Day 1 USA - Paris
Fly to Paris via TWA's overnight flight.
Day 2
Paris
After a mid-morning arrival in Paris,
we will be transferred to our centrally located hotel. Free
afternoon until a group Mass in the nearby chapel of the Daughters
of Charity in the Rue du Bac. It was here that Our Lady appeared to
Catherine Laboure in 1830, the first Miraculous Medal having being
struck in 1832. Her incorrupt body lies under the altar of Our Lady
in the chapel. We then go to the nearby motherhouse of the St
Vincent de Paul Society in the Rue de Sevres where lies the body of
St Vincent de Paul. Dinner and overnight in Paris.
Day 3
Paris full day trip to Lisieux
After breakfast we leave by coach for
Lisieux, home to St Therese for most of her life. Her life- long
example of childlike obedience and simplicity led to her being known
as the "Little Flower." We will celebrate Mass at the St
Therese Chapel before meeting our local guide for a tour, visiting
such sites as "Les Buissonets," the house where St Therese
lived, the Basilica, and the Carmelite Convent. We return to Paris
in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Paris.
Day 4 Paris
- Chartres
This morning we celebrate a special
Mass in the Church of the Sacre Coeur following which we embark on a
grand tour of Paris, visiting such landmarks as the Eiffel Tower, L'
Arc de Triomph, the Champs Elysees, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame.
After some free time for lunch, we travel by coach to Chartres,
celebrated for its great medieval cathedral. A specialist guide will
direct us in our tour of the twelfth-century church. Dinner and
overnight in Chartres.
Day
5 Chartres - Nevers - Paray Le Monial
We continue on our way to Nevers, a
small town nestled in the picturesque Loire Valley. At the Convent
of St Gildard we will see St Bernadette’s incorrupt body. St
Bernadette retired to Nevers where she died at the age of 35. We
then travel to Paray Le Monial, a small town where Saint Margaret
Mary Alacoque experienced visions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She
was instructed to spread devotion to the Sacred Heart, nominate a
feast day in its honor, and establish the devotion we know as Holy
Hour. Overnight in Paray Le Monial.
Day 6 Paray
Le Monial - Ars
A full day today visiting the Chapel of
Apparitions (the Visitation), the room containing the relics of St
Margaret Mary, the Diorama of St Margaret, and the Heiron
(Eucharist) Museum in Paray Le Monial. We then continue by coach to
Taize, a tiny community to which young people from all over the
world come in order to take part in a weekly programme of prayer,
meetings, meals, and discussion groups. Finally we arrive in Ars, a
modest village where St John Vianney, known affectionately as the
Curate of Ars, lived. We will visit the small church contained
within the Basilica that John Vianney built himself, and there see
his incorrupt body and his living quarters. Overnight in Paray Le
Monial.
Day 7 Paray
Le Monial - Rocamadour
After breakfast, we leave for
Rocamadour. Built against the side of a cliff, Rocamadour has been
welcoming pilgrims since the twelfth century. Millions of pilgrims
come to pray at the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary which has
claimed many healings. We will also visit the Chapel of the Black
Virgin before arriving at our hotel. Overnight in Rocamadour.
Day 8 Rocamadour
- Lourdes
After a leisurely start, we travel by
coach to Lourdes, a small town set amid the majestic Pyrenees. It
was in Lourdes that Our Lady first appeared to St Bernadette in
1858. Overnight in Lourdes.
Day 9
Lourdes
This morning we will celebrate a group
Mass at the Grotto before meeting our guide for an orientation tour
and photo. We then begin our tour of Lourdes by visiting the
Sanctuary area: Upper and Lower Basilicas, Grotto, Baths as well as
the main sites associated with St Bernadette's life: Boly Mill where
St Bernadette was born in 1844; the original parish church; and the
Cachot (prison) in which her family lived for a time. It was in the
Cachot that St Bernadette had the first of her apparitions. Free
time this afternoon for prayers for the sick at the baths which we
may enter or drink Lourdes water at the taps. Optional afternoon
Blessed Sacrament Procession and Blessing of the Sick before an
evening torchlight procession after dinner. Overnight in Lourdes.
