No one could be happier when I received the confirmation that Archbishop Roger Schwietz will be our spiritual director for our Lourdes pilgrimage next year. All the details can be found on this website. We are currently finalizing the pricing for this pilgrimage, but if you’d like to be the first to receive the information (before the rest of the population does), please email me and I will put you on a list to receive this a week or so before anyone else does.

This pilgrimage is also a fund-raiser for the TEC Conference. As a former TECite, and avid supporter of the TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) program, I am thrilled to be participating in this pilgrimage.

I promise you, if you’ve ever wanted to join a pilgrimage, and have had a desire to visit the holy sites we will be seeing, this is the trip you want to be on!!

A little inside information-Archbishop Roger was paramount in my decision to start Catholic Trips in the first place, so I am passionate and enthusiastic about traveling with him again!

Have a great Saturday!
Jim

Hi good Catholics!
I am curious, having been an alter boy for six years when I was just a wee tike, do you have a favorite alter boy story to share? If so, why not share it with my blog readers.

My favorite was when I was serving mass for a funeral. I was holding the incense burner and no sooner did Father put incense on the charcoal, then my eyes became all watery from the smoke that kept rising into my face.

After the mass, the relatives of the person who died came up to me and asked if I knew their deceased loved one because I was crying so much on the alter.

Ahhhh, the life of an alter boy. Share your stories and let’s see who I should send a Catholic Trips totebag to for the most amusing story!

Happy Saturday!
Jim

Hi good Catholics,
just wanted to give you an update that we are selling a lot of our space on the Alaska cruise the end of August this year. If you have been thinking about going, and have not placed your deposit, please get it in soon. The space we have held is nearly gone!!

Thanks,
Jim

This summer, we will be returning to the Holyland with two special pilgrimages, both completely different than the other.

Our first is escorted by Fr. Tim Nolan, who was the spiritual director of last year’s pilgrimage. Fr. Tim has been to the Holyland numerous times, and is very familiar with all the holy places we will be visiting. Along with Fr. Tim will be Catholic Trips general manager and Diaconate candidate, Matt Kelly. And of course, I am coming along just to get my yearly dose of this incredible place.

This pilgrimage will be nothing short of first-class. Our two hotels are five star, the motorcoach is deluxe and comfortable and most meals are included in the program, as well as gratuities and special gifts. Each day we will visit some of the most holy places that were part of the life of Jesus. Fr. Tim will recap every day, and there will be prayer and fellowship, along with Holy mass every day. We will experience something really extraordinary on this pilgrimage, and Fr. Tim’s passion and enthusiasm will certainly be one of the greatest gifts you’ll take away from the experience!! I promise you that.

Our second pilgrimage is escorted by spiritual director Deacon Matt Levy (a good jewish boy, turned Catholic, turned Deacon) Deacon Matt is returning to the Holyland, this pilgrimage marking his second time. As I said, we are offering two completely different Holyland experiences, and what makes this particular tour so unusual and special is that it is based on the Pascal Mystery, where the tour is divided into three distinct segments, similar to a TEC weekend.

We are staying at Christian guest houses, and two of the nights we will be sleeping in the desert, even riding a camel! We are encouraging high school and college students to join us, along with a member of their family who would act as their legal guardian if they are under 18 years old.

The first part of the pilgrimage is focused on Dying with Christ, where we will be in the desert, swimming in the Dead Sea and viewing the location where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, walking the Via Delorosa and events and places related to the death of Christ. The second segment of pilgrimage is focused on Rising with Christ, where we will visit the tomb of Christ, renew our baptismal vows in the River Jordon, plant a seed at the Holocost Museum in Jerusalem, and special events like that. And finally, the third segment of our pilgrimage is based on Going Forth with Christ, where we will take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, see the Mount of Beatitudes, and visit Tiberias. It will be similar to experiencing a TEC weekend over the course of nine days, and actually being the Holy places that everything is based on. Wow, can you imagine?!!!

Assisting Deacon Matt will be Deacon Jim Briggs and Catholic Trips escort Steve O’Connor. I might come along, just because it sounds so cool, but no commitments yet. :)

Both Holyland pilgrimages will provide space for only 45 people to come along, and sign ups are on a first come-first served basis.

For more information, contact our office at 877.463.8747.
The updated information and opportunity to print a flyer will be available this week.

Until then, Shalom!

Jim

Hi everyone!

We are so excited to annouce that Fr. Paul Meismer will be escorting a first-class cruise in Alaska. This is his second time as a Catholic Trips escort in this incredible place, and my 146th Alaska Cruise!! Between him and I and Jesus of course, you are certainly in very good hands!

Dates of the cruise are August 30-Sept 6. We will also be offering a one night hotel stay in Seattle the day before the cruise.

For more information and to receive a flyer on this Alaska Cruise pilgrimage, please call us on our toll free number 877-463-8747.

We will be posting all the information this coming week on our website, so you can also learn more about the trip then.

Space is limited, and it’s all based on a first come, first served basis.

Join us on this incredible journey to the glaciers, wildlife and scenery unlike anything you’ve ever seen in your life!

Hope to see you there!

We are very happy to announce that Steve O’Connor has joined our Catholic Trips staff as a personal escort for our pilgrimages. Steve is from Peru, Illinois and many of you may know his family and his brother Kevin.

Steve has an incredible enthusiasm that will bring a lot of joy to the pilgrimages he will be escorting for us.

In addition to this job position, Steve will also be assisting with our marketing and advertising for our company.

Welcome Steve-you rock the house! :)

11th Dec, 2007

PHOTO COMMENT CONTEST!

As you can see when you first arrive at my blog, there is a new photo of trees at the top of the page. Last month I was driving my car in Cherry, Illinois, near the Coal Miners Cemetary and the sun was just starting to come up on this grove of trees. I stopped my truck and looked at it for a moment and thought, how funny, all these trees exactly alike, but one is completely different that the rest. I snapped the photo and now we are having a contest on what you think is the best caption for the photo.

To me it says, “This is what happens when you use the gifts God has given you.” Does it say something to you?

If you come up with the best comment about the photo you will win $100 off any of our trips and some special Catholic Trips gifts.

What have you got to loose, right?

Have fun and send the comments directly to me at Jim@CatholicTrips.com

Thanks!

22nd Nov, 2007

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I am so grateful to all of you who continue to support what we do at Catholic Trips.  I appreciate it so much and words can not describe how I feel every time I complete a pilgrimage with you.  It is such a priveledge to be with you.

Also, and most importantly, I am so appreciative to God for His continued blessings on my life and my business.

May all of you be blessed this Thanksgiving Holiday!

Jim

 

18th Nov, 2007

ITALY 2008

Hi everyone!  I am here in Italy, finishing a pilgrimage with Fr. Joe Dondanville.  It has gone extremely well.  The group is really fantastic, which of course, makes it all work out so much better.

I am blogging to let you know we are finalizing three Catholic Pilgrimages to Italy in 2008.  One is in May, one is during the summer and the other is in the Fall.  If you are interested in joining us on one of these, please email me so you can be one of the first to receive a flyer before we advertise it.

Grazie Mille!

Jim

Jim@CatholicTrips.com

13th Nov, 2007

CALLING ALL CLERGY!

If you are a Catholic priest, deacon or spiritual director of any Catholic organization, we are interested in having you escort one of our trips.  Simply email me at Jim@CatholicTrips.com and let me know. 

We have many destinations we are looking to fill, so contact me and let me know who you are.  Some trips we are in the process of organizing are:  Knights of Columbus tour to the Holy Land, a Deacons trip to Italy, the Holy Land, Lourdes and Poland.

If you have a following of people who would like to travel with you that’s a plus, but not necessary. 

Thanks for responding!

Jim

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