Jan 2006 - In Denver, Colorado (L to R) Mr. Thomas Pereira, parish training consultant www.GrowYourParish.com , was invited by the Globus and Cosmos religious travel team Ms. Amee Estill and Mr. Kevin Wright , Religious Travel Manager, to begin a program to encourage the formation of travel ministries in parishes. Pastors are encouraged to contact 1-800-800-GROW to learn more about the program as part of helping parishes grow their communities. Globus and Cosmos, a 75 year old company, is the largest tour operator in the country.

Kevin Wright (left), acclaimed Catholic travel author and Religious Travel Manager for Globus and Cosmos; and Thomas Pereira (right) of Cosmo Enterprise met in December 2005 in San Francisco to begin a National Travel Ministry for parishes with the mission of encouraging pastors to start a travel ministry to religious, historical and cultural sights around the world.

   

TOP 10 REASONS TO HAVE A
CATHOLIC TRAVEL MINISTRY

Have you ever imagined a trip to one of the important religious figures, venerating a relic while enjoying the splendor of a very spectacular place often mentioned in the bible during the ancient times? Ever wanted to touch Mt. Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments? Ever had the passion for making a religious pilgrimage to the world’s most remarkable places of worship? Then National Travel Ministry is more than willing to assist you.

The National Travel Ministry Program is another avenue to express our commitment as it espouses more intimate experiences of faith and fellowship to help Catholic communities in America.

From pilgrimages of important religious figures, veneration of a holy relic to tours of the world’s most remarkable places of worship and spectacular places often mentioned in the bible, National Travel Ministry provides the pilgrims with an array of key religious destinations to deepen your knowledge and awareness of the Catholic faith, culture and history.

Our travel partner Globus and Cosmos is a world-class leader in escorted vacations, and specialists in pilgrimage travel.

With National Travel Ministry, your pilgrimage tour will be more than just a travel. It is a very faith-based travel, an immersion of the rich Catholic faith, an unparalled experience full of discovery and insight.

Your travel to the various key religious destinations will not only enrich you. It will quench you and our parish with the most intimate encounter with the roots of our Catholic faith.

So please feel to share your passion for travel to the National Travel Ministry. Please fill up the form below and send them back to us! We will eagerly wait for your response to this call!

PLEASE INCLUDE ME! The National Travel Ministry 2008 Religious Pilgrimages The Irish Faith and History The Legacy of Pope John Paul II The Lourdes and Shrines of France The Marian Shrines of Europe The Classic Shrines of Italy The Grand Catholic Italy First Name:* Last Name:* Address:* City: State:* International AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA PI RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY ZIP Phone No.:* Email Address:* Parish: Pastor: Comments:

So grab the chance to experience a taste of heaven with the National Travel Ministry. Hurry! Savor the splendor of your destinations and worship at the world’s most remarkable places. Pick your choice to any of the following featured 2008 religious destinations:

• The Irish Faith and History 11-day tour will let you become intimately involved in Irish faith and history as you visit Our Lady of Lourdes Church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Oscar Wilde’s Trinity College, Knock Shrine, Church of the Apparition, Folk Museum, Croagh Patrick Visitor Centre, Kylemore Abbey, Aran Heritage Centre and Burren Centre. Also explore dairy farm country in the center of the “Emerald Isle”, enjoy an excursion to Inishmore, relish a panoramic drive around “Ring of Kerry” and a horse-drawn car ride through national park, drop by the world famous crystal factory in Waterford, and see Ireland’s oldest handweaving mill at Avoca.



•The Legacy of Pope John Paul II eight-day tour will allow you to experience first hand the Pope’s hometown, his favorite boyhood shrine, his favorite Marian devotion site, the city and cathedral in which he served as cardinal, and much more. Part of the pilgrimage is a visit to Cathedral of St. John, Warsaw Ghetto, Franciscan Friary, Shrine and the famous Black Madonna, Martyrdom Museum, St. Maximilian Kolbe’s cell, Wawel Castle, St. Mary’s Church, and Shrine of Divine Mercy


•The Lourdes and Shrines of France 11-day tour will immerse your faith as you visit Notre Dame Cathedral, Basilica of Sacre Coeur, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Shrine, St. Vincent de Paul Shrine, St. Peter’s Cathedral, Carmelite Convent, Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine, St. John Vianney Shrine, and Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Also glimpse at the family home of St. Therese, St. Bernadette’s and St. John Vianney. You may also bathe in the healing waters, attend the “Blessing of the Sick,” or join the evening’s rosary and candlelight procession in Lourdes.


•The Marian Shrines of Europe 11- day tour will allow you to visit three of Christianity’s most famous shrines on this unforgettable pilgrimage- Lourdes, Fatima, and Santiago de Compostela. Stops along the way include a visit to Jeronimos Monastery, Church of St. Anthony, Church of the Holy Miracle, Prado Museum and Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. Also visit St. Bernadette’s birth and family homes, bath in the healing waters, attend the “Blessing of the Sick”, or join the evening’s rosary and candlelight procession.


•The Classic Shrines of Italy 10-day tour will let you experience the best of Italy’s famous shrines and cities on this pilgrimage. Discover the history, culture and architecture of Christian faith from Rome, San Giovanni Rotondo to Assisi. Part of the journey are stops to St. Paul Outside the Walls, the Catacombs, St. John Lateran Basilica, the Holy Stairs, St. Mary Major Basilica, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum, Roman Forum. Also visit the Benedictine Abbey, Padre Pio’s friary, Holy House of Loreto, St. Mary of the Angels Basilica and the Portiuncula. Also indulge in the sights and sounds of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi’s hometown.


•The Grand Catholic Italy 11-day tour will give you a majestic travel from Rome to Venice as you take pleasure in guided visits to the Holy Stairs, St. John Lateran Basilica, St. Paul outside the Walls, St. Mary Major Basilica, the Catacombs, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Also visit Benedictine monasteries, Padre Pio’s friary, Shrine of Monte Sant’Angelo, Holy House of Loreto, St. Anthony’s Basilica, and St. Mark’s Square.