admin

Home » Archives for admin » Page 38

Flooding in Lourdes

by

.

The heavy rains in Europe have made visiting Lourdes, France a challenge.  On June 18th the Grotto was again flooded, as it had been in 2012.  There have been interruptions due to flooding.  If you heading there on your own you may want to check ahead, but don’t let that stop you from visiting the shrine. We expect the situation to return to normal within a few days. 

Click here for a video from the official Lourdes website.

Just a side note:  some independent travelers are mis-spelling Lourdes in their  GPS, leaving the  letter S off the town’s name and thereby going to the wrong town.  There actually is a town named Lourde just south of Toulouse, so be careful that you are headed in the right direction.  The shrine at Lourdes is roughly 100 miles Southwest  of Toulouse whereas the small town of Lourde is only a few miles south of Toulouse.   

Home » Archives for admin » Page 38

It’s not Fathers Day everywhere

by

Many countries celebrate the third Sunday in May as Father’s Day but others do not.  Fathers Day originated in the U.S. in the 1920’s as a counter point to Mother’s Day although it did not gain much popularity in the early days.  

Perhaps one of the most notable exceptions is that of Italy.  They celebrate on March 19th, Feast Day of Saint Joseph.  We think this is rather fitting since Saint Joseph was the foster father of Jesus and a great example to fathers everywhere.  

Regardless of where or when, we salute fathers, step-fathers, foster-fathers and God-Fathers everywhere (hope we mentioned all categories).

For an interesting look at how the Feast of Saint Joseph is celebrated not only in Italy but around the world click our webpage here.

Home » Archives for admin » Page 38

Strike season in Europe

by

With the austerity measures hitting home in several European countries you can count on transportation strikes throughout the summer.  Why summer?  Well, that’s high tourist season for European destinations and so that is where the unions can cause the most disruption and have the most leverage in their demands.

Recently France has announced a 3-day strike of air traffic controllers beginning June 11, also a general strike has been called in Portugal for June 27, and the busy tourist season has just begun.  So how do strikes effect your travel plans?  Well, if you are traveling in a group you will no doubt have someone in charge who will help to work around whatever problems arise (see below for an example where this did not work out too well).  Independent travelers, you too need to be aware of the situation and, above all, be flexible.

The good news is most Catholic sites (churches, some museums, etc.) will probably not close, even if state-run museums do.  If possible, call ahead to find out.  You don’t want to break your neck getting to a location only to find that it is not even open.

While you cannot eliminate them, there are a few things you can do to help lessen the effects of a strike on your travel plans.

1. Make yourself aware of pending strikes before you leave.  Most of these are announced days—or even weeks—in advance, giving you time to adjust your plans.  Here is one site that claims to notify of air cancellations…..we will continue to look for others.

2. Purchase travel insurance that covers trip interruption for unforeseen events.  This is a complicated subject, for example you must purchase the insurance before the strike is announced. After the strike is announced, most insurers will not cover you since it’s not an unforeseen event. Check with the travel insurance company and especially look at the fine print. Many travel insurance providers will post a list  of dates and airlines that are not covered.

3. Try to keep bookings as flexible as possible unless you plan to stay in one place for a period of several days.  Pay as little in advance as possible, in the event that it’s nonrefundable.

4.  Have a back-up plan.  If you think that a strike is likely, then figure out in advance what you might do in that situation and come up with an alternative plan.   Spur of the moment decisions, under stress, are not always the best ones.

5.  Most importantly— learn to enjoy the moment.  Being stranded somewhere could present a golden opportunity.  In other words, make the best of  an unpleasant situation.  That is what sets the smart traveler apart from the befuddled tourist who allows their whole trip to be ruined because of a failure to adjust to  unavoidable circumstances.

6.  Finally, don’t put off that trip.  Plan as best you can, then relax….don’t let your fear of the unknown or lack of being in total control prevent you from travelling. 

Remember what I said about how being in a group means someone will take charge?  

