St. Joseph s Pilgrimage to Italy November 1 10, 2009 Join Msgr. Don Fischer for a transformative pilgrimage to Italy. For the past several years, Msgr. Fischer has guided members of St. Joseph parish to places of great historical and religious significance as a way to promote continuing education and faith formation as participants walk in the footsteps of visionary men and women of faith. We begin our journey in Orvieto, a beautiful town just outside of Rome where we will have a chance to unwind from our flight and visit the beautiful cathedral. We will visit the spiritually rich town of Assisi, exploring the heritage of St. Francis and St. Clare and enjoy a day excursion to Siena to visit the home of St. Catherine. Our program concludes in Rome where we explore the heritage of early Christians and the great apostles Peter and Paul. We will visit ancient monuments and basilicas, see some of the greatest museums in the world and enjoy enchanting outdoor cafes. Travel to some of the most beautiful cities in Italy, places where great artists and visionaries have created masterpieces that not only dazzle the eye but awaken profound spiritual and aesthetic experiences. We will visit cathedrals, shrines, monasteries and other places of great religious significance where men and women made the Gospel come to life in rich and powerful ways. Savor the great art, warm hospitality and the creative cuisine of the Italians. Italy combines beautiful geography and architecture in a lively culture that invites busy Americans to slow down and enjoy great food, intimate squares and the good nature of the Italians. We are all members of a global community that is increasingly interdependent. The future of our world depends on our cultivating a spirit of hospitality, respect, understanding and compassion for one another. Enlightenment comes in many forms, but we believe that there are few life experiences more moving than exploring other cultures, meeting people of diverse backgrounds, and becoming a citizen of the world leading and inspiring respectful and compassionate ways of life.
Our Program Sunday, November 1 We depart Dallas today on an overnight flight to Rome. Dinner and breakfast will be served on the flight. Monday, November 2 We arrive in Rome and are met, assisted and transferred to our hotel in Orvieto. We will have some free time to relax, freshen up, adjust to the new time zone and explore the central historic district of Orvieto. We will gather together this evening for a Welcome dinner. Overnight in Orvieto. Orvieto, founded by Etruscans, was a major religious center until the Romans invaded in 265 BC. It became part of the Papal States and a home away from home for 32 Popes. The city center is full of medieval charm, and the Cathedral with its wonderful Gothic facade is richly decorated with mosaics and bas-reliefs. Tuesday, November 3 Breakfast. This morning we will have a tour of the Cathedral with Mass in the Chapel of the Real Presence. We will have some free time here before continuing on to Assisi for dinner and overnight. The beautiful multi-leveled Basilica of St. Francis was inaugurated in 1228 to commemorate the life of Francis and provide a place to gather around his tomb. The three levels are richly decorated with frescos of Giotto, Cimabue, Martini and Lorenzetti narrating events in the lives of Francis and Jesus and celebrating the virtues of Franciscan spirituality. The picturesque convent and chapel of San Damiano in the valley below Assisi was rebuilt by St. Francis and served as the home for St. Clare. It was here that Francis heard the voice of Christ from the cross telling him to rebuild His Church. Thursday, November 5 Breakfast. Today we will visit the monastery in La Verna including the hermitage. We will celebrate Mass at the Chapel of the Stigmata. Later, we travel to Msgr. Fischer s home near Arezzo for a relaxed lunch. We return to Assisi for dinner and overnight. In 1213, LaVerna was given to Francis as a retreat "specially favorable for contemplation". Francis withdrew here in 1224 to fast for forty days in preparation for Michelmas, and while praying on the mountainside, he received the stigmata. Assisi is a graceful, serene and enchanting Umbrian hill town built of pink stone and encircled by medieval walls. The basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare welcome pilgrims at both ends of the city underscoring the spiritual heritage of the two local saints who called for a return to evangelical simplicity. Assisi preserves the spirit of St. Francis and St. Clare and offers an opportunity for personal reflection and prayer in a spiritually rich setting. Wednesday, November 4 After breakfast we will celebrate Mass at the tomb of St. Francis followed by a guided visit of the Basilica. Then we will visit the Convent of San Damiano. The afternoon is free. Dinner and overnight in Assisi. Friday, November 6 Breakfast. We will spend this day visiting Siena. In the morning we will have a guided tour of the Cathedral and campo followed by a walking tour of the central historic sites. We will have some free time for lunch. Later this afternoon we will visit the House of St. Catherine and celebrate Mass. We return to Assisi for dinner and overnight. Siena, a city reminiscent of medieval times, set in the Tuscan hills, has Gothic streets and is surrounded by huge ramparts. St. Catherine was born in Siena in 1347. She became a Dominican nun at 16 years of age. Throughout her life she experienced a
calling from God and it is believed that she had the Stigmata at one point. The Cathedral in Siena is truly a museum, exhibiting marble panels with intarsia drawings of mythological characters by forty different artists. Narrative scenes of Jesus' life are carved into panels in the pulpit. Frescoes and statues are also found in the Cathedral existing as tools to celebrate Christian spirituality. The Piazza del Campo is a brick plaza shaped like a trapezoid with rounded corners. The brick is divided into nine compartments symbolizing the different major governments that ruled the city during its most prosperous period. Saturday, November 7 After breakfast today we will travel to Rome. Upon arrival we will visit St. Paul Outside the Walls. The afternoon is at leisure. Overnight in Rome. St. Paul Outside the Walls is built over the burial site of St. Paul and near the location of his martyrdom. The original basilica, burned in a fire in 1823. It was rebuilt according to the original 4th century plan, allowing visitors to experience