The document describes a spiritual pilgrimage to Italy from June 26 to July 4, 2011. It provides a daily itinerary with details of religious sites to visit each day, including masses and prayers. Key locations include Rome, Assisi, the Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the basilicas and tombs of various saints. The pilgrimage is intended to bring participants closer to God through experiencing important places in the Catholic faith and church history.

1. Spiritual Pilgrimage: June 26–July 4, 2011
Pilgrimage organized by Deacon Tom & Mary Jane Fox, directors
The Pilgrim Center of Hope: A Catholic Evangelization Ministry in the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
7680 Joe Newton Dr. San Antonio, TX 782451
phone: 1.210.521-3377 / dtmjfox@pilgrimcenterofhope.org
June 26, 27 - DEPARTURE
Excitement, anticipation, joy and wonder accompany the pilgrims in their thoughts and conversation as
they travel across the Atlantic Ocean to Italy, the land of the saints, of martyrs, and the home of the Vicar
of Christ! Upon arrival in Rome, we will see the Coliseum and view the Arch of Constantine, raised
around 318 A.D. to commemorate Constantine‘s victory. We‘ll have Mass at Sacred Heart Church and
time to pray and make preparations for the following days.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you call us each by name. Thank you! We ask your blessing upon each pilgrim.
May they have a safe journey and may their journey of faith bring them closer to your Sacred Heart. Lord
Jesus, hold us in your arms and protect us always. Glory be to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy
Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and forever. Amen.
June 28 - ROME
The day will begin by visiting St. Callixtus Catacombs. ―These Catacombs are the most important and
imposing of the sixty catacombs of Rome. They may be considered as ‗the cradle of Christianity and the
archives of the primitive Church,‘ because they illustrate the usage and customs of the early Christians,
the Credo (the religious beliefs) they professed, and the history of martyrdom. The sepulchers, now
empty, once contained the remains of nine popes and of eight bishops of the 3rd century. You can still
see the original inscriptions on the wall—though broken and incomplete—regarding five of the popes.
Their names are written in Greek, following the official usage of the Church in that time.‖
(www.catacombe.roma.it)
Traveling along the Appian Way, we will break for lunch nearby.
The afternoon will be spent visiting two Papal Basilicas: the Basilica of St. Mary Major & the Basilica of
St. John Lateran. This Basilica of St. Mary Major is the most ancient Christian basilica dedicated to the
Virgin Mary, one of the most important shrines in the world dedicated to our Blessed Mother. Its Pauline
Chapel has an icon painted by St. Luke the Evangelist; it is also believed to be a miraculous one. Our
daily Mass will be celebrated here.
The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the Cathedral of Rome. It is dedicated to both St. John the Baptist and
St. John the Evangelist. The Altar of the Holy Sacrament contains a cedar table that is said to be the one
used by Christ at the Last Supper. The Pope gives his benediction from this Basilica on Holy Thursday.
Large statues of Christ and the saints, dating from the 18th century are found along the side.
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2. Nearby, the Scala Santa (Holy Staircase) is believed to be a staircase from Pontius Pilate‘s palace in
Jerusalem and brought to Rome in the 4th century by St. Helen. It is a practice for the faithful to climb
the staircase on their knees in memory of Christ‘s Passion. There will be time for pilgrims to purchase
religious items in the Vatican area to have blessed by Pope Benedict XVI during Papal Mass on June
29th!
PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of the Catholic Church, for the witness and courage of St. Peter
and the many Christians who gave their lives for love of you and the Church. May the Holy Spirit help us
in moments of doubt and of conflict to turn to you and have hope! Amen.
June 29 – ROME (Feast of Sts. Peter & Paul)
Today marks a historical moment in the life of Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller and of the Archdiocese
of San Antonio! We will join Archbishop Gustavo in the Basilica of St. Peter for Mass with Pope
Benedict XVI during which our Archbishop will receive the Pallium from the Holy Father.
