July 16 – 28, 2023 – SAVE THE DATE 

Join Fr. David Kidd of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Toledo, and Central Catholic High School on a pilgrimage of FAITH to Rome and Assisi, Italy and Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina!

We are currently waiting for the air to become available to see how the layout of the pilgrimage will flow. 

Behold the most stunning spiritual and temporal treasures of our universal Church in Rome, walk in the footsteps of Saint Francis and Clare in Assisi, and deepen your devotion to the Blessed Mother in the world-renowned Marian pilgrimage site of Medjugorje. Fr. Kidd spent years in seminary in Rome, so you do not want to miss his inside knowledge of the Eternal City! Fr. Kidd will offer the sacrifice of the Holy Mass daily.

To make sure you are notified as soon as details become available, contact Maggie McDaniel at 419-290-8782 or maggie@catholicfaithjourneys.com

Potential Itinerary*
*Subject to change!!

Day 1: Depart USA
Overnight flight to Rome.

Day 2: Transfer to Assisi
Arrive in Rome where you will be met by your tour escort and awaiting motor coach after clearing customs and retrieving your luggage. Transfer to Assisi and check in at your Hotel. Welcome dinner and overnight in Assisi. (D)

Day 3: Assisi
After breakfast, enjoy a guided tour of Assisi. We will visit the breathtaking Basilica of St Francis with its singular frescos and have the opportunity to pray at the grave of St. Francis, the Church of Santa Chiara, which houses her incorrupt body, and the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels, a towering basilica built over the poor chapel of St. Francis, the Portiuncula. Late afternoon and evening free to explore the many winding streets filled with shops and cafes. Dinner tonight at your hotel. (B, D)

Day 4: Assisi
This day is yours to explore the home of St. Francis and St. Clare! Suggestions include the mountainside Hermitage Carceri, St. Clare’s San Damiano convent, San Rufino, and Rocca Maggiore. Dinner tonight at your hotel. (**Depending on flight schedules/availability the group may travel via overnight Ferry to/from Croatia, in which case this day’s itinerary would change.) (B, D)

Day 5: Assisi / FCO – Split
After breakfast, transfer to Rome airport (FCO). Upon arrival in Split, Croatia, private bus transfer to Medjugorie, Bosnia-Herzegovina. . (Depending on flight schedules/availability the group may travel via overnight Ferry to/from Croatia).

Day 6, 7, 8: Medjugorje
World-renown place of Marian devotion, the small town of Medjugorje is a place where Catholics from all over the world seek to renew and deepen their faith. ***We will be staying with the visionary Mirjana in Hotel Soldo.***
The most beautiful feature of Medjugorje is its simplicity, and its peace. The activity of the town revolves around the Sacraments of the Church, including daily Mass, Confession, blessing of the sick, as well as daily opportunities to participate in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, devotions of the rosary and Stations of the Cross. The local guide will accompany your group throughout your stay in the village. We will stay in the hamlet of Bijakovici, just across the fields from St. James Church, the Franciscan parish of Medjugorje. (B, D)

Some activities that may accompany you in your spiritual journey these next few days include:

Attend Daily Mass: Each morning, at 10:00A.M, your group will assemble at St. James Church for Mass (English Speaking). At the end of each Mass, regardless of language, there is a blessing of the religious articles that you have with you. On Feast Days, and Sundays: English Mass is at Noon

Climb Apparition Hill: This mountainous hill is where the alleged visionaries first encountered Our Lady. Also, at the base of this hill is a Blue Cross, where it is said Our Lady appeared to the children while they hid from the communist police in the early days of the alleged apparitions. When climbing, your group is invited to recite the Rosary, pausing five times for each decade of the Rosary. At the top of the hill, you will witness the exact location of the first alleged apparition of Our Lady to the visionaries, and enjoy private time in prayer. 

Climb Mt. Krizevac (Cross Mountain): In 1933, the villagers built a 30’ high cross atop a mountain to commemorate Jesus’ passion and death on the cross. Your group will have the opportunity to climb this mountain, and venerate that very cross. When climbing, your group is invited to pray the Stations of the Cross (to meditate on Jesus’ suffering Road to Calvary), pausing fifteen times for each Station. 

Apparitions: Each evening at 5PM or 6PM daylight savings time, your group will join the villagers and fellow pilgrims of Medjugorje in saying the Rosary as all anxiously await the alleged arrival of Our Lady to the visionaries. Following, at 6:40P.M (5:40 P.M. during Daylight Savings Time), feel free to stay at St. James Church and attend the Croatian Mass. Following the Croatian Mass, there is a Blessing of the Sick. 

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Our Lady has always called us to be close to her Son. For this, you will have the opportunity to adore the Blessed Sacrament at the outside altar of St. James Church. Adoration is held on Tuesdays and Saturdays; Veneration of the Cross is held on Fridays inside the church. Additionally, there is an Adoration Chapel on the grounds of St. James Church. Adoration is held here in the afternoon hours.

Visit to the Community of Cenacolo: You will have the opportunity to visit the community of Cenacolo, founded by the Sisters of Charity, for young men and women who have taken a wrong path and are on the road to recovery. You will be able to listen to their inspirational words about their journeys back to Jesus Christ. 

Prayer at the Statue of the Risen Christ: Located on the grounds of St. James Church, is the bronze statue of the Risen Christ. Many pilgrims sit and pray on the benches surrounding this peaceful statue. This statue miraculously seeps droplets of water at all times of the day, out of Christ’s right knee. (B, D)

Day 9: Medjugorje / FCO
Pick up at the hotel, transfer to Split. Flight to Rome. Upon arrival, dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B,D) (Depending on flight schedules/availability the group may travel via overnight ferry to/from Croatia).

Day 10: Rome
We begin the day with Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by time to explore this amazing and beautiful Catholic basilica. In the afternoon, we visit ancient Rome, including the Capitoline Hill, the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill, Circus Maximus, Colosseum, Arches of Titus and Constantine, to learn about the Roman context within which the Catholic Church was born and saw its early expansion (B, D).

Day 11: Rome
Pending the Holy Father’s schedule, we begin the day with a Papal Audience. In the afternoon, we will explore the Catacombs of San Sebastian, the Appian Way, and the Quo Vadis Chapel (B, D).

Day 12: Rome
Today we explore the most important Roman Basilicae. In the morning we will visit St. John Lateran and climb the Scala Sancta. After lunch, we will visit and celebrate mass at Santa Maria Maggiore, and St. Paul Outside the Walls. (B,D).

Day 13: FCO / USA
After breakfast, transfer to the airport. (B)

For additional information, questions, or to join us contact us at 419-290-8782 or maggie@CatholicFaithJourneys.com