Read more

Home » Archives for admin » Page 38

Pope Francis announces his summer schedule

by

The month of July is obviously a very popular time for Catholics to travel to Rome and one of the highlights is the opportunity to see the Pope at a general audience on Wednesdays or perhaps when he says the Angelus in Saint Peter’s Square on Sundays.  Unfortunately that is usually the same month that most Popes leave Rome for the Papal residence at nearby Castel Gandolfo and the weekly Papal audiences are often cancelled.

It has been announced by Prefecture of the Pontifical Household that Pope Francis will not be going to Castel Gandolfo but will be staying in Rome at the Domus Sanctae Marthae Residence where he has been living since becoming Pope.  However, the weekly Wednesday audiences will be cancelled during most of July (there will be a Wednesday audience on July 3rd) and not resume until Wednesday August 7.  This will disappoint many so if you or someone you know is planning to be in Rome during that time period let them know in advance.  

Castel Gandolfo, summer Papal ResidencePope Francis will be traveling to Castel Gandolfo on Sunday July 14th to say the Angelus and the public is welcome so that is your best chance to see him if you will be in Rome during this time period. Those who watched the departure of Pope Benedict XVI on EWTN will no doubt recognize the building on the left. Click here for more details about Castel Gandofo and how to get there.

Pope Francis heads off to World Youth Day in Brazil on July 21st and won’t return until around the first of August.

Home » Archives for admin » Page 38

Free children’s admission to museums in Italy for non-Europeans

by

.

Until recently the state-run museums and archeological sites in Italy granted free admission to minors who came from European Union countries; however, minors visiting from non-EU member countries were charged admission.  This included such famous sites as the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the Colosseum in Rome, the National Archeological Museum in Naples and many more.  At 15 Euros or more per admission that could put quite a dent in a family’s budget when traveling with children, or probably even more of a dent for minors traveling alone (the EU defines a minor as being under age 18).  So this is welcome news for those coming from the U.K., Australia, U.S. or other countries outside the European Union.

Note that this does not apply to private museums (notably such places as the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel) which will continue to charge admission for minors.

For a complete list of state-owned museums check out this page on Wikipedia to help you in your travel plans.

Home » Archives for admin » Page 38

Attending Mass while on a cruise–will there be a priest on board?

by

One of the most frequent searches we get are from Catholic cruisers who are wondering about attending mass while on a cruise.  This is certainly a concern if the cruise is taking place over a weekend, as most do.  At one time several major cruise lines did offer to have a priest on board but I suppose due to political correctness or just lack of interest many of those lines no longer do.  There was quite a bit of fuss on some Catholic forums back in 2010 when Celebrity Cruises announced that they would no longer have priests on board their ships.  Now only two cruise lines have priests on board every cruise:  Holland America and Costa.  Several other cruise lines promise to have priests on board for special cruises such as Christmas, Easter or re-positioning cruises.

The rationale for have a Catholic priest on board is different from other Christians in that Catholics are required to attend Mass on Sunday unless there are very unusual circumstances.  Being on a cruise…or en-route somewhere…can be a valid reason for missing Mass but still many people want to make this part of their week regardless.

Mass on board a cruise ship for the crew
Mass photo courtesy of Apostleship of the Sea

Many crew members of these ships come from predominantly Catholic countries such as the Philippines and are gone for months at a time.  Since the ships are rarely in port for more than a day they have very limited opportunity to attend Mass.  We would like to see Catholics stand up not only for themselves as customers of the cruise line but also for these crew members by letting the cruise lines know that the presence of a priest on board will enter into their decision whether to cruise with them or not.  It would not take many people to get the message across, but if we don’t stand up and express our opinion with our money then nothing will change.  Naturally that cannot be the only deciding factor but it can be one of the reasons you choose a particular line.  You can then make your vacation part of your vocation, which is to evangelize.

Home » Archives for admin » Page 38

“Destination Weddings” the latest craze

by

We’ve all seen those wonderful commercials or movies that show the beautiful ocean background as the couple walks down the “aisle” on their wedding day. Destination weddings are promoted (naturally) by many resorts, hotels, airlines, etc.  Well, that mental image is beautiful but there are definitely some restrictions for Catholics.  See our newer blog post on Catholic weddings at the beach for more details.  

