April 23 - May 2, 2017 | $3,699 From New York Group Coordinator: Judy Salmon
About Father Stan Fortuna, C.F.R.: Fr. Fortuna is a Catholic priest notable for his evangelical musical contributions of various genres, primarily Catholic-based jazz and hip hop. Fr. Fortuna is a United States citizen of Italian and Greek heritage. His lifelong interest in music began in the second grade when he received an electric guitar for Christmas. He spent his formative years playing improvisational sessions in and around New York City. Fortuna studied at one point with the legendary jazz musician, Lennie Tristano, and was an accomplished professional bass player before becoming a priest. Fr. Fortuna is one of the eight original members of the Community of Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, a Franciscan order established by Cardinal John Joseph O'Connor in 1987. Father Stan was ordained as a priest in the Bronx in 1990. Father Fortuna established the non-profit Francesco Productions in 1987 as a means to record and distribute evangelical music, video productions and books as well as handle his speaking and concert engagements; all proceeds benefit the Community's work with the poor of the South Bronx where he lives.
† Round-trip airfare from New York JFK † All Airport Taxes & Fuel Surcharges! † Centrally located first class hotels: (or similar) ~ 1 night: Marques de Pombal or Hotel Mundial, Lisbon, Portugal ~ 2 nights : Santa Maria Jardim, Fatima, Portugal ~ 1 night: Hotel Abba Fonseca, Salamanca, Spain ~ 1 night : Hotel Abba Burgos Hotel, Burgos, Spain ~ 3 nights : Hotel Moderne or Chapelle et Parc, Lourdes, France † Group Transfers as per itinerary † Breakfast and Dinner daily † Wine with dinners † Assistance of a professional local Christian guide(s) † Sightseeing and admissions fees as per itinerary † Mass daily & Spiritual activities †Flight bag & portfolio of all travel documents
Day 1 | Sunday, April 23: Departure for Portugal Board your overnight transatlantic flights to Portugal from your home town. Meals are served on board.
Day 2 | Monday, April 24: Arrive Lisbon Upon arrival in Lisbon you will find your luggage and exit the bag-gage claim into the arrivals hall where you will be greeted by a tour guide and/or driver. You will be escorted to the vehicle which will then take you on a sightseeing tour of this beautiful Portu-guese city. We will visit the Cathedral, St. Jerome's Monastery, Saint Anthony's Church (the patron saint of lost objects), Belem Quarter, the Belem Tower, 25 April Bridge, and Discoveries Monu-ment. Our drive will also take us through the Basilica of the Star, Rossio Square, Commerce Square and Marquee of Pomba Square. We arrive at our hotel in time for dinner
Day 3 | Tuesday, April 25: Lisbon - Santarem - Fatima After breakfast depart for Santarem, one of the oldest cities in the world. We will walk through its narrow streets to the Church of St. Stephen, containing the oldest recorded Eucharistic miracle. This miracle has been on continuous display since 1269 A.D. We will celebrate Mass at this holy site. We then continue on to Fatima, where the Blessed Mother appeared in 1917 to three simple shep-herd children and exhorted mankind to pray for world peace. We arrive in time for dinner and retire for a restful evening.
Day 4 | Wednesday, April 26: Fatima After breakfast, we begin our day celebrating Mass at the Little Chapel of the Apparitions. After Mass we begin our tour of Fatima where we will experience the beauty of this spiritual town. We will see the Basilica, the site of Francesco and Jacinta's graves, the Hamlet of Aljustrel, where the children lived, and Valinhos, the site of Our Lady's appearance after the children's return from prison. Experience Christ's love as you walk and follow the Stations of the Cross along the Via Sacra (The Sacred Way) culminating in the Chapel of Calvary, which overlooks all of Fatima. Join your prayers with those of pilgrims from around the world as you pray for the sick, drink water from the miraculous well. Attend the blessing of the sick and participate in nightly candlelight processions request-ed by Our Lady. Time for private devotions before dinner and a restful night's sleep.
Day 5 | Thursday, April 27: Fatima - Salamanca After a filling breakfast we depart towards the city of Salamanca. Salamanca is the most graceful city in Spain and for four centuries it was the seat of one of the most prestigious universities in the world. We will have a chance to see many of the city's sights in-cluding the grand Plaza Mayor, the hub of Salmantine life; the vast Baroque Church of La Clerecía; the Casa de las Conchas (House of Shells), named after the rows of carved scallop shells symbol of the pilgrimage to Santiago which decorate its façade; the Universi-ty; the Cathedrals; the Roman Bridge; San Marcos and San Martin Churches Bridge; San Marcos and San Martin Churches, and more. We will enjoy a delicious dinner in a local restaurant before contin-uing to our hotel for a restful overnight.
Day 6 | Friday, April 28: Salamanca - Alba de Tormes - Ávila – Burgos
This morning, after breakfast, you will board the bus and enjoy a short transfer (approximately twenty minutes) to the village of Alba de Tormes. This town is home to the Carmelite Monastery that Saint Teresa founded in 1571. Upon arrival in Alba de Tormes, your group will celebrate Mass at this Monastery where the saint died and was buried. Following Mass, you will have the opportunity to visit the small museum dedicated to St. Teresa of Ávila, which also holds her incorrupt heart and left arm. Your group will enjoy free time for lunch on your own, and continue to the medieval city of Ávila (approximately one hour). Upon arrival in Ávila, you will immediately notice the perfectly preserved eleventh-century walls that surround the old town. The conservation of architecture in this city, to which St. Teresa was born, deems its Shrines, convents and Churches necessary to visit on any Catholic pilgrimage. During your visit to Ávila, you will have the opportunity to visit the Catedral de Ávila, whose artwork and architecture encompasses the Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles; la Basilica de San Vicente, of which stands on the site of the martyrdom of St. Vincent; the Incarnation Convent, where St. Teresa became a nun and most interestingly, received advice from St. John of the Cross to reform the Carmelite order; el Convento de Santa Teresa, built upon the home of St. Teresa and contains the relics of hers and of St. John of the Cross; el Convento de San Jose, the first monastery created by St. Teresa as a response to her own incessant question, “What can I do for the Church?” After walking in the footsteps of St. Teresa, your group will transfer to Burgos (approximately two hours and forty minutes). Upon arrival in the historic capital of Old Castile, you will enjoy dinner with your group. Following dinner, you will have the opportunity to explore the city of Burgos, and admire its magnificent limestone, gothic-style Cathedral. Late this evening, you will return to your hotel for a restful overnight.
