“Come away … and rest awhile …” (Mark 6:31) Legatus Pilgrimages 2021

Mexico – Land of Our Lady of Guadalupe (June 11- 14)

Mexico has been an annual Legatus destination since 2012 (except for 2020).

Pilgrims immerse in the most visited shrine in the world, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, where an estimated 18- 20 million come annually to see the miraculous 500-year-old, cactus-fiber tilma of visionary St. Juan Diego, upon which Our Blessed Mother imprinted her image.

Included in this tour is a visit to the renowned Girlstown begun by Fr. Al Schwartz (now declared venerable) and the Sisters of Mary. Located in Chalco, MX – about an hour outside of Mexico City, it is one of 16 Girls and Boys Town schools established by Fr. Al to serve the poorest of the poor. It serves some 3,500 underprivileged orphan girls, giving them a new hope and perspective on life.

Tom and Glory Sullivan, members of the Jacksonville Chapter, have made 30 trips to Mexico. “It’s inspiring and prayerful to see the only painting in the world by God,” Tom said. He also became so taken by visits to Girlstown that he became a board member three years ago. “You are brought to tears of joy on several occasions including the Mass with over 3,000 poor high school girls singing enthusiastically and beautifully in unison,” he said.

Steve and Deborah Peroutka, members of the Baltimore Chapter and alumni of many Legatus pilgrimages, have made the Mexico trip six times. Steve also serves on the board. “I’ll keep going back as many years as I can,” he said. “It feels like walking into heaven to see the girls, all with smiles on their faces,” he said. “They come out of dire circumstances, and five years later, companies are lining up to hire them.”

Burgundy – In the vineyards of Catholic France (August 31- September 7)

Dr. Liz Lev, noted Catholic art historian who has partnered previously with Legatus in Rome, will lead a faith-and-wine themed tour in Burgundy, France. She will discuss the area’s art and architecture, and integrate her expertise as a certified sommelier in regions where France is known for some of the finest wines worldwide.

Daily Masses and Church tours will include the Cathedral of Autun and Vezelay, the site of Mary Magdalen’s burial, and the Cathedral of St. Lazarus, considered one of the greatest churches of the Romanesque era with a visit to neighboring Roman ruins. At the Cluny Abbey, visitors will learn of St. Hugo, one of the most influential leaders of the monastic orders from the Middle Ages. Pilgrims will also attend Mass at the shrine at Paray-le- Monial where Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and revealed His Sacred Heart burning with love for us and igniting the worldwide Sacred Heart devotion.

There is also a three-day pre-tour where Lev will delve into the Christian history of Paris, the “eldest daughter of the Church,” beginning with Mass at the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur which has had perpetual Adoration since 1885. The tour includes veneration of St. Genevieve’s relics, a walk through the Latin Quarter where St. Thomas Aquinas taught, a chapel built by St. Louis IX to house relics of Christ’s passion, and a visit to the Louvre where masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and art from the Middle Ages will be highlighted along with lesser-known treasures.

Medjugorje – Abundant faith fruits (September 28 - October 5)

Reported visions of Our Blessed Mother have been chronicled in Medjugorje, Croatia since June 25, 1981 and for the past 40 years. They have not yet received official Church approval, but in 2019, Pope Francis authorized pilgrimages given the “considerable flow of people and the abundant fruits of grace that have sprung from it.”

Cathy and Jim Howe, members of the Pittsburgh Chapter, have visited Medjugorje 26 times, even leading groups. “It’s our second home,” Cathy said. “Everything you do there is a prayer centered around Christ.” According to her, people go through a transformation, feeling their burdens lifted, with many experiencing physical, emotional, and spiritual healings.

Cathy said Our Lady of Medjugorje encourages everyone to carry “five stones” – the rosary, Eucharist, Scripture, fasting, and monthly Confession – to fight the Goliaths in their lives. Our Lady tells us never to despair but to use those five stones knowing the best is yet to come,” she said.

There is a three-day pre-tour in Croatia beginning with Mass in the beautiful Baroque-styled St. Blasius Church and visits to historical sites including the island of Our Lady of the Rock, a famous pilgrimage attraction where an icon of the Madonna and Child was found on a rock in the sea on July 22, 1452.

The full group then convenes in the village of Medjugorje, learning about the apparitions, and the history and culture of the village. Pilgrims will visit the main attractions including Apparition Hill and Cross Mountain where on Good Friday in 1933, villagers erected a 29-foot cross which contains a relic of the True Cross of Jesus – the relic having been received in the mid-1930s from Pope Pius XI.

PATTI ARMSTRONG is a Legatus magazine contributing writer.