June 22 the Feast Day of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher
Two more English martyrs who died at Tyburn in 1535 for refusing to acknowledge King Henry VIII as the Supreme Head of the Church of England and for upholding the Roman Catholic Church’s doctrine of papal supremacy. They died within two weeks of each other. St. John Fisher studied at the University of Cambridge (photo, […]
Sts. Prassedes and Pudentiana, Women Saints of Courage
Today Pope Francis tweeted the following: Contemplating Mary allows us to turn our gaze to all those many women, mothers and grandmothers who, by their quiet sacrifices, devotion and self-denial, are shaping the present and preparing the way for tomorrow’s dreams. Mary’s courageous “Fiat!” is a testament to the women of faith that came before […]
Goodbye to Daisy, Missionary of the Holy Face
Our dear friend and fellow pilgrim, Daisy Neves, went into the arms of our Lord on March 29, 2019. Daisy joined us on our first pilgrimage in October 2008 and continued to travel with us on six additional pilgrimages. So, she traveled with us seven times — our first pilgrimage, four Easter pilgrimages, the Beatification […]
Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
A new feast was inserted into the Universal Calendar for the Latin Church last year by Pope Francis, in a decree dated February 11, 2018 – the 160th anniversary of the apparition of Mary at Lourdes. Previously, permission to celebrate a feast of Mary had been extended to Poland and Argentina, as well as St Peter’s […]
Sample Post 3
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Sneak Peak – Skellig Michael
Skellig Michael, a twin-pinnacled crag, situated 11.6 kilometres (7.2Â mi) west of the Iveraugh Peninsula in County Kerry. Together with its sister island, Little Skellig, it forms the most westerly part of Europe. Dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, it was home to one of the earliest monastic settlements that became a refuge for those seeking […]
A Roman Pilgrimage to the Mother of Divine Love
Outside of the old city walls of Rome, traveling along the Via Ardeatina, one comes upon the ruins of a thirteenth century castle known as the Castel di Leva. It is here that the image of the Mother of Divine Love has been venerated since the middle of the sixteenth century. Many attribute the preservation […]
Encountering the Monks of Silverstream Priory
A unique and important aspect of an Inside the Vatican pilgrimage are encounters with “living stones” of faith. Our pilgrimages have purposefully and intentionally scheduled visits with individuals of faith associated with a site or topic of historical and spiritual importance for that pilgrimage. Many times, our group will meet someone along the way and […]
St. Rita of Cascia
Visiting churches or shrines that contain the relics of saints is another means of encounter during our pilgrimages. On several of our Italy pilgrimages, we travel to the Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia. This saint is known as the patron saint of impossible causes, reconciliation and healing. Her story is quite remarkable. As a […]
National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia in Philadelphia
This week we celebrate the feast day of St. Rita of Cascia, the powerful patroness of impossible causes, reconciliation and healing. We visit her shrine in Cascia during our pilgrimages through Italy during the Christmas and Easter seasons. For those that cannot join us on these particular pilgrimages or for those that want to increase […]