Symbolic of the office of an Archbishop, the pallium is a vestment proper to the Pope, who confers it on
archbishops as a sign of their union with and obedience to him. The pallium itself is a band of woolen
cloth worn around the neck, with short pendants of the same material hanging down in the front and back,
and decorated with six black crosses. It is woven of wool from two lambs that are presented to the pope
each year at the Basilica of St. Agnes in Rome on the saint‘s feast day (January 21). After Mass, the
group is invited to the Pontifical North American College (NAC) located near St. Peter‘s Basilica. NAC,
a seminary for American seminarians from various dioceses, will host a reception for the Archbishop
Gustavo Garcia-Siller and Archbishop Jose Gomez in celebration of their palliums.
The afternoon is free to choose to visit some of the many churches, piazzas and historical sites in Rome!
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the gift of the priesthood! Through the priest, also called ―in persona
Christi,‖ we receive the Eucharist and their vocation of service in love, faith and charity. Lord, thank you
for Archbishop Gustavo. May the Holy Spirit inspire him to shepherd the flock you have bestowed upon
him! Thank you for the priests in our lives that have led us to live a life of faith! Bless the pilgrims and
all of us baptized in the faith, that the Holy Spirit will stir within all of us a desire to learn more about the
history and riches of the Catholic Church. We praise you Father in Heaven! Thank you Lord Jesus!
Come Holy Spirit and ignite us with the fire of your love! Amen.
June 30 - ROME
The morning will be in the Vatican area. The first stop is the Vatican Museum, which will include the
famous Sistine Chapel, then to St. Peter‘s Basilica where we will receive a private tour of St. Peter‘s
Basilica. As we approach the Basilica, pilgrims are filled with excitement as they anticipate entering the
most recognized Church in the world! How many Christians long to walk through these doors to see the
richness of the faith displayed in sacred art, and to pray at the site where Peter—an Apostle and the first
pope—is buried? St. Peter was crucified upside down in Rome; his tomb is located under the main altar.
The blood of martyrs is the seed of the faith.
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3. After lunch, we will visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls for Mass in the reserved chapel. This
Basilica is the second largest in Rome after St. Peter‘s, and houses the Tomb of St. Paul under the main
altar. The Basilica also offers: mosaics of the popes, Chapel of the Crucifix (where St. Brigid prayed
often), Chapel of St. Benedict, and a reliquary room with relics of Saints.
PRAYER: ―Holy God, we praise thy name; Lord of all we bow before thee! All in Heaven above adore
thee. Infinite thy vast domain, everlasting is thy reign!‖ Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Your servants
and witnesses of faith & hope that lived through the centuries. May we be reminded of their example to
desire to grow in faith, hope and charity! Glory be to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it
was in the beginning is now and will be forever. Amen.
July 1 - ASSISI
We depart this morning to Assisi. Although it is only 102 miles north of Rome, the drive is around three
hours due to the heavy traffic between these two cities and a stop along the way! Upon arrival in Assisi,
the group will enjoy local cuisine for lunch. In the afternoon, a member of the Franciscan religious
community will guide the pilgrims in a tour of the Basilica of St. Francis. The church is dedicated to St.
Francis; he died in Assisi on October 3, 1226. Less than two years later, plans began to construct a church
in his honor by his own community, the friars, and the people of Assisi. The tour takes pilgrims in the
upper and lower church, including the crypt where the tomb of St. Francis is located. It is a peaceful,
grace-filled, small area; so much like the saint himself!
We will hear about the life of St. Francis; explanations of frescoes by Giotto of the 13th century. His
frescoes are based on the life of Francis as recorded by St. Bonaventure and the history of Assisi related
to the life of Francis. The Basilica of St. Francis also has a Chapel of Relics, including personal items that
belonged to Francis. One item on display is Francis‘ simple brown habit. Afterwards, we have time to
pray and rest in this historic and sacred place. The afternoon will end with Mass in the Chapel of St.
Catherine of Alexandria located in the church. This Basilica has two floors, and was built shortly after
the saint‘s death. After Mass, we will go to the crypt of the Church to pray at the Tomb of St. Francis.
