Fatima, Lourdes, & Paris
w/ St John Neumann Parish
& Fr John Starczewski
Fr John Starczewski invites you on a transformative pilgrimage to the most revered and beloved Marian Shrines in the world: Fatima and Lourdes, and Paris, the "City of Lights."
The Shrine in Fatima, Portugal commemorates the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three shepherd children: Lucia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto, in 1917. According to the children, the Virgin Mary appeared to them on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting from May until October. The messages conveyed during these apparitions included calls for prayer, penance, and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Sanctuary includes the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Chapel of the Apparitions, and the vast open square where pilgrims join in a nightly, candlelit Rosary procession.
Lourdes, in the Hautes-Pyrénées area of southwestern France, is the site of the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes to a young peasant girl named Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Bernadette reported 18 apparitions of a "Lady" who asked for a chapel to be built at the grotto of Massabielle. During one of the apparitions, a spring emerged, and the water is known its for miraculous healing power. The Sanctuary includes the Grotto of Massabielle, where the apparitions took place, and the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Pilgrims participate in the Blessing of the Sick, processions, and the bathing pools where they pray for healing in the spring water.
Paris is renowned for it's art, culture, architecture, food, historic landmarks and its incredible Catholic history. We will visit wonderful sites such as as the newly rebuilt Notre Dame Cathedral, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Sacre Coeur) in the Montmartre District, Shrine of the Miraculous Medal, and the Basilica of St Denis. No visit to Paris would be complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower and a scenic Seine River Tour.
Pilgrims from around the world visit Fatima and Lourdes seeking spiritual renewal and physical healing. Jesus promises a wealth of blessings and profound spiritual experiences, and we hope you will join us!
DAYS 1 & 2, April 27 & 28 : Charlotte > Lisbon > Fatima
We depart USA en route to Lisbon, Portugal with complimentary meals and beverages served aloft. Upon arrival at Lisbon International Airport, will be met by our guide and bus driver, and depart for Fatima with stops in Santarém and Batalha. Santarém, renowned for its well-preserved Gothic architecture, is home to the Church of the Eucharistic Holy Miracle. After our visit and Holy Mass, we will have lunch at a local restaurant. We then depart for Batalha and a half day tour of the Monastery of the Dominicans. The Monastery of Batalha was built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese over the Castilians at the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. It was to be the Portuguese monarchy's main building project for the next two centuries, profoundly influenced by Manueline art, as demonstrated by its masterpiece, the Royal Cloister. We continue to our hotel in Fatima for dinner and overnight. For those who wish, you may join in the nightly Candlelight Procession at the Sanctuary. (L|D)
DAY 3, April 29: Fatima
At the center of Catholic faith and a place of world pilgrimage, Fatima is visited by thousands of people each year. We will visit the Basilica or Our Lady of the Rosary where the tombs of Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta, the three children who were visited by Our Lady of Fatima, are located, Holy Trinity Church, as well as the Chapel of Apparitions. We will celebrate Holy Mass and visit the Fatima Sanctuary, where Our Lady of Fatima appeared in 1917. Since then, millions of pilgrims go there to pray or just to feel its mystical strength. The Sanctuary Square is so big that it can only be described by numbers: it can receive simultaneously 300,000 visitors and it's twice the size of St. Peter's Square in Rome.
After lunch in a local restaurant, the afternoon is free until dinner at our hotel. We then return to the Sanctuary for the Candlelight Procession. Overnight in Fatima. (B|L|D)
DAY 4, April 30: Fatima > Lisbon > Toulouse
This morning, we celebrate Holy Mass and will then have several hours to spend in prayer and solitude before reconvening for our drive to the Lisbon airport. We will depart for Toulouse on an evening flight with overnight in Toulouse. Lunch and dinner on our own. (B)
DAY 5, May 1: Toulouse > Lourdes
After breakfast, we will celebrate Holy Mass at the Church of the Jacobins and where the Tomb of St. Thomas Aquinas is located. After time spent venerating this anointed Doctor of the Church, we continue to Lourdes – home to one of the most important Marian Shrines and pilgrimage sites in the world. Lunch on the way with dinner and overnight at our hotel in Lourdes. (B|L|D)
DAY 6, May 2: Lourdes
Today we enjoy a guided walking tour of Lourdes. Our guide will share with us the history of the Marian apparitions that appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous. We will visit the places where the apparitions occurred in 1858, among them three basilicas, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Rosary Basilica and the Basilica of St. Pius X, respectively known as the upper, lower and underground basilica. We will celebrate Holy Mass and then have lunch at a local restaurant. The rest of the afternoon and evening at our leisure. (B|L)
DAY 7, May 3: Lourdes
This morning, we celebrate Holy Mass and the remainder of the day is ours to spend as we please. Dinner at a local restaurant. (B|D)
DAY 8, May 4: Lourdes>Paris
After breakfast we transfer to the Lourdes train station for our high-speed train to Paris. Along the way we will see the beautiful French countryside, and have lunch on our own onboard the train. Upon arrival, we meet our driver who will take us to our hotel. The rest of the afternoon is free before dinner and overnight in the hotel (B|D)
DAY 9, May 5: Paris
Today we visit the great Catholic sites in Paris and learn of the Church’s rich history in this magnificent city. We begin with a visit to la Sainte-Chapelle, We will visit such sites as the newly rebuilt Notre Dame Cathedral (crypt and tower not included), the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Sacre Coeur) in the Montmartre District (where we will celebrate Holy Mass), and the Basilica of St Denis. We will have lunch at a local restaurant and the remainder of the day is ours to explore the City of Light. (B|L)
DAY 10, May 6: Paris
This morning we start our day with Holy Mass at Shrine of the Miraculous Medal. From there, a guided tour of Paris. Stops include the Champs-Élysées with its iconic Arc de Triomphe. The construction of the Arc de Triomphe began in 1806 and was completed in 1836. The monument was commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte to honor the French army's victories, particularly after the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805.
We will also visit the Eiffel Tower (view only). The tower is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower from 1887 to 1889 as the centerpiece of the 1889 World's Fair. After lunch on our own, we will enjoy a scenic Seine River cruise. The remainder of the afternoon is ours to shop, relax and do as we please in The City of Lights. We’ll reconvene at the hotel before our Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant. (B|D)
DAY 11, May 7: Paris > Charlotte
Today we transfer to the Charles de Gaul airport for our flight home after a spiritual journey through Portugal & France. We take with us wonderful memories of our travel with dear friends, and edifying, indeed, sanctifying encounters with Our Lady. Thank you Fr John and God bless! B