Oops! There was a misprint in the fourth bullet point. It should read: "You can make a refundable deposit 11 months prior to the pilgrimage in December 2021."
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
While in the seminary, l was privileged to study and travel for a semester in the Holy Land. As a priest, I have led several pilgrimages to the Holy Land. I am excited to invite you to join me on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land next year.
What makes this pilgrimage exceptional is our guide. Father Peter Vasko has lived in the Holy Land for over thirty years. He is an expert on the Holy Land and the Christian community. For example, he was interviewed by Raymond Arroyo on EWTN about the effect of the pandemic on the Christian community in the Holy Land. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mRiV-wmDJ8
Father Vasko is the president of the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land. The Foundation has educational, humanitarian, and housing programs that give hope to the Christian community in the Holy Land https://ffhl.org/.
The Christian community in the Holy Land struggles to survive. Tourism is its major source of income. Unlike other Holy Land tours, we will use Christian buses, stay in Christian hotels, eat in Christian restaurants, and shop in Christian gift shops. In short, our tourist dollar will support the Christian community in the Holy Land.
Normally, a pilgrimage to the Holy Land sees only the sites. Pilgrims visit the holy sites such as the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem (the original Church of the Nativity!) and sing Christmas carols. They take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. They walk the Via Dolorosa and pray the Stations of the Cross from the Mount of Olives to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. The pilgrims see the Christian sites but do not see the living Christian community.
Besides visiting and celebrating Mass at the holy sites, I have asked Father Peter to set aside time to meet local Christians and get to know what their life is like. We will see a side of the Holy Land, the living Christian community, that most pilgrimages do not see.
Some Frequently Asked Questions:
- When is the Holy Land Pilgrimage? November 2-12, 2022, when the temperatures are in the 60s. Save the date!
- What about COVID-19? Very likely everyone will need to be vaccinated.
- Any physical restrictions? You must be able to walk four miles a day and climb many steps.
- When can I sign up? You can make a refundable deposit 11 months prior to the pilgrimage in December 2021. Currently the motor coaches are limited to 30 people. First come, first served.
- How much will it cost? Itineraries and pricing are released approximately 6 months prior to the trip. Based on previous trips, the cost per person will be $4400-4800 double occupancy.
- What does the cost cover? The cost covers everything except lunch: airfare from Orlando to Tel Aviv, hotels, transportation, touring bus, tips, fees, and the guiding by Father Peter Vasko.
- You can see a sample pilgrimage itinerary at https://ffhl.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/FFHL-Pilgrimage-to-the-Holy-Land-EXAMPLE-ITINERARY.pdf.
Join me for an evening to talk about the Holy Land and find out more, Tuesday July 27, 7-8 p.m.
Next year in Jerusalem!
Father David
NATIVITY UPDATE
Do you have a love for the Sunday Scripture readings, families with school-age children, and sharing our faith in Jesus Christ? The Lord might be calling you to be a catechist. Call JoAnn Elder to discern jelder@nativity.org.
Bishop Noonan will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation this Saturday, June 12 at 230pm. Pray that the Holy Spirit grant our twenty-one young men and women a double portion of His grace!
Father Jorge Torres, the Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Melbourne, has been appointed to serve in the Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), based in Washington, D.C. He begins work on July 12. Pray for Father Jorge and his work to promote a national Eucharistic Revival. https://www.usccb.org/news/2021/rev-jorge-torres-appointed-serve-secretariat-evangelization-and-catechesis-us-conference
Religious Freedom Week is June 22-29. Religious freedom allows the Church and all religious communities to live out their faith in public and to serve the good of all. Beginning June 22, the feast of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher, our bishops invite Catholics to pray, reflect, and act to promote religious freedom. https://www.usccb.org/committees/religious-liberty/religious-freedom-week