Before returning to the hotel, we‘ll enjoy walking the ancient, cobblestone paths of Assisi, enjoying views
of the Umbria valley.
PRAYER: Lord, Saint Francis was called ‗another Christ.‘ His great and deep love for you led him to live
a life of poverty, deep prayer and charity. May those on pilgrimage encounter the spirit of St. Francis!
May we all be given the fortitude and wisdom in following your Holy Will as St. Francis and his
followers did before us. St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us to remain faithful to the Lord! Glory be to the
Father, to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and will be forever. Amen.
July 2 - ASSISI
This morning, we will visit two holy sites: the Basilica of St. Clare and the Church of San Damiano. The
Basilica of St. Clare, dedicated to one of Francis‘ followers, is the location of the Tomb of St. Clare along
with a display of various personal items of both Clare and Francis. Upon entering the Basilica, the
famous San Damiano Crucifix is found in a side chapel. This crucifix, a unique icon of Christ on the
cross surrounded by images of the apostles, was originally in a tiny chapel in the country of Assisi. When
Francis prayed before this Crucifix, he heard the Lord speak to him, ―Francis rebuild my church which is
in ruins.‖ That moment is significant in the life of Francis.
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4. San Damiano Church is the location of Clare‘s convent where she and her community of Sisters lived a
contemplative life of prayer. Seeing the ancient convent with its simplicity gives us another sign of the
community‘s simple life. Clare died in this convent.
Pilgrims will enjoy lunch on their own. Assisi offers so many pizzerias, restaurants, cafes; most with
beautiful views of the valley.
The afternoon will be spent in the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. This large church is built over the
little chapel of the porziuncola where St. Francis started his community. The church has a small room
where St. Francis died and has many of his relics.
In the Bull for the canonization of St. Francis, Pope Gregory IX wrote: ―Francis imitated the example of
our father Abraham, when he spiritually left his land, his parents and the house of his father to move
towards the land the Lord had shown him with his divine inspiration.‖
A chapel has been pre-reserved for our pilgrims to pray the Rosary; a prayer based on the Gospel of Luke,
chapter 1. The Rosary will be offered for you, your intentions, and for the pilgrim group – that our
pilgrimage, which has been an investment in our spiritual life, will remain a memorable and fruitful one
for the rest of our lives.
We will enjoy our last meal and night in Assisi. The evening‘s meal will consist of the local Umbria
cuisine; beginning with the famous prayer of St. Francis: Canticle of the Creature.
PRAYER: Lord slow us down. Sometimes we get so busy that so many distractions challenge our values
and priorities. Taking the time to be present and see the beauty you created can be an inspiration and lead
us to praise you. St. Francis and St. Clare, you responded to the Lord‘s call to follow Him
unconditionally. Pray for us to remain faithful to the Lord. Glory be to the Father, to the Son and to the
Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and will be forever. Amen.
July 3 – ASSISI to ROME
This morning, we will return to Rome. Before leaving Assisi, our last Mass on this pilgrimage will be at
the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels in Assisi. Upon arrival in Rome; pilgrims will time on their own
to visit other churches, historical sites or simply enjoy the ambiance of Rome, the ‗Eternal City!‘
PRAYER: ―O God, you are my God – for you I long! …For your love is better than life, my lips offer you
worship! I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands, calling on your name.‖ (Psalm 62:2,5)
July 4 – RETURN HOME
The pilgrims depart from Rome filled with many good memories, trusting that many blessings and graces
were bestowed upon all!
PRAYER: O Lord, guide Your servants safely home and in the path of Your salvation, that amid all the
changes and chances of this life they may ever be sheltered by Your help. Bless us Lord with your
protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our pilgrimage continues! Thank you Lord for walking with us, for your Presence in our lives! ...
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5. Thank you, Blessed Virgin Mary, for your intercession! St. Joseph, pray for us! St. Peter, pray for us! St.
Paul, pray for us! St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us! St. Clare of Assisi, pray for us!
―Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden
and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed
on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.‖ (Hebrews 12:1-2)
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