March 2024 - A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Dear Fellow Pilgrim,

The term “pilgrim” refers to a person on a journey in search of God. In a real sense, this can describe each of our journeys toward God as we live our life through our daily experiences. Most of us have made pilgrimages of this sort, especially each year as we have journeyed through Lent to Easter. However, for Christians there is something very special and sacred in a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the land of Jesus. Within the boundaries of present day Israel is a history of God’s revelation to mankind that extends from the days of Abraham some 4,000 years ago to this very day. It was the land of promise for Moses, the site of the Temple in the time of Solomon, the place where Elijah prophesied. It is the land where Jesus was born, lived and died. Here the Church was born, grew, and was defended during the crusades. But more than anything, it is the one place on earth where God has walked among us. We invite you to join us in a pilgrimage to this Holy Land.

We will visit Nazareth, walk the shores of the Sea of Galilee, see the site of the Sermon on the Mount and experience Capernaum where Our Lord worked many miracles. We will journey down the Jordan Valley to Jericho, see where Jesus was baptized by John and then climb up the mountain to Jerusalem. There we will visit and pray at the sites of His final days: the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane and the tomb of Lazarus. We will follow the Via Dolorosa (the Way of the Cross) and visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the site of both Calvary and the Tomb where He was buried and from which He rose from the dead.

The experience of being in the Holy Land is like no other in your life. Our March pilgrimage will be part of a Lent that immerses us in sight and sound. At each location, we will read and reflect on the Gospels. You will never again see or hear these words of Scripture without recalling the places where Jesus walked, taught and healed. Two thousand years of history have passed since the time of Jesus. Many changes have transpired, yet the hills of Galilee, the peaceful Sea where the disciples fished, the rugged terrain and the holy mountain that is Jerusalem will provide images and memories to last a lifetime.

Finally, know that pilgrimages are joyful experiences where not only do we spend time in prayer and reflection, but we also have fun as we experience each other as a Christian community, making friends that last a lifetime. On this pilgrimage we will not be walking hundreds of miles, but traveling in modern buses and staying in comfortable hotels as we visit the holy sites.

We want you to have the most meaningful and spiritual journey of faith possible, all within this spirit of joy, and so we strongly encourage you to join our pilgrimage by signing up as soon as possible for this special experience.

In Christ, 
Fr. Mike Bucciarelli                                                                        Fr. Pat Crino