Our pilgrimage begins as we depart on our overnight flight to Paris. Meals and refreshments will be served aloft.

Upon arrival in Paris this morning we will be met at the airport by our guide. This morning we drive to Lisieux, the home of St. Therese the “Little Flower of Jesus” to visit the home where she lived as a child, the Carmelite Convent where she was a nun, the Basilica of St. Theresa for Mass, and Cathedral of St. Peter. (D) Overnight Lisieux

This morning will be dedicated to exploring the sites associated with the heroic events of D-Day – June 6, 1944. After Mass in Lisieux we will drive along the Normandy coast to St. Laurent to visit the National Cemetery and Omaha Beach, one of the sites where the Allies came ashore on D-Day. Continue to Bayeux, the first town to be liberated by the Allies in 1944. Here we will visit the former seminary, now a museum housing the world-famous Bayeux tapestry depicting the epic story of William the Conqueror. Afterwards, we return to Lisieux for dinner and overnight. (B, D) Overnight Lisieux

This morning we depart Lisieux and head to Le Mans, which has great significance for Indiana and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis as the home of Holy Cross congregation (who founded Notre Dame) and the Sisters of Providence and their founding of St Mary of the Woods, as well as the home for St. Theodore Guerin before being sent to Indiana. We will pray at the Cathedral of St. Julien and have Mass at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Providence beneath a beautiful stained-glass window display. Continue to Tours for dinner and overnight. (B, D) Overnight Tours

This morning we visit the Basilica of St. Martin before departing for Nevers. Spend the afternoon in Nevers where we will visit the Convent of St. Gildard to view the incorrupt body of St. Bernadette. Here the Saint spent her life in prayer and solitude following the apparitions of the Blessed Mother to her in Lourdes. (B, D) Overnight Nevers

After breakfast we proceed to Chartres, home to what most believe to be the greatest Gothic cathedral in Europe. The stained-glass windows of this Cathedral are world-renowned. Over 150 windows illustrate biblical stories and daily life in the 13th century. After plenty of prayerful time exploring the cathedral, we continue to Paris, our home for the next three nights. Enjoy a brief overview of the city before checking into our hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D) Overnight Paris

Our first pilgrim stop today will be to the Shrine of Saint Vincent de Paul where the saint’s body is on display in a reliquary. We will celebrate Mass here and consecrate the rest of our pilgrimage to his intercession. From there we go to the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal at Rue de Bac where Our Lady appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in 1830 and where she is buried and end our day at the imposing Saint-Sulpice. The remainder of the day free, including time for dinner on our own. (B) Overnight Paris

Today we begin at Notre Dame Cathedral, in the spiritual heart of Paris. Just a few blocks away on the same little island in the Seine is Sainte-Chapelle, built in 1248 to house the Crown of Thorns, and is one of the world’s most captivating array of stained-glass windows. After lunch, we will see Saint-Etienne du Mont which still contains a rarely seen medieval Rood Screen that marked the separation between the sanctuary and the nave much like an Eastern Orthodox Iconostasis. Across the street, we will tour the French Pantheon, modeled after the one in Rome. Originally a church in honor of St. Genevieve, this massive structure now serves as a mausoleum where honored Franks are buried including Voltaire, Rosseau, Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, and Alexander Dumas. Our final stop today is La Madeleine, a neo-classical church built in honor of Mary Magdalene. (B, D) Overnight Paris

After breakfast, we will board the high-speed train to Lourdes, one of the great pilgrimage shrines in the world. On the train, we will have some time for some group discussion and processing, enjoying the passing countryside, or catching up on sleep. It was in Lourdes, where Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858 proclaiming herself the “Immaculate Conception”. This peaceful village is also known for its healing waters. This evening, join hundreds of other pilgrims in the Blessed Sacrament Procession and Candlelight Procession that has endured since 1863. Lourdes will be our home for the next two nights. (B, D) Overnight Lourdes

Bask in the grace of Lourdes all day as we have Mass at the Grotto of Massabielle, where Our Lady first appeared to St. Bernadette and had her dig for the spring that is now known across the world for its many miracles of healing. We also visit the humble home where St. Bernadette lived during the apparitions. Tonight, we join again the candlelight procession with thousands of other pilgrims in prayer and song. (B, D) Overnight Lourdes

Enjoy a full day on your own in the peaceful setting of Lourdes. Visit a place we saw yesterday, explore somewhere new, or just sit in awe and wonder and contemplate the events that happened here and the miracles that still occur. Enjoy a farewell dinner together before we participate one last time in the evening pilgrim activities. (B, D) Overnight Lourdes

Today marks the end of a marvelous experience as we transfer to the airport for the return trip home, filled with memories and graces of this pilgrimage that will last a lifetime. (B)