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 The Catholic Church has a rich ancient tradition of her people
making sacred journeys to sites which commemorate important events in her faith
history. We know from a myriad of reliable sources including written and oral tradition
as well as archeological evidence that the faithful have felt a need to travel to
places that are significant to them.....to see the sites.....to
touch the stones.....to smell the smells.....to pray
the prayers.....of places and events which have helped form the
faith we hold as sacred
 I go on pilgrimage to educate myself;
to answer faith or academic questions; to grow deeper in my faith; to do penance;
to respond to a faith crisis; to pray with other faithful; to make scripture come
alive; to experience physical or spiritual healing; to listen more closely
to the lessons of scripture or the messages of apparitions; to better learn
the charisms and spirituality of the founders of our religious orders and other
saints, to understand the historical, cultural and religious context in which events
occurred and their text were written.
In ancient days, pilgrims traveled together for practical as well as spiritual reasons.
To make a pilgrimage, one often set out on foot over popular, well-traveled pilgrimage
routes which were frequented by those waiting to take advantage of the solitary
traveler. These pilgrims moved in groups for safety and comfort. For these same
practical reasons, modern pilgrims also join groups.
We don't have six months or a year to make our pilgrimages, so we have to maximize
our investment of time and money. We too take advantage of an organized
group pilgrimage which is designed specifically for the Catholic pilgrim, including
a knowledgeable local escort and guides, a gifted spiritual leader, daily liturgy,
visits to significant sites, accommodations at quality hotels with transportation
and all the amenities modern travelers have come to expect.
 Unitours is delighted to recommend a dynamic new series of videos
focus on pilgrimage sites of Europe. The producers of this series, Janson
Media have done a great service to all of us interested in pilgrimages. This
set of economical, half-hour programs are ideal for personal viewing or sharing
with a group of potential pilgrims. Purchased as a set or individually, they include
Fatima, Lourdes, Medjugorje, Santiago de Compostela, Croagh Patrick in Ireland and
a number of other lesser known pilgrimage destinations. For details, pricing
and ordering information: Pilgrimages of Europe
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