Dear Parishioners:
Today, our Josephinum Seminarians
and our Parish Evangelization Committee conclude this year’s efforts to take
the Gospel to the streets of our parish territory. They had a fruitful day April 19 and their
effort today is promising. They remind
us of two important facts about our life in the Church: First, we are
disciples, not consumers. Our duty is to
share the Faith concretely and to find ways to allow others to know our joy in
it. Second, we are charged with the
responsibility of bringing Christ to those in our parish territory. The boundaries of St. Timothy are not
boundaries that keep others out (many of you live outside our official
territory). Rather, they are an
entrustment of all the people who live in our neighborhood to us, whether they
are Catholic or not. We need to let them
know we are hear and are holding them and their needs in our prayers. Will you consider joining the Evangelizers
today? If you cannot walk with them,
remember them in your prayers.
As you know, this week and next I
will be leading a pilgrimage to several sites in Portugal, Spain, France and Italy. The bookends of our journey are
Fatima and Turin. Along the way, we will visit
locations associated with our Blessed Mother and with many Saints who have
taught us about the spiritual journey, as well as places connected with the
history of the Church. It promises to be
an enlightening experience. I have
personally never been to most of these shrines and I look forward to learning
more about our Faith.
I offer you the itinerary of our pilgrimage day by day so you can follow us
along in prayer:
Day 1 – Monday May 4: We
depart U.S.A.
Our pilgrimage begins today as we
depart on our overnight flight to Portugal.
Day 2 – Tuesday May 5: Arrive
Lisbon / Fatima. After a
morning arrival in Lisbon, we will
meet our knowledgeable local escort who will be with us throughout our stay. Begin our drive north stopping in Santarem
to visit the Church of St.
Stephen, famous for its venerated relic,
"the Bleeding Host". Then on to Fatima, one of
the world's most important Marian Shrines.
Day 3 – Wednesday May 6: Fatima. Today we will celebrate Mass on the spot where
Our Lady appeared at the Chapel of Apparitions. Visit the Basilica to see the
site of Francisco and Jacinta's graves and then on to the hamlet of Aljustrel
where the three children lived during the Apparitions. Continue to Valinhos,
the site where Our Lady appeared following the children's release from prison.
This evening participate in the Stations of the Cross along the Via Sacra, site
of the first Apparition.
Day 4 – Thursday May 7: Fatima / Salamanca. This morning we leave Portugal
for Spain. En
route we will stop in Coimbra, a
famous university town, to visit the Convent of Santa Clara La Nova where
sister Lucia resided until her death in 2005. We continue on across the
Portuguese-Spanish border to Salamanca,
one of Spain's
foremost cultural centers, a great university city
and a showcase of intricately sculpted Renaissance architecture in golden
stone. Visit the Plaza Mayor, which is regarded as one of the most attractive
squares in Spain,
and the Cathedrals Vieja and Nueva.
Day 5 – Friday May 8: Salamanca / Burgos. After breakfast depart Salamanca
for the walled city of Avila, the
birthplace of St. Theresa. Visit the Monastery of the Incarnation where St.
Teresa spent many years of her life, then to the Monastery of St. Joseph,
herfirst foundation. Continue to Segovia
where we will visit the great Gothic Cathedral, the extraordinary Alcazar
fortress, the splendid Roman Aqueduct, and the tomb of St.
John of the Cross. Drive on to Burgos,
the cradle of Castille and the gothic capital of Spain,
for overnight.
Day 6 – Saturday May 9: Burgos / Azpeitia. This morning we will have a guided city tour
of Burgos including the famous
Burgos Cathedral, the third largest church
of Spain
and one of the country's most magnificent for its beautiful Spanish gothic
style. Its construction was carried out in stages over three centuries and
involved many of the greatest artists and architects of Europe.
We will also visit the Arco de Santa Maria,
the Old Town,
and the Abbey of Santa Maria la Real de Las Huelgas. After Mass at the Abbey we
will drive to Azpeitia for overnight.
Day 7 – Sunday May 10: Azpeitia
/ Lourdes.
Following breakfast drive to Oñati to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Aranzazu
and after a guided tour proceed to Loyola. Here, in 1491 Iñigo Lopez de Loyola
Oñaz was born in the Castle of Loyola.
We know him as St. Ignatius of Loyola. Visit and celebrate Mass at San Ignacio
Basilica where our Lady appeared with the Christ child to St. Ignatius, the
founder of the Jesuit
order. Then drive across the Spanish-French border to Lourdes,
one of the great pilgrimage shrines in the world. It was here where Our Lady
appeared to Bernadette in 1858 proclaiming herself the "Immaculate
Conception".
Happy Mother’s Day to all Mothers,
Grandmother and Godmothers!
Day 8 – Monday May 11: Lourdes. We
have all day to experience the special atmosphere of this beautiful town.
Attend Mass at the Grotto of Massabielle, visit the Basilica of St. Pius X, see
the house where Bernadette lived during the Apparitions, and visit several of
the sites where miraculous cures have taken place. After dinner, join the
candlelight procession.
Day 9 – Tuesday May 12: Lourdes / Avignon. After
Mass depart Lourdes for Avignon
which is often referred to as the "City of Popes"
because it was the seat of the Papacy during the Catholic Schism from 1309 to
1377 instead of Rome. Upon arrival we
will visit the impressive Palais des Papes (Papal
Palace) before checking into our
hotel.
Day 10 – Wednesday May 13: Avignon / Turin. After Mass this morning we will depart Avignon
and drive along the French Riviera to Nice for a panoramic view of this
beautiful resort. Continue on to the Principality of Monaco and enjoy a visit
of Monte Carlo. Then continue our
drive across the French-Italian border to Turin
for overnight.
Day 11 – Thursday May 14: Turin / Milan. Today we
will view the Shroud of Turin in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The
Shroud is said to be the burial cloth of Christ and it bears the distinct image
of a crucified man. We will have what is perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to view the Shroud. After viewing the Shroud we will enjoy a tour
of the city including visits to the Palazzo Real, Palazzo Madama, and Mole
Antonelliana. Then depart Turin and
drive to Milan for overnight.
Day 12 – Friday May 15: Milan / U.S.A.
This morning we will transfer to the airport to catch our return flight home.