Day 7 | Saturday, April 29 - Burgos - Loyola – Lourdes
Following breakfast, your group will transfer from Burgos to Loyola (approximately two hours) to visit the birthplace of St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuit Order. St. Ignatius dedicated himself to becoming a soldier of the Christian faith, and as a result of many tribulations, he wrote the ever-famous Spiritual Exercises. In Loyola, you will see the 17th century Basilica that is dedicated to this remarkable Saint. The Basilica is part of a series of buildings that surrounds the “Holy House,” the birthplace of St. Ignatius. When you visit these Holy places, you will also have the opportunity to pray at the most venerated room, where St. Ignatius prayed and began his conversion. After meditating on the life of this founder of the Jesuit Order, you will enjoy free time for lunch and board the bus for the next destination. You will transfer through the spectacular Pyrenees Mountains, to Lourdes (approximately four hours and forty minutes).Upon arrival in Lourdes, you will check-in to your hotel and enjoy a splendid dinner and peaceful overnight.
Day 8 & 9 | Sunday & Monday, April 30 - May 1: Lourdes
Over the next two days, you will wake up in a small town that is nestled within the Pyrenees Mountains. During your time in Lourdes, you will pray and meditate in yet another site of Our Lady’s apparitions. Our Lady first appeared to Bernadette in 1858, and announced herself as “The Immaculate Conception”, near the Grotto of Massabielle. At the first two apparitions, little Bernadette prayed the Rosary with Our Lady and left without any exchange of words. During the following apparitions, Our Lady emphasized God’s love for us, penance and the necessity of performing acts of penance for sinners. Throughout your time in Lourdes, you will have the opportunity to attend Mass at the Grotto of where Our Lady appeared to Bernadette; watch a video presentation that explains, in detail, the story of Lourdes; drink water from the miraculous spring that has healed many; and submerge yourself in the healing baths. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to experience Christ’s unconditional love as you meditate upon the “life size” Stations of the Cross that overlook the Grotto of Massabielle. Also, while in Lourdes, you will walk in and meditate upon the footsteps of St. Bernadette. Your group will have the opportunity to see Boly Mill, the birthplace of St. Bernadette; and the “Cachot,” an abandoned prison where Bernadette’s impoverish family lived. In the evening, you will have free time to attend the Blessed Sacrament Procession before dinner (April-October only). These processions are lit by candlelight and guided by the Most Holy Rosary. Following this prayerful experience, you will return to your hotel for dinner and a restful overnight.
Day 10 | Tuesday, May 2: Return Flights Home After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, your group will leave by motor coach and transfer to the Toulouse, Pau or Lourdes airport for return flights home
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Private Room Options: † Single Supplement / Solo Traveler: $649 † Business Class Trans-Atlantic Upgrade (one-way): $1,750 † Business Class Trans-Atlantic Upgrade (Round-Trip): $3,500 † First Class: available upon request † Children Discount (under 12): available upon request
*Single Supplement option will be available to you after you press the button above.
About Fatima:
The Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima is one of most famous Marian Shrines in the world. Drawn by apparitions of the Virgin Mary to three local shepherd children in 1917. Four million people visit Fatima each year. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to shepherd children on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13th until October 13th. The events at Fatima gained particular fame due to their elements of prophecy and eschatology, particularly with regard to possible world war and the conversion of Russia.
About Spain:
Saint Teresa and Saint Ingatius both hailed from Spain. Saint Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, was a prominent Spanish mystic, Carmelite nun, and writer. Saint Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish knight who became priest and found the Society of Jesus and became its first Superior General.
About Lourdes:
She came for you and for everyone of us! 6 million pilgrims come to Lourdes each year and 10,000 visit this site daily. At the foot of the Pyrenees mountains in southwestern France, nestled between the spectacular mountain river, Gave de Pau, is Lourdes, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the World. Lourdes is the birthplace of St Bernadette to whom Our Lady appeared in 1858 near the Grotto of Massabielle. Our pilgrimage and tour of Lourdes includes visits to the sanctuary and the Basilica of St Pius X, the world's largest underground Church. Drink from the spring that the Virgin directed Bernadette to locate at the base of the Grotto, which has flowed uninterrupted since 1858. Wash yourself in the baths where hundreds of miraculous cures have taken place. Contemplate Christ's Passion as you pray the unique three-dimensional Stations of the Cross. Attend the blessing of the sick, and participate in nightly candlelight processions requested by Our Lady. Daily Mass, and Mass at the Grotto on Sunday will be followed by a video presentation telling the miraculous story of Lourdes. Visit Lourdes and experience a spiritual journey from which many have claimed healing and conversion.
Fr. Stan Fortuna C.F.R.
Candelight Procession, Lourdes, France
Eucharistic Miracle, Church of St. Stephen, Santarem, Portugal
Fr. Stan Fortuna C.F.R.
Fr. Stan Fortuna C.F.R.
Santa Clara Church, Santarem, Portugal
Los Cuatro Postes, Avila, Spain
