John Paul Tours Demo

O Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ and Mother of priests, accept this title which we bestow on you to celebrate your motherhood and to contemplate with you the priesthood of, your Son and of your sons, O holy Mother of God. O Mother of Christ, to the Messiah – priest you gave a body of flesh through the anointing of the Holy Spirit for the salvation of the poor and the contrite of heart; guard priests in your heart and in the Church, O Mother of the Savior. O Mother of Faith, you accompanied to the Temple the Son of Man, the fulfillment of the promises given to the fathers; give to the Father for his glory the priests of your Son, O Ark of the Covenant. O Mother of the Church, in the midst of the disciples in the upper room you prayed to the Spirit for the new people and their shepherds; obtain for the Order of Presbyters a full measure of gifts,

O Queen of the Apostles. O Mother of Jesus Christ, you were with him at the beginning of his life and mission, you sought the Master among the crowd, you stood beside him when he was lifted up from the earth consumed as the one eternal sacrifice, and you had John, your son, near at hand; accept from the beginning those

who have been called, protect their growth, in their life ministry accompany your sons, O Mother of Priests. Amen. Given in Rome, at St. Peter’s Basilica on March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, in the year 1992 –Pope Saint John Paul II

The Image of the Divine Mercy

Dear Friends in Christ, As our family continues to grow, so does our outreach to pilgrims across the world. I am truly blessed to continue the work of my father’s Catholic pilgrimage ministry offering genuinely exceptional service to the thousands of people who trust us year after year to give them personal service for unforgettable spiritual journeys. Thank you for your continued support of our family’s ministry, for it is you and the faithful whom we serve. Please take a few moments to learn a little about us, how we are different from other pilgrimage organizations, and how we can help you lead the most breathtaking journeys to the beautiful places that hold so much value in our hearts and to our faith. Many Dioceses, Priests, leaders of Catholic organizations and ministries enlist us to provide inclusive pilgrimages for their parishes, schools, programs, benefactors, and fundraising appeals. We specially design every detail to your specific purpose and request, and take care of all of the steps providing custom marketing materials, webpages, information meeting materials, all while maintaining contact with you and your group members before, during and after the trip. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you! I look forward to personally work with you on your next pilgrimage. May God richly bless you, and ever guide your work. Sincerely,

Mark Pierz President and CEO

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Rooftop View of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna

The Pierz family has been blessed to lead over 100,000 people on pilgrimage since 1987. Our sister company in Poland is one of the country’s top three leading pilgrimage organizations! Our Ministry

The Pierz family has been involved with the pilgrimage ministry since 1987. For many years the company has been known as Andrew’s Pilgrimages and Tours, directed by Andrew Pierz. During these years, we have built a US business as well as a sister organization in Poland. In 2013, our US ministry incorporated under the name John Paul Pilgrimages and Tours. JPPT is a family owned and operated continuation of over 25 years of experience in Andrew’s ministry. We draw upon his knowledge and experience with every group we organize. The family has an even closer bond to this holy undertaking in that Mrs. Pierz attended Holy Masses with then-Cardinal Karol Wojtyła in Kraków, Poland as a young child. Some two decades later, Mr. and Mrs. Pierz gave their sons, Michael and Mark, the most breathtaking

opportunity, to meet Pope John Paul II themselves. They met and spoke with him not only once, but several times! Michael entered the seminary and was formed at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy. He was ordained to the Priesthood in 2013. Fr. Michael further studied Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Mark spent several years in Law Enforcement where his passion and leadership led him to quickly climb ranks and hold many highly respected positions. In 2013 he left the field to dedicate his passion to his wife and children, and the family ministry. The Pierz family has a rich history, full of Polish culture and a close relationship to the Holy Roman Catholic Church. We want you to have an awakening of spirit, a rejuvenation of faith, and the peace and grace of the Holy Spirit with you when you travel with us. We do not rush our

pilgrims through the song and dance rhetoric of a ‘typical tour’ where you listen to someone tell you about the construction dates and time period related to the various chapels, shrines, and historical sites all while driving by in a bus as quickly as possible. Our trips are not vacations, or sightseeing tours. A pilgrimage is the time for your parishioners to reflect, grow closer to our Lord, and learn the history of their faith while experiencing different cultures and making new friends. Our guides share a wealth of knowledge with you, but you will still have time for yourselves, time to pray and reflect, and of course, time to go out on your own if you like. We will provide an exclusive experience with your friends, family, and fellow parishioners. We celebrate Holy Mass every day, most often in the very chapel or place we are visiting. This truly is the encounter of a lifetime. A pilgrimage is a journey

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to a sacred destination with our relationship with Our Heavenly Father, Christ Jesus His son, and our Blessed Mother in mind. Many people travel on pilgrimages to leave behind their day-to-day lives for at least a short time and deepen their relationship with God. Others focus on educating themselves on the history of their faith, building their appreciation of how and where things came to be in our faith. Many people see a pilgrimage as a dedication to God, which can lead to forgiveness and healing. It truly is amazing to immerse yourself in the peacefulness of the various sacred places we visit. Often people wonder why it is so important to go on pilgrimage, to see for example the relics of a

‘Eucharistic Miracle’, while realizing a true miracle occurs at every Mass during Consecration. This is a valid thought, but nearly every pilgrim comes to realize we don’t need to see to believe. It is by visiting holy places and learning of the sights, that we are given the opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Lord and remind ourselves of the beauty of our faith. JPPT caters specifically to groups of the faithful and the possibilities are endless. We do not schedule trips and then offer them to individuals around the globe, hoping to get enough people for a ‘quota’. Our trips are started with our organizer’s input. Our group leaders and organizers are your familiar priests or their designee. We

meet with them not only by phone or email, but also in person. JPPT is well connected with airlines, hotel and restaurant owners, and our destinations themselves. We have a small number of very experienced tour guides contracted with our office, one of which will meet you at the airport, then stay with your group until you board your flight home. This is in addition to the many local guides and priests at specific destinations with whom we contract. Over 2,000 priests in the last 25 years have led groups like yours with us on the most remarkable and exclusive journeys you can imagine. Thank you for taking the opportunity to get to know us and our ministry. Please feel free to contact us directly should you have any questions.

“It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be grounded down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and

more fraternal.” - Pope Saint John Paul II Address at World Youth Day Rome, August 19th, 2000

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1. CHOOSE A DESTINATION Choose your destination, dates or preferred date range for your pilgrimage. Ideally, this step occurs six months prior to departure and can take as little as one phone call, however, we can organize your trip as little as 1 month prior to departure if you have the group ready to register and pay . 2. CUSTOMIZE ANY DETAILS Discuss registration options and customize any detail such as specific places to visit, hotel class, and how many meals are included. 3. SPREAD THE WORD We will create and send customized materials such as flyers, brochures, information handouts etc. to the organizer. You will also receive digital files for these materials you can email or print as necessary. We create a web page for your group and host it on our site so interested people can find more information.

6. REFER US Our business relies on your

referrals! Don’t forget to tell your friends how you became a pilgrim and start thinking about where you will go next time you book with John Paul Pilgrimages and Tours.

5. TAKE THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME Sit back and relax. A

representative of our company will be waiting for your group at the arrival airport, and will stay with you until

your departure. If unexpected circumstances arise, you have no reason to worry because we take care of all of the details and arrangements. Our Escorts stay with you at all times, not leaving your group alone at the hotel in the evenings like many other companies often do.

4. PREPARE FOR YOUR TRIP Upon final payment, we will send each registered pilgrim more detailed information about the trip, what to pack, and how to prepare physically and spiritually for your pilgrimage. Approximately 2-4 weeks prior to departure, the organizer will recieve a package with individual pilgrim welcome kits that include airline tickets, hotel information, prayer/song literature, luggage and name tags, water bottle, backpack, emergency contact info, customs/ border crossing info, and other important documents.

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Marian Shrines of Fatima, Spain, and Lourdes Lisbon | Santarém | Fatima | Salamanca | Alba de Tormes | Ávila | Burgos | Loyola | Lourdes

Salamanca, Spain

>> One of the world’s most beloved Shrines, Lourdes is a place to come for healing, peace, and true miracles. Since the Blessed Virgin revealed herself to Bernadette here in 1858, the Church has recognized many cures and miracles here. Our Lady tells us “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Round trip air transportation from major airport near your parish Superior tourist class hotel accommodations double occupancy with bath or shower (single supplement extra) Breakfast daily, most group dinners, with wine and beer, as indicated in Itinerary (B, D) Special events, entertainment, and comprehensive sightseeing programs as indicated in itinerary Transportation by private deluxe motor coach Tour escort and local guides Hotel Service Charges and Taxes US airport taxes, fuel surcharges included** **subject to change in the rare occasion that government/airline fees and fuel costs increase drastically 11 DAYS

Day 1 | USA – Lisbon Depart the USA for your overnight flight to Lisbon, Portugal. Dinner and breakfast will be served on board. Day 2 | Arrive Lisbon Dependent upon the time of our arrival in Lisbon, we may begin with a driving city tour, including the Basilica of the Star, Rossio Square and Commerce Square. We may also visit the Cathedral, St. Jerome’s Monastery and St. Anthony’s Church. We will check into the hotel and have the remainder of the day to rest after our long journey. This evening we enjoy a filling dinner together. (D) Day 3 | Lisbon – Santarém – Fatima Today we travel to Santarém and the Church of St. Stephen, the place of the oldest known Eucharistic miracle on display continually since 1269 AD. We celebrate Holy Mass and continue to Fatima where Our Blessed Virgin appeared to three children crying for peace. (B, D) Day 4 | Fatima Spend all day today in Fatima, the Little Chapel of the Apparitions, the Basilica, the site of Francesco and Jacinta’s graves, and the Hamlet of Aljustrel and Valinhos, where Our Lady appeared when the children returned from being falsely imprisoned. We will walk the Stations of the Cross along Via Sacra ending at the Chapel of Calvary, with a beautiful view of Fatima. Participate in the nightly candlelight procession. (B, D)

Day 5 | Fatima We have the entire day free in Fatima for personal prayer, reflection, and Holy Mass. Again, join in the nightly rosary precession and prayers with thousands of other pilgrims. (B, D) Day 6 | Fatima – Salamanca Begin our trek northeast to Salamanca. Upon arrival we enjoy lunch in the city and later visit a few of its sights such as Plaza Mayor, the Baroque church of La Clerecía, Casa de las Conchas (House of Shells), the University, the Roman Bridge, San Marcos and San Martín churches. (B, D) Day 7 | Salamanca – Alba de Tormes – Ávila – Burgos Today we continue on to the village of Alba de Tormes where we visit the Carmelite Monastery where St. Teresa died and is buried. We celebrate Holy Mass and after some time to ourselves we continue to Ávila. This afternoon will be splendid visiting such a beautiful place devoted to the Doctor of the Church. Visit the Cathedral and San Vicente church, the Incarnation Convent and La Santa Monastery which is built upon the place where the Saint was born, and the San José Convent, the Saint’s first monastery. Later we continue to Burgos. (B, D) Day 8 | Burgos – Loyola – Lourdes Today we continue to the birthplace of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. After Holy Mass we drive on through the stunning Pyrenees Mountains to Lourdes. (B, D)

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SPAIN

Day 9 | Lourdes Our group joins thousands of pilgrims from all over at one of the most frequented pilgrimage sites of the world. We visit the Shrine and take a walking tour of places associated with the life of St. Bernadette, including the Grotto of Massabielle. This is the site upon which a beautiful lady proclaimed to Bernadette that she was the Immaculate Conception. We will also see the Cachot (formerly a jail) where Bernadette lived. The Basilica of St. Pius X, considered the world’s largest underground church, will also be part of the tour. Enjoy private meditation and prayer, including an opportunity to bathe and receive the miraculous water of Lourdes. In the evening, we will participate in the candlelight procession. (B, D) Days 10 | Lourdes We have the entire day free in Lourdes for personal prayer, reflection, and Holy Mass. Again, join in the nightly rosary precession and prayers with thousands of other pilgrims. Tonight, enjoy our last group dinner together reflecting on our beautiful pilgrimage. (B, D) Day 11 | Lourdes – USA Today we say our farewells to Lourdes and transfer to a nearby airport for our flight home. (B)

The Grotto of Massabielle at the Shrine of Lourdes

Basilica of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spain

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“Love is never defeated. And, I could add, the history of Ireland proves that.” Pope Saint John Paul II Galway Ireland September 30, 1979

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IRELAND

Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

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