Finding Faith Again in Catholicism & God
What was once lost is now found:
As a child I attended Catholic school my entire life. We would say the Lord’s Prayer and the Hail Mary every day, often multiple times a day. We learned of the apostles, the
books of the bible both old and new testaments, and we were told of the many brave men and women throughout history who gave their lives in the name of their faith. I would
attend church every Sunday and holy days of obligation and I would say my prayers every night. Though these lessons and teachings were instilled in me as I got older I found
myself detached from my faith. It seemed as though I believed because I was told to, not because I truly understood what it meant to be Catholic. I became lost. I didn’t know
where my life would lead. I felt empty.
Three years ago God answered my prayers for direction and He led me to 206 Tours. The way my colleagues cared for our pilgrims touched me. People wanted to/needed to go on pilgrimage for so many different reasons. To pray for good health for a sick loved one while in Lourdes, to walk where Jesus walked in Israel. To find their faith again. I felt my feelings mirrored in these pilgrim’s stories. Upon their return from their trip I would read their feedbacks and feel envy. I wanted to feel what they got to experience. I wanted to find God again. I soon got my chance. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit Fatima, Spain, Lourdes, Paris, Nevers and Lisieux with my company 206 Tours and it was an experience that would forever change me.
In Fatima, hearing stories of the three shepherd children who witnessed Our Lady appear to them monthly from May until October of 1917. These children would then devote their lives to prayer and mediation. In Burgos having the opportunity to visit the beautiful gothic-style Cathedral was awe inspiring. In Lourdes, having the chance to experience the baths stirred a feeling that still resonates with me today though I cannot put it in to words. In Nevers, viewing the incorrupt body of St. Bernadette who was small in stature but big in faith. Not to mention the beauty of the architecture and history of the places we visited.
My first pilgrimage will always have a special place in my heart. This pilgrimage allowed me to find my faith again. It allowed me to visit childhood homes of saints and find a personal connection with these people I have read so much about. It brought me back to God and for that I will be eternally grateful.
Piernha Marc
206 Tours Travel Consultant
To visit these beautiful and spiritual location, please visit:
Lourdes
Lourdes (St. Bernadette)
| Duration | Destination |
|---|---|
| 8 Days | France |
This eight day Catholic Pilgrimage to Lourdes visits one of the most sacred sites in the world where Apparitions of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, occurred. Lourdes is a special place of grace where Pilgrims attend Mass, go to Confession, and pray the Rosary in nightly candlelight processions. Walk in the footsteps of St. Bernadette in the very places where she lived and prayed. In 1858, St. Bernadette witnessed eighteen apparitions of Our Lady who revealed herself as the “Immaculate Conception”. In one of these miracles, Our Lady asked Bernadette to drink from the spring as an act of penance which resulted in the spring’s muddy water turning clear.
Fatima
Lisbon (St. Anthony) * Santarem (Eucharistic Miracle) * Fatima
| Duration | Destination |
|---|---|
| 8 Days | Portugal |
Begin your Pilgrimage in Lisbon where you will learn about the life of St. Anthony of Padua and see where he was born. Continue to Santarem which houses an incredible 13-century Eucharistic Miracle! Your spiritual journey culminates in Fatima which was the site of Our Lady’s apparitions to the three shepherd children in 1917. This is where the Miracle of the Sun took place which was witnessed by thousands of people. This Pilgrimage allows for additional time in Fatima for personal prayer and reflection.
Fatima, Spain & Lourdes Pilgrimage
Lisbon (St. Anthony) * Santarem (Eucharistic Miracle) * Fatima * Salamanca * Alba de Tormes * Avila (St. Teresa) * Burgos * Loyola (St. Ignatius) * Lourdes (St. Bernadette)
| Duration | Destination |
|---|---|
| 10 Days | Portugal, Spain, France |
From the time you arrive, you are greeted with the life of St. Anthony of Padua (Patron Saint of Lost Things.) Then you are on your way to Fatima, home of the three shepherd children who witnessed the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary over 100 years ago! Continue through the life of St. Teresa of Avila, and end in Lourdes, a place of true miracles! Here you can pray at the Grotto or immerse yourself in the famous Healing Baths.
The Holy Land: Walk Where Jesus Walked
Tel Aviv * Caesarea * Nazareth * Cana * Tiberias * Sea of Galilee * Jordan River * Mt. Tabor * Jerusalem * Ein Karem * Bethlehem * Qumran * Jericho * Dead Sea * Mt. of Olives * Mt. Zion * Holy Sepulchre
| Duration | Destination |
|---|---|
| 10 Days | Israel |
If you desire to draw closer to Jesus of Nazareth, come, as we follow in His footsteps. You will have time to renew and affirm your faith each day of your pilgrimage; to pray and reflect. The Scriptures will come alive as you visit Our Lord’s homeland. You will be inspired by the natural beauty of the landscape, in addition to its rich historical heritage. It is an encounter that has changed the lives of many pilgrims, an act of faith and prayer. Pilgrims have been traveling to the Holy Land for hundreds of years, and as part of your pilgrimage, we include many of the rich traditions that have evolved over time. The maxim at the entrance to the Church of the Nativity says: “We are hoping that: If you enter here as a tourist, you would exit as a pilgrim. If you enter here as a pilgrim, you would exit as a holier one.” We pray that same will occur when you join this 206 Tours pilgrimage.
Fatima, Spain, Lourdes & Paris
Lisbon (St. Anthony )* Santarem (Eucharistic Miracle) * Fatima * Salamanca * Alba de Tormes * Avila (St. Teresa) * Burgos * Loyola (St. Ignatius) * Lourdes (St. Bernadette) * Paris * Lisieux (St. Therese the Little Flower) * Normandy * Chartres
| Duration | Destination |
|---|---|
| 14 Days | Portugal, Spain, France |
Journey to Portugal, Spain, and France for a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Saints visiting several Marian Shrines! In Lisbon, you will be greeted with the life of St. Anthony of Padua. In Fatima, explore the home of the three shepherd children who witnessed the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Continue through Spain and learn of the life of St. Teresa of Avila. In France, visit Lourdes, another Marian Shrine, home to St. Bernadette, and a place of true miracles! In Lisieux, walk in the footsteps of St. Therese. End your journey in Paris, where you will encounter the story of the Miraculous Medal and learn about St. Catherine Labouré.