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Shrines of France & Lourdes
Proposed Itinerary
Day 1 - Depart USA
Departure from your home town for the overnight flights to France. Dinner
and breakfast will be served on board.
Day 2 -Lyon -La Salette
Early flight to Lyon. Upon arrival Transfer to La Salette located
in a high alpine pasture in the French Alps, La Salette is the site where the
Virgin Mary appeared in 1846 to two shepherds, Melanie Matthew and Maximin
Gird. Our Lady appeared
to these shepherds crying, lamenting over the
lack of observance of Sundays and the profaning of her Son's holy name. A spring
forever marks the spot where the Virgin appeared and where millions of pilgrims
come to in order to drink the fresh spring water and to pray. The stunning mountain
scenery and lush mountain trails make La Salette one of the most spectacular pilgrimage
site in France, with a beautiful Basilica built to honor the Virgin Mary.
In 2006 La Salette celebrated the 160th anniversary of Our Lady's first appearance.
Dinner and overnight in Corps.
Day 3 -La Salette - Paray Le Monial
Mass at Notre Dame De La Salette, then continue your journey and
travel North to Paray Le Monial. Dinner and overnight.
Day 4 - Paray Le Monial - Ars - Paray Le Monial
Start the day off with Mass in the hometown of the devotion to the Sacred Heart
of Jesus. Visit the Chapel of the Visitation where Jesus exposed His
Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque during a number of apparitions,
Reliquary of St. Margaret containing her relics, located underneath a wax
figure of the saint. Next head to the pretty little town of Ars where
St Jean-Marie Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests,
spent a great part of his holy life giving powerful sermons and spending up to 17
hours a day in the confessional, sleeping only two hours a night. People continuously
flowed into Ars from every part of France seeking his spiritual guidance and healing.
The charity and love for people of this simple curate of Ars became famous all over
the Christian world. He died in 1895 and his incorrupt body lies in repose,
along with many relics from this saint who was canonized in 1925. Continue to
Paray Le Monial.
Day
5 - Paray Le Monial - Lyon - Lourdes
After
an early breakfast depart Paray le Monial for Lyon airport where you will board
our 2 hour flight to Pau or Toulouse Airport (this flight is not included for Land
Only * participants).
Upon your arrival in Lourdes transfer
to your hotel. Relax or explore before dinner, followed by a candlelight procession
before retiring. Dinner and overnight.
Days 6 & 7 - Lourdes 
During your stay in Lourdes you will have a chance to celebrate daily Mass, and
Mass at the Grotto on Sunday, enjoy a video presentation telling the story
of Lourdes, and walk in the footsteps of St Bernadette. See Boly Mill where St Bernadette was born and the "Cachot," an abandoned prison
where Bernadette's impoverished family lived. Join your prayers with those of pilgrims
from around the world as you pray for the sick, drink water from the miraculous
spring the Virgin directed Bernadette to locate at the base of the grotto, and
submerge yourself in the healing baths. Experience Christ's love as you walk
the life sized Stations of the Cross overlooking the holy Grotto. Kneel in
the chapel built on the very rock of the Grotto, in obedience to the request of
the "Immaculate Conception." Our tour of Lourdes includes visits to the sanctuary,
the Basilica of St Pius X, the world's largest underground church. Attend
the blessing of the sick, and participate in nightly candlelight processions
requested by Our Lady.
Day 8 - Lourdes - Nevers
After breakfast leave on the flight to Paris or Lyon. After arrival you will travel
by motor coach for Nevers to visit St Gildard's Convent to pray before
the uncorrupted body of St Bernadette. At the conclusion of the eighteen
apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes, St Bernadette lived for 12 years
as a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, having
taken the veil in 1867.Throughout her life she suffered from and eventually died
of asthma at the age of 35. You will see St Bernadette's incorrupt body miraculously
preserved since her death in 1879. Dinner and overnight in Nevers.
Day
9 - Nevers - Chartres -
Lisieux
After breakfast
depart for Chartres, famous for its stained-glass windows and wonderful colors
dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries. Take a tour of the Cathedral followed
by free time for to explore and enjoy Chartres and it's famed maze on your own.
Dinner and overnight in Lisieux.
Day 10 - Lisieux - Rouen - Paris
After breakfast you will travel northwest to the town of Lisieux, the home of
St Therese whom Pope Pius X called "the greatest saint of modern
times." Her extraordinary love for God and service to humanity come alive as
you visit the Basilica Cathedral of St Peter, and Les Buissonets,
her family home. On display are relics, clothing, and personal objects belonging
to the "little flower." View the statue depicting the Virgin Mary
who smiled at St Therese during an ecstacy before curing her illness. Combine your
prayers in the Carmel Chapel with those of the Carmelite sisters, just as
St Therese did before her death in 1897.
Continue
on to Rouen where on
the 30th May 1431, Joan of Arc was burnt at Place du Vieux Marche. We will
visit the Joan of Arc museum and Rouen church.
Return to Paris for dinner
and overnight.
Day 11 - Paris
Breakfast, then travel to the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal to celebrate
Mass. View the incorrupt body of St Catherine Labouret whose guardian
angel led her to the chapel where the Blessed Virgin displayed a vision of
the Miraculous Medal and later the Green Scapular. The Virgin promised
bountiful graces for all who wore these. Following Mass stop at the
Church of St Vincent De Paul and then continue on our guided tour of this
beautiful city, visiting the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the Church of
the Sacre Coeur (if possible) and panoramic Paris. Afternoon is free
for individual visits and shopping. This evening we can take an optional dinner
cruise on the River Seine (additional cost).
Day 12 - Paris - USA
Transfer to the airport for the return flights to the United States.
Tour Features
- Round trip airfare from New York
- Accommodations in Superior Tourist and/or First Class Hotel,
twin-bedded rooms with private facilities
- Breakfast and dinner daily
- Transfers between airport and lodging with porterage at hotels
- Multi-lingual Tour Escort
- Sightseeing as specified in itinerary
- Welcome Packet / Document Portfolio
- Daily Mass and all spiritual activities coordinated
Pricing
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Program # |
2012 Pilgrimages
Dates
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Price
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