Despite all the troubling news out there, we know that the vast majority of our priests are caring, and faithful to the Magisterium, but also……overworked. We forget how much is demanded of them daily, and that they–perhaps more than anyone–need a break from time to time.
Well, we have found an incredible solution…a pilgrimage to the Holy Land…….. especially designed for priests! And what makes it even more special, it’s led by Cardinal Raymond L. Burke.
The cost is around $2800 per person…a bit expensive on a priest’s salary (if he even gets one) but a few parishioners ( or just one) could easily pay for their priest to travel on this meaningful and rewarding pilgrimage. This would make a great thank-you gift for all that they do.
For more details on this pilgrimage for priests to the Holy Land click here.
It doesn’t happen often, but if it happens to you then once is enough to cost you hundreds…or even thousands of dollars. Not to mention the possible loss of time….either on vacation when you can’t get back home on schedule or prior to departing while you look for another option.
On March 27, 2019 discount carrier WOW Air suddenly discontinued operations.
WOW Air offered flights to Europe, North America and Tel Aviv through its hub in Reykjavik, Iceland.
No warning, no notice whatsoever. People waiting in line for flights suddenly found that their flight status went from “delayed” to ” cancelled”.
Bad enough if they were heading out of town…a trip back to the house would be necessary. But for those already out of town…and in most cases out of their home country….this meant finding a hotel room, then booking a flight on another airline (last-minute tickets are very expensive) and hoping you can get a seat.
Some airlines are offering “rescue fares” reduced prices for tickets….but you still probably aren’t getting money back from WOW Air, and even rescue fares are not cheap. You might, however, get your money back it you happened to take out travel insurance.
It is not the first time this has happened…..and probably won’t be the last (there have been six already this year). Most of these were either small carriers or discount carriers…but if you lose money it won’t matter what size the airline was.
That is one of the reasons that we recommend travel insurance and urge you toread our pageall about travel insurance. It can help you protect you and save you money.
If you are planning to attend the world-famous Oberammergau Passion Play, you had better make your arrangements sooner rather than later. Tickets went on sale beginning March 6, 2019 (Ash Wednesday) and they sell out quickly.
Every 10 years, the small town of Oberammergau, in Bavaria, is transformed as the village performs the scene of the Passion of Our Lord. Almost all the residents of the town (about 2200) are involved in the production and performance of this play, and roles are often handed down from generation to generation. And, starting on Ash Wednesday 2019, as established by tradition, the men have begun growing their beards and letting their hair grow longer in preparation (only those playing Roman soldiers and stage hands are exempt from this requirement).
The Oberammergau Passion Play next occurs May 16th thru October 4th of 2020. There are only so many performances available, and tickets are selling out quickly.
If you wish to attend, you can make your own arrangements and buy your own tickets, or book with many of the tour companies offering pilgrimages to the play. Some of these tours are just a few days long, but many others combine various locations as well as Oberammergau. If you book with a group we suggest it be a Catholic group since they will have a different perspective than a Protestant or secular group.
One itinerary we find particularly interesting is combining the Holy Land with Oberammergau. You will travel to the Holy Land and see where it all began, from the Annunciation to the Crucifixion, and then on to Germany to visit the Ettal Monastery, the healing shrine of Altotting, Munich and then the highlight of the trip: witnessing the passion Play. This itinerary, offered by Select International Tours, has eleven departures scheduled in 2020…..and, in addition to the itinerary we mentioned, some of them include a Danube River cruise or other extensions as well.
But it is very important to sign up right away. There are a limited number of seats and a limited number of performances, so once they are gone, they are gone until 2030.
You can check out the Official Oberammergau Passion Play website here.
Recently some new reports stated that, starting in 2021, U.S. and Canadian citizens traveling to Europe would require a visa. Before you panic, please note that this is not the case:
For U.S. citizens traveling to Europe in 2021 and beyond, the will simply have to complete an online application and pay a small fee through the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), a pre-screening program that aims to protect European Union (EU) borders. Americans and other non-EU travelers can still travel to Europe without a visa for up to 90 days as long as they complete their form in the ETIAS before travel
ETIAS costs about $9.00 U.S. and you can do it in less than ten minutes, according to a fact sheet issued by the European Commission in July. It calls the ETIAS “a necessary and small procedural step for all visa-exempt travelers” that would help them “avoid bureaucracy and delays when presenting themselves at the border.”
The ETIAS will be required for any of the territories in the Schengen area of Europe — 26 countries that are part of the E.U. It is valid for three years, (or less if a passport expires before then). Do not confuse the Schengen countries with the European Union…not all countries are in the E.U.
This is a far less difficult and certainly less expensive than applying for a visa.
You can find out more information on their official website here (external link). You will also find a list of the 61 countries whose residents will need to get the ETIAS authorization.
Instead of “giving up something for Lent”, why not add something to your spiritual life? Millions of viewers around the world have watched the Journey Through Scripture video Bible studies. The St. Paul Center’s latest video Bible study, “Genesis to Jesus” is the perfect way to do that.
Based on the covenantal theology of world-renowned scholar Scott Hahn and produced to the highest quality by Matthew Leonard, Genesis to Jesus makes the story of the Bible brilliantly clear and vibrantly alive.
Genesis to Jesus presents the whole sweep of salvation history, and helps you make sense of the Bible, literally, from Genesis to Jesus. By the end of Lent, you’ll understand the importance of Easter as the eighth day of creation in light of God’s unified plan for our salvation.
And, beginning Ash Wednesday (March 6), you can watch Genesis to Jesus for free!
Over the course of twelve episodes, discover the people and places that are most central to salvation history and point us to Jesus Christ.
You can also order the complete Genesis to Jesus pack for individuals includes the participant workbook, A Father Who Keeps His Promises, and the Genesis to Jesus DVD set.
Sign up now to make the most of this Lent! Make sure to order your participant workbook as well to get it in time.
For those who are unfamiliar with him, Carlo Acutis was a young man who loved working with computers and loved the Eucharist…so much so that he compiled a list of all the Eucharistic Miracles in the world.
He died at the young age of 15, and having been declared Venerable, is now on the path to sainthood.
His body was dis-interred as part of the Canonization process, and taken to a secure location for identification. There are no reports at this time as to it being incorrupt as was reported by some.
Once the medical exams have been completed on his body, on April 5-6, 2019, it will be moved to the Santuario della Spogliazione, which is located in the The Church of Saint Mary Major in Assisi.
We assume his tomb will be open to the public, but do not have confirmation of that yet.
Saint John Vianney is the Patron Saint of Priests. Spending up 10 16 hours a day in the confessional and accomplishing what seemed impossible in a town that had long ago fallen away from the faith, he was an inspiration for all and known for his holiness.
After his death his heart was found incorrupt and kept on display at his shrine in Ars, France.
The Shrine of Ars has entrusted to the Knights of Columbus the major relic of St. Jean Vianney’s incorrupt heart for a national tour in the U.S., from November 2018 through early June 2019.
We have the schedule of dates and locations posted on our calendar through December of 2018; however, there are many more locations to be posted later, so we encourage you to check the Knights of Columbus website here.
Most of us have been there: whiling away the hours in an airport while waiting for your flight to be called, sitting in those uncomfortable seats, watching endless news on the overhead TV screens……..while a few lucky ones are in one of the VIP lounges that offer plush seating, coffee, wine, food….even showers in some cases.
Here’s a comment we received: “A few years back, we decided to cash in some of our frequent flier miles for a couple of first class tickets from LAX to Paris. One of the advantages that came with those tickets was access to the Air France lounge. Leaving LAX we got to relax, have a glass of wine, some great snacks and then board at our leisure. The morning we flew back, the lounge had fresh orange juice, delicious buttery croissants (this was France, after all) and fresh brewed coffee. A great way to start the long flight home (quite a bit longer due to the prevailing westerly winds), and we did not have to pay for breakfast at our hotel.”
So how can you take advantage of that? Well, obviously if you have a first class (and sometimes business class) ticket, it comes along with the extra cost. For the rest of us, there are a couple of options.
1. In many cases you can purchase a short time pass directly at the airline’s lounge. It depends upon the airline, and its policy of course, and there is no guarantee that you can get it that particular day and time.
2. Some airlines offer access for an annual fee. If you fly regularly, it may be worth looking into a membership with a particular airline. Usually for a fixed annual fee, you will receive a certain amount of passes per year. After you’ve used the passes, you can purchase more, or often receive a discount on booking future visits. Some of the high-end VIP airport lounges may only be accessible to premium class passengers, some still are available for cash access. And, you are usually limited to that airline’s club….not any others.
3. Some credit cards have arranged for you to pay with miles to access their clubs…..but it is an expensive way to use those hard-earned miles.
4. You can try our newest advertiser, Lounge Buddy. They have an app that is easy to use without an annual fee, the costs to access are often lower, and there’s usually a wider choice of lounges available to the ‘casual’ flyer.
Lounge Buddy works by providing details of every available lounge in an airport, and how to access them. Lounge Buddy offers genuine reviews by real customers, details of all facilities, and photographs. For example, if you need fast wi-fi, find which VIP airport lounge offers the best by browsing them on Lounge Buddy. Likewise, if you’re interested in a drink and some snacks, but don’t want to pay the high price of the airport concessions, use Lounge Buddy to discover which lounges offer complimentary drinks and snacks.
Find out more about Lounge Buddy here. They also offer reviews of hundreds of lounges around the world…(not all of them are worth the money), where they are located in the airport, and what services are offered.
If you purchase via them, The Catholic travel guide may earn a commission – although the cost to you WILL NOT increase. But commissions like this help support our website.
We often think of flying being a faster way to travel from city to city in Europe, but often that is not the case.
When you consider time spent in the long check-in lines at the airport (along with having to be there about two hours early) versus most trains requiring you to be there only 30 minutes prior to departure, there is a great time savings there.
Then there is the fact that most train stations are in the heart of the city, while most airports are a bus or cab drive away, train travel comes out not only faster but also cheaper than plane travel.
Consider the following infographic:
Infographic courtesy GoEuro….your source for train and bus tickets in Europe.
As of October 1, they have ceased operations. Primera air offered discount airfares from Stanstead, England to several cities including New York (Newark’s Liberty Airport), Boston, Washington DC and Toronto starting at a little under $200 each way.
Those already in their booked locations will have to arrange their own transportation back home.
The discount airline offered fares under $200 for Newark to U.K. flights but was unable to compete with several other discount carriers.
Those who purchased using credit cards should contact their credit card issuers for possible refunds.
If you purchased travel insurance (we always recommend that you do)……you may be able to get a refund from the issuer. Squaremouth is what we recommend to compare policies.
Despite all the troubling news out there, we know that the vast majority of our priests are caring, and faithful to the Magisterium, but also……overworked. We forget how much is demanded of them daily, and that they–perhaps more than anyone–need a break from time to time.
As of October 1, they have ceased operations. Primera air offered discount airfares from Stanstead, England to several cities including New York (Newark’s Liberty Airport), Boston, Washington DC and Toronto starting at a little under $200 each way.