Fall 2019 Shrines of France Pilgrimage

Enjoy the views from the ship as we sail past the romantic looking landscapes of forests, small villages, and farms between Paris and Rouen. Many of the houses near the river are old mansions from the XVIIIth and XIXth centuries. There are 29 locks between Paris and Rouen and passing through them is one of the charms of a Seine river cruise. In the morning Dr. D’Ambrosio will retrace for us the footsteps of Joan of Arc, as we prepare for our visit of Rouen, the preeminent capital of Normandy. Rouen offers a restored medieval quarter and a marvelous Gothic cathedral of Notre Dame, often painted by the artist Claude Monet. Throughout its turbulent history, the city was devastated several times including during the Middle Ages, when it was devastated by the plague. The English occupied it during the Hundred Years War, at which time the French heroine Joan of Arc (Jeanne d’Arc) was tried for heresy and burned at the stake in the central square in 1431. During WWII, Allied bombing raids laid waste to large parts of the city, especially the area south of the cathedral, but over the last six decades the city has been meticulously rebuilt. We tour the city on foot and celebrate Mass at the Church of St. Joan of Arc where she was brutally murdered. Return to the ship for dinner and overnight. (B, L, D)

We travel to the charming coastal town of Honfleur with its skinny, soaring houses. For more than a thousand years, sailors have enjoyed Honfleur’s ideal location, where the Seine River greets the English Channel, and 19th-century Impressionists were captivated by the town’s unusual light — also the result of its river-meets-sea setting. Honfleur escaped the bombs of World War II, and today offers a romantic port enclosed on three sides by sprawling outdoor cafés. We celebrate Mass and have time to explore this lovely city on our own before returning to the ship for dinner and the overnight. (B, L, D)

Today we disembark from our ship, saying goodbye to the wonderful crew members, who have become our friends and drive to Lisieux, home of St. Therese the Little Flower. Along the way, we stop at a local working farm to see how the various cheeses Normandy is famous for, some of which we have tasted during our cruise, are made. Upon arrival in Lisieux, we visit all the places associated with the life of the Saint and her parents, including a visit to Les Buisonnets, her humble dwelling. We visit the magnificent Basilica of St. Therese where we also visit the Crypt. Mass will be celebrated. Dinner and overnight in Lisieux. (B, D)

Today we transfer to the airport for a short flight to Toulouse. Not many people realize that one of the great theologians of the Catholic Church, St. Thomas Aquinas is buried in Toulouse. We see his burial site at the Jacobian Church, before departing for Lourdes. Mass will be celebrated. Dinner and overnight in Lourdes. (B, D)

Following breakfast, we visit the Basilica which includes the sanctuary and the Grotto. We watch a video presentation that explains in detail, the story of Lourdes. We have time for private prayer and reflection. Mass will be celebrated. This evening we join the Candlelight Procession. (April -October only TBC) (B, D)

Today we visit the Grotto, where Our Lady appeared to Bernadette; drink water from the miraculous spring that has healed many and visit the healing baths. We see Boly Mill, the birthplace of St. Bernadette and the “Cachot,” an abandoned prison where Bernadette’s impoverished family lived. We pray the Stations of the Cross and attend a Blessing of the Sick in the afternoon. Mass will be celebrated. We have our farewell dinner in a local restaurant with a choice of beer or wine as we celebrate the wonderful experiences and spiritual enrichment we encountered during this wonderful trip. Dinner and overnight in Lourdes. (B, Special dinner)

After breakfast, we are transferred to Toulouse airport for our flight home. (B)