marian shrines Pilgrimage 2025

MARIAN PILGRIMAGE
INFORMATION SESSION
 
     I am thrilled that we already have over 30 persons booked on our pilgrimage to the Marian Shrines of Fatima, Santiago, Lourdes and Paris in Lisbon, Spain and France scheduled for September 2-11, 2025. The pilgrimage will allow ample time at the inspiring shrines at Fatima and Lourdes and also wander along the famous Camino de Santiago in Spain. And we conclude our tour in the beautiful city of Paris with a visit to the newly-restored Notre Dame Cathedral. Since we do have room for several more to join us for  this leisurely 10-day tour, I will be hosting an information session on Friday, February 7 at 7:00 pm in the foyer for any who are interested in learning more about this trip. A representative of the Unitours Company will also be present to answer questions.
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
 

MARIAN PILGRIMAGE UPDATE
 January 12, 2025

 I am very happy to announce that our September Marian Pilgrimage to shrines in Portugal, Spain and France now has 28 confirmed commitments. Of those, the following 25 are members of St. Bernard Parish…

Michael & Karen DeFilippis

Dn. Joe & Sharon Ferrari

Wayne & Denise Kaleciak

Shawn and Julie Kane

Charles LoPresti

 Carolyn Malewicki

 Carl & Janet Mazur

 Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA

 Daniel & Rosemary Niemiec

 Jim & Lori Paruszkiewicz

 Patrice Petruzzelli

 Mike & Mary Ponschke

 Rich & Pam Santucci

 Mike & Lourdes Vatch

 Louise Withers

Five others come from various parts of our area. We still have room for up to 12 more participants. Brochures with details of the pilgrimage may be found near the church doors. In the near future, we will be hosting a gathering of all those committed pilgrims and others who are considering joining the pilgrimage.

   Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
 Pilgrimage Chaplain

Click here for the pilgrimage brochure!

I am excited to offer a new opportunity especially for the people of St. Bernard’s. I have begun to plan a pilgrimage to the Marian Shrines of Fatima, Santiago, Lourdes and Paris in Lisbon, Spain and France scheduled for this coming September 2025. I would love to have parishioners and their relatives and friends join us for this leisurely 10-day tour (September 2-11, 2025). The pilgrimage will allow you to spend ample time at the inspiring shrines at Fatima and Lourdes and also wander along the famous Camino de Santiago in Spain. And we conclude our tour in the beautiful city of Paris.

I am very happy to be hosting this tour personally. As one who enjoys travel, I will try to include a sense of prayer in our trip while also offering a fun and relaxing experience touring through Lisbon, Spain and France.  We will stay only in specially selected hotels and enjoy the delicious cuisine of our various stops. And, of course, there will be plenty of time for shopping and personal explorations along the way.

Mass and other prayers will be offered as a regular part of our daily routine. The evening candlelight processions at Fatima and Lourdes promise to be quite inspiring. I am especially excited to visit the newly restored Notre Dame cathedral in Paris which just re-opens this December after the devastating fire of 2019.

The tour cost is $4,999 per person, based on double occupancy hotel, from Chicago. Economical “add-on” air fares are available from many US cities as well. So, spread the word and invite relatives and friends to join you. The cost includes daily breakfast and dinner. Additional costs will be for daily beverages and lunch and, of course, whatever spending money you desire for incidentals, souvenirs and other shopping.

We will be accompanied each day by an English-speaking guide and will travel through the lovely countryside in a modern motor coach or high-speed train. Our tour company, Unitours, is one of the largest tour operators in the world and has been conducting pilgrimages since 1957. So, I am confident that they will give us their best. I am currently working with Unitours to develop a more detailed brochure on this great trip opportunity for us. For more info in the meantime, you can go online to https://bit.ly/McCormickMarian. 

Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA