“We think of Lent as a time of stripping away. This year, my Lent was incredibly challenging in multiple ways,” Thirty-two-year-old Maria of Indianapolis, Indiana shares. “I was going through a period of desolation. I just kept thinking, hold on to Easter, hold on to Easter, things will get better.” Easter Sunday came and, despite … Read More
Off the Beaten Path: Subiaco, Italy
This coming spring, one of our pilgrimage groups will visit Subiaco, Italy. While this small town is often overlooked as a pilgrimage destination, it is well worth the short hour’s drive from Rome to see several historical and spiritual treasures. Sacro Speco Nestled in the hillside above the peaceful town, you’ll find Sacro Speco – … Read More
This Centuries-Old Route Drew 270,000 Pilgrims in 2016
The Camino de Santiago, a walking pilgrimage across Spain, has seen a meteoric rise in popularity over the past 30 years. In 1986, less than 2,500 pilgrims were issued a certificate of completion, whereas over 270,000 registered pilgrims walked into Santiago in 2016. However, the modern Camino de Santiago has its roots in the first … Read More
When in Rome, Graduate!
When given the option of either journeying to Rome or attending her own college graduation, it was a no-brainer for Indiana University Indianapolis senior Bri Campbell. For the past four years, she had dedicated any and all free time she had to the Catholic student community on campus and the parish associated with it, St. … Read More
Ein Karem and John the Baptist
In the southwest part of Jerusalem lies the ancient village of Ein Karem, literally meaning “Spring of the Vineyard,” and known by some as the “most beautiful neighborhood in Jerusalem.” Surrounded by green hills and forests, many travel to this village to experience its picturesque beauty and visit the various Christian and historical sites there. … Read More
The Sacred Heart of Jesus
In the late 17th century, Jesus appeared to a young nun, now St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, in the convent of the Visitation Sisters in Paray-le-Monial, France, to speak of his love for all people and to instruct her in the devotion to His Sacred Heart. He said to her, “My Divine Heart is so passionate … Read More
Saint Anthony of Padua
St. Anthony of Padua was baptized “Ferdinand” in Lisbon, Portugal. When he was only fifteen years old, Ferdinand joined the Augustinians. He completed his formation at the abbey in Coimbra, where he was ordained a priest at the age of 25. During his time in Coimbra, he met some Franciscan friars and was drawn to … Read More
How the Church Determines a True Marian Apparition
The Vatican’s “Norms regarding the manner of proceedings in the discernment of presumed apparitions or revelations” were approved by Pope Paul VI in 1978. An official English translation was released in 2011. Like with Fatima, responsibility for determining an apparition’s veracity lies with the local bishop, according to the norms established by the Vatican Congregation … Read More
Holy Week in the Holy Land
The greatest pilgrimage of all – that of Our Lord on His way to the Cross – took place in and around the modern city of Jerusalem. The steps He took for our salvation nearly 2000 years ago can be retraced even today. The sites He made holy are surrounded by celebration and throughout the … Read More
Pope’s Pilgrimage to Fatima
Every year, thousands of pilgrims visit the central Portuguese town of Fatima, where three young shepherd children were visited six time by the Blessed Mother in 1917. These numbers are expected to swell during this, the centennial year of these apparitions. One of these pilgrims will be Pope Francis, himself, who will arrive in Fatima … Read More
Vatican Appoints Pastoral Envoy to Medjugorje
Vatican City, Feb 11, 2017 / 09:21 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis on Saturday appointed Archbishop Henryk Hoser of Warszawa-Praga as a delegate of the Holy See to look into the pastoral situation at Medjugorje, the site of alleged Marian apparitions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “The mission has the aim of acquiring a deeper knowledge … Read More
The Via Dolorosa
It is a weekly tradition in the Holy Land to walk the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrow) on Fridays at 3:00 p.m. The Franciscans lead this procession through the winding streets of the Old City of Jerusalem following in the footsteps of Christ and His suffering. The procession marks the path Jesus walked under the … Read More
Lets Celebrate Jesus’ Early Life
The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple on February 2nd celebrates an early episode in the life of Jesus. It falls between the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul on January 25th, and the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter on February 22nd. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Presentation of Jesus in … Read More
Mary – the Focus of WYD
A Nov. 22 Vatican communique revealed that the themes for 2017 and 2018 diocesan-level events as well as the international gathering in 2019 will all be taken from Chapter 1 of the Gospel of Luke, centering on Mary in the scene of the Annunciation and her Magnificat, spoken after her cousin Elizabeth’s declaration that “Blessed … Read More
Poland’s Great Saint
Saint John Paul II explained, “Pilgrimages, a sign of the condition of the disciples of Christ in this world, have always held an important place in the life of Christians. In the course of history, Christians have always walked to celebrate their faith in places that indicate a memory of the Lord or in sites … Read More