It’s not that the Church does not want you to have a beautiful wedding but because the Catholic view of the wedding is that it is a sacrament and should take place on consecrated ground. I noticed that some non-Catholics who attended our son’s wedding remarked that they wished the bride and groom faced each other during the ceremony  rather than kneeling and facing the altar.    Naturally everything that the secular world has told everyone is that “it is all about the me”.  Not so….they miss the important fact that the center of attention is not the bride and groom, but Jesus Christ. Sadly, there are quite a few Catholics in the same boat.  

Another oft-requested venue is getting married on a cruise.  Why anyone would want to do so is beyond me……having your wedding party and family along on your honeymoon does not sound like a great way to start off married life.  However, if you really want to get married on a cruise, then you need to make some serious plans.  In the first place, as mentioned above, you cannot get married on the ship because it is not consecrated ground.  You would need to arrange for a church at a port along the way and that is not an easy thing.  It’s hard enough planning a wedding in your own home town much less some city a few hundred—or thousand–miles away.  And, if for some reason, there is a last-minute change in the itinerary you could end up missing your own wedding!

Home » Archives for admin » Page 38

Joan of Arc Museum in Rouen now permanently closed

by

On of the Church’s most revered saints, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake here in Rouen, France on May 30, 1431  The trumped-up charges and sham trial were, of course, later proven false and she was proclaimed a saint long after her death.  A museum in her honor was built here with life-size wax figures with scenes depicting the various stages of her life.  Sadly we have received word from the museum that they have closed down and sold off the contents of the museum.  According to the former museum director we have received the following email:

Le musée est Définitivement fermé.
Il sera remplacé par un Piano-Bar
Cordialement
Alain Préaux
Conservateur en retraite 

Translated it means that he museum is closed and going to be replaced with a piano bar.  We don’t know if any of the museum’s contents were purchased for any public displays.

Rouen is a fairly modern city but the old part of the town still has a medieval feel to it and those visiting will be able to visit the Basilica built in her honor which is over the original Church of Saint Sauvieur that was destroyed during the French revolution.

Home » Archives for admin » Page 38

WYD 2013 Helpful Sites & Apps

by

Whether you are traveling with a group or independently, you will get more out of your visit to Brazil if you do a bit of advance planning.  One thing would be to learn a few basic sentences in Portuguese.  Remember, that is the official language of Brazil is Portuguese, not Spanish as in most other South American countries.  A phrase book or phone app would be a wise investment.  At least become familiar with some aspects of the country, emergency contact numbers, etc.  Here are a few basic tips to help you prepare:

  • Emergency phone numbers……medical: 192    fire: 193      police: 197
  • For Mass times and locations try the website Horario da Misa.  It is in Portuguese, so use google translate or some other method.
  • Be sure to check in at the main World Youth Day website..Lots of great info.
  • Follow the Cross app lets you follow the Cross and Icon of the Virgin Mary throughout Brazil. For iphone and ipad click here & for Android users click here.
  • There is also an app for Australians, but we don’t have final information on that yet.
Home » Archives for admin » Page 38

How to avoid the crowds in the Sistine Chapel

by

A portion of the Sistine ChapelAs the tourist season comes into full swing in Rome, one of the most popular attractions not only for Catholics but many non-Catholics as well is the Sistine Chapel.  Actually part of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel can be so crowded during the height of the season (an estimated 20,000 visitors per day) that you cannot really have quiet time to enjoy it.  When you are packed in like sardines it is hard to enjoy the beauty of the artwork.  And some tourists just cannot be quiet while the guards saying “silencio” are equally distracting.  Unfortunately, such crowds also attract pickpockets which can really ruin your visit.  You either worry about getting pick-pocketed or actually do become a victim.  It is not all that likely, but it does happen.  

If you are an independent traveler you might want to consider a private guided tour of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.  These tours are not cheap—about $300 per person–so they will not fit everyone’s budget.  Those who can afford one may find it worth the expense as you will probably be in a small group of 10-15 people. These tours, as mentioned above, include the Vatican Museums as well as the Sistine Chapel. You will normally have about 30 minutes in the Sistine Chapel without the crowds and noise.

Most Catholic tour groups will include a visit to the Museums and Sistine Chapel during regular hours; however if you have planned to make the