplona
for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Sunday,
PAMPLONA / JAVIER / LOURDES
This morning we travel to Javier in the region of
Navarra to visit the family castle and birthplace of
St Francis Xavier. As a close personal friend of St
Ignatius and one of the original seven members of
the Society of Jesus, St Francis performed many
miracles, was granted the gift of tongues, foretold
the future, healed countless people, and baptized
over 10,000 people in just one month’s time. St
Francis Xavier is regarded as one of the most
zealous missionaries of all times. From Javier, we
cross the spectacular Pyrenees Mountains and
continue on to Lourdes, where the Blessed Virgin
Mary appeared to St Bernadette in 1858. Dinner and
overnight in Lourdes.
|
Saint Sauveur
Hotel in Lourdes
3 Star Superior 1st Class, at the
entrance |
Day 8: Monday,
LOURDES
Between February 11, 1858 and July 16, 1858, Our
Lady appeared 18 times to a 14-year-old girl named
Bernadette Soubirous. The young saint described Our
Lady as a “girl in white, the same height as myself,
who greeted me with a nod of her head. This girl was
beautiful beyond description. She had a blue sash
around her white dress and yellow roses on her
shoes. A long rosary hung from her arm, and she
seemed to invite me to pray with her.” Our Lady gave
to Bernadette secret messages for herself and other
messages for the world to hear. She described
herself as the “Immaculate Conception”, revealed a
miraculous spring, and asked that a chapel be built
as a site for pilgrimage. During our stay in
Lourdes, we celebrate Mass at the Grotto of
Massabielle. We visit the Basilica of the Immaculate
Conception, the Boly
Mill where St Bernadette was born, and the “Cachot,”
an abandoned prison where Bernadette’s family lived
in poverty. We have an opportunity to bathe in the
miraculous waters at the Grotto, attend the Blessing
of the Sick, and spend time in personal prayer.
Again this evening we pray the rosary as we take
part in the Candlelight Procession. Dinner and
overnight.
Day 9: Tuesday,
LOURDES / PARIS / LISIEUX
Early this morning we head to the train station to
board our 1st class day train to Paris. A boxed
lunch will be provided. Upon our afternoon arrival
in Paris, we board our motorcoach bound for Lisieux,
where we check in and have dinner and an overnight.
Day 10: Wednesday,
LISIEUX / PARIS
Today we begin in Lisieux, the home of St. Therese
of the Child Jesus. She is the one whom Pope Pius X
called “the greatest saint of modern times. We visit
the Basilica before visiting Les Buisonnets, the
family home where Therese spent the early years of
her life before entering Carmel at the age of
fifteen. We next visit the Carmelite Convent which
houses the sacred relic of her body. Next, we make
our way to Paris. Upon our arrival, we ascend the
top of Montmartre hill to glimpse the world famous
Basilica of Sacre Coeur. According to tradition,
this is the site where the first Bishop of Paris, St
Denis was beheaded. Dinner and overnight in Paris.
Day 11: Thursday,
PARIS
Today we begin at Notre Dame Cathedral, France’s
number one tourist attraction. This beautiful church
is home to such precious relics as the Crown of
Thorns and a piece of the True Cross. We continue on
to the Rue du Bac and spend time at the Shrine of
the Miraculous Medal, where Our Lady appeared to St
Catherine Laboure in 1830. There we see the
incorrupt body of St Catherine and the waxed body of
St Louise de Marillac who, with the help of St
Vincent de Paul, established the Daughters of
Charity. Next we visit the Church of St Vincent de
Paul. Later this afternoon is free for personal
exploration of the city, shopping for souvenirs, or
rest and relaxation. This evening we enjoy a festive
farewell dinner at
Altitude 95,
one of two restaurants within the famous Eiffel
Tower. Overnight in Paris.
Day 12: Friday,
October 13, 2006, PARIS / USA
After Mass, we transfer to the airport to begin our
journey home. We take with us new friendships and a
firm resolution to emulate the love for our God.
We'll return with memories and inspiration to last a
lifetime!