a pristine example of Constantinian-era monumental basilicas. Recent archaeological work has provided greater support to the belief that the sarcophagus under the main altar is that of the Apostle Paul. The church boasts beautiful mosaics and a graceful medieval cloister. Sunday, November 8 Breakfast. This morning we will celebrate Mass in the crypt of St. Peter's Basilica with time to visit the Basilica, climb the dome and shop. We will attend the Angelus in St. Peter s Square at 12:00. This afternoon we will have a guided visit to the Roman Forum, the Colosseum and the Basilica of San Clemente (including the Scavi). Overnight in Rome. The largest church in the world and center of Christian pilgrimage for centuries, St. Peter s Basilica is utterly breathtaking in size, beauty and spiritual inspiration. Constantine erected a major basilica over the tomb of St. Peter on this site in the 4th century; in the 1500 s, great Renaissance artists built the current building. Some of the major features include: Michelangelo s Dome, Bernini s Baldachino, Bernini s Chair of Peter, detailed mosaics, and the crypt. Some may wish to climb to the top of the dome or visit the crypt and tombs of the Popes. The Roman Forum began as a gathering place and center of trade for communities of people living on the seven hills surrounding the site in the 8th century BC. The marshy land was drained with an innovative sewer (the Cloaca Maxima) in the 6th and 7th centuries BC and transformed by the Etruscans with temples and other administrative buildings. Following the Etruscans, the Romans continued to transform the site from the Republican era through the end of the Empire. For centuries, the Forum was the symbol of Roman power with its large Senate building, great temples, triumphal arches, and the Rostrum where emperors and orators would speak to the local citizens. Despite years of ruin, the Forum is still an impressive site and easily evokes a feel for the life and times of ancient Rome. The Flavian amphitheatre built over part of Nero s palace and next to a colossal statue (thus Colosseum) was the largest in the Roman Empire and entertained the Roman populace with gladiator battles, staged wildlife hunts, and other spectacles. Although used as a quarry for the marble to build many medieval and Renaissance churches (including St. Peter s), it is in amazingly good shape and easily evokes the grandeur of Imperial Rome! The Basilica of San Clemente offers a unique opportunity to explore the chronology of Christianity at Rome. The current 12th century basilica is one of the most graceful and beautiful in Rome - boasting an impressive Byzantine-style apse mosaic and decorative marble choir enclosure. The 12th century building rests on the ruins of a 4th century basilica that was built over 1st and 2nd century Roman buildings. The 4th century building was one of the first "in town" major churches built after Constantine and represents a significant achievement for a local congregation. The 1st and 2nd century buildings tell us a lot about the sociology of the Christian community that met here. There is also an impressive Mithraic temple helping visitors appreciate other competing religions during the early centuries of Christianity at Rome.
Monday, November 9 Breakfast. Today is at leisure. Our hotel is equipped with a hospitality desk available to help set up optional visits. This afternoon we will gather to celebrate Mass at our hotel followed by a Farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Rome. Tuesday, November 10 After breakfast we will transfer to the airport for our return flight to Dallas.. Inclusive Features Roundtrip air transportation via regularly scheduled flights between Dallas and Rome. First class hotel accommodations in twin-bedded rooms with private baths as follows: o Orvieto ~ 1 night o Assisi ~ 4 nights o Rome ~ 3 nights Continental buffet breakfast served daily in the hotels. One welcome dinner in Orvieto. Four dinners at the hotel in Assisi. One lunch in Arezzo. One farewell dinner at a local restaurant in Rome including beverages. Services of a professional tour manager in Italy. Transportation via private deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach with English speaking assistance. Privately guided sightseeing with government-licensed local guides as per itinerary. Luggage, porterage, road and local taxes.. Program Prices $3325.00 per person based on double occupancy $ 700.00 supplement for single room occupancy $ 400.00 additional - airline taxes, airport fees, security fees, fuel surcharges (estimate as of December 16, 2008) Please note: Single rooms for single use are limited to 10% of the total number of rooms reserved. Thereafter, double rooms for single use will be secured at a supplemental cost of approximately 150%. Land Only Program Prices: (excludes all air transportation and airport transfers) $3025.00 per person based on double occupancy $ 700.00 supplement for single room occupancy All prices listed are discounted for payment by check. When paying with a credit card you will be charged the standard base price which is 5% higher. Travel Insurance Premiums: $ 158.60 Deluxe Group Travel Insurance Plan $ 237.90 Deluxe Plan with Cancel for Any Reason The Group Deluxe Insurance plan is optional. If you wish to purchase the plan, the premium is due with the initial deposit. Illume recommends that you purchase travel insurance to cover the cost of the investment you will make. Travel insurance provides peace of mind and protection against the unexpected. Please read the illume Conditions and Clauses attached to the Program Registration Application to review the charges that will apply in the event that you cancel your program participation. Illume offers several options to travel insurance. To learn more click on the Travel Insurance link provided on the Travel Resource Center for your program: www.travelillume.com/trc/mgb The prices are based on availability of services at the time registration material is received; currency exchange rates in effect December 16, 2008 and on 2008 land and air tariffs and are subject to change. All services are provided subject to Illume s Conditions and Clauses.
Program Registration: Complete the Registration Application. Forward with your $ 800.00 deposit per person no later than March 1, 2009 to: Msgr. Donald Fischer St. Joseph s Parish 600 S. Jupiter Rd. Richardson, TX 75081 (972) 231-2951 dfischer@stjosephcc.net Balance of payment due not later than: August 1, 2009 Program No. 9433.09