Day 10
Lourdes - Loyola - Santo Domingo De Silos
We travel west this morning bound for
the lovely village of Loyola in Spain, the birthplace of St Ignatius
of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits. We will
visit the Sanctuary where a magnificent Basilica adjoins a
13th-century Tower House where St Ignatius was born. Our journey
continues to Santo Domingo de Silos, the site of a great Benedictine
Abbey, famous for its beautiful Romanesque cloister and for keeping
up the best traditions of Gregorian chant. We will join the monks
for evening prayer. Overnight in Santo Domingo de Silos
Day
11 Santo Domingo - Ponferrada
After
this morning's rare privilege of attending a chanted Mass with the
Benedictine monks, we will set forth on the Old Pilgrims' Road
leading ultimately to Santiago de Compostela. We will join the
pilgrims' route at Burgos where we visit the Cathedral of Leon,
famous for the colors and streaming from its 182 stained glass
windows. Continue via medieval Astorga to Ponferrade (meaning
"iron bridge," erected to hold Compostela pilgrims in the
11th century). Overnight in Ponferrada.
Day 12 Ponferrada - Santiago De
Compostela
We
awake this morning to village sounds beckoning us toward the great
city of Compostela. First we visit the town of Villafranca, founded
in the 11th century by the monks of Cluny who dedicated themselves
to the care of pilgrims. Here we visit the Castle and Santiago
Church with its "door of pardon" for those pilgrims unable
to complete the journey. Then to El Cebrero with its church renowned
for a miracle of the Holy Eucharist in the Year 1300. And then onto
Santiago de Compostela. Overnight.
Day 13 Santiago De Compostela
This
morning we will celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of St James, one of
the finest examples of architecture in all of Europe. As pilgrims
we're permitted to climb the stairs behind the high altar to visit
the crypt where the relics of St James are preserved, touch the
central pillar (Portico de La Gloria), see the botafumeiro (censer),
admire the wealth of medieval art inside the Cathedral, and then
visit the cloister museum. Overnight in Santiago de Compostela.
Day 14 Santiago De Compostela
A
short drive this morning brings us to the beautiful little port of
Padron, where, it was believed, the body of St James floated ashore
all those centuries ago. A small chapel commemorates the event while
a large flat stone on the beach is said to be all that remains of
the saint’s boat. We re-enter the city by foot along the ancient
pilgrims' route down the Rua de San Pedro, beside the Bonaval
Convent and the stone of the Holy Man through the Way Gate. Then we
come to Casas Reales (Royal Houses) street, the Church of St Martha
of the Way, Cervantes Square, and the Plaza de la Azabacheria where
merchants used to wait for the pilgrims. Every day at noon a pilgrim’s
Mass is held in the Cathedral and with luck, one can see the
swinging botafumerio or censer. Overnight in Santiago de Compostela.
Day
15 Santiago de Compostela - Fatima
After
breakfast we leave Santiago de Compostela and journey south by coach
to Fatima,the place where the Blessed Mother appeared in 1917 to
three simple shepherd children and exhorted mankind to pray for
world peace. After settling into your hotel, you may participate in
a candlelight procession or relax. Dinner and overnight in Fatima.
Day 16 Fatima
After
breakfast, we will celebrate morning Mass at the Little Chapel of
the Apparitions. Touring Fatima, we see the Basilica, the site of
Francesco's and Jacinta's graves, the Hamlet of Aljustrel, where the
children lived, and Valinhos, the site of Our Lady's appearance
after the children's return from prison. Follow the Stations of the
Cross along the Via Sacra (Sacred Way) culminating in the Chapel of
Calvary which overlooks all of Fatima. Join pilgrims from around the
world in an evening candlelight procession to pray the rosary. Don’t
forget your white handkerchiefs for the Adeus farewell, when
thousands of pilgrims wave a loving farewell to the statue of Our
Lady of the Rosary. Dinner and overnight in Fatima.
Day 17 Fatima - Lisbon - New York
Your
Trip Includes:
Round-trip flight from New York
15 nights in 3- and 4-star hotels:
2 nights: Paris
1 night: Chartres
2 nights: Paray Le
Monial
1 night: Rocamadour
2 nights: Lourdes
1 night: Santo
Domingo de Silos
1 night: Ponferrada
3 nights: Santiago
de Compostela
2 nights: Fatima
Breakfast & dinner daily (unless
otherwise indicated)
Transport by deluxe air-conditioned
motorcoach
Professional European tour escort and
local guides
Fully escorted from Australia with
Spiritual Director/Tour Co-ordinator
Sightseeing and entrance fees
Porter age of one suitcase per person
at hotels
Not
Included: Airport tax of $85. Travel insurance at $99. Tips to
guides & drivers ($5 per day). Items of a personal nature.
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