Year of Faith Pilgrimage to Italy - The Happy Priest Extends an Invitation

A pilgrimage to Rome and the shrines of Italy is a perfect way to celebrate the Year of Faith.

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (Catholic Online) - Many of you have been reading my homilies and articles on Catholic Online for the past few years.  I am putting together a pilgrimage to Italy for the Year of Faith, and it just occurred to me that maybe some of you would like to join me. 

I have six places left for our tour. 

We are leaving from Houston, Texas on June 5 and returning on June 14.  No matter where you are located you can join us in Houston or meet us in Frankfurt, Germany where we take a plane for Venice, Italy.

Venice is the first city of Italy that we will visit.  After Venice, we will visit Padua, Florence, Siena, Assisi, Orvieto and then we will spend three days in Rome.

The highlight of the trip will be the General Audience with our new Holy Father, Pope Francis. 

Rome is the center of our Catholic Faith.  It is where Saint Peter, Saint Paul and so many martyrs gave the supreme witness of their lives for the Faith.  It is the home of great saints, beautiful basilicas and churches.  It is the city where every Catholic needs to visit at least once. 

This special pilgrimage coincides with the Year of Faith proclaimed by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI to remember the fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council and the twentieth anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 

This journey to Rome and to the shrines of Italy also coincides with the twenty-fifth anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood.

I was ordained in Rome, on December 24, 1987 and I celebrated my first Mass the following day at Saint Mary Major, a magnificent second century basilica dedicated to the Blessed Mother.

Saint Mary Major is part of our trip and I will be celebrating Mass there at the same altar where I celebrated my first Mass twenty-five years ago. 

Moses Khano of Inspirational Tours and his staff have a remarkable reputation for putting together affordable and superbly organized pilgrimages that thousands of people have enjoyed for many years. 

The cost of the ten day trip is $3,090.00.  The price includes everything except lunch and tips. 

If you would like to join me, or if you need more information please call Inspirational Tours at (713) 961 - 2785. 

Father James Farfaglia is a contributing writer for Catholic Online You can visit him on the web at www.fatherjames.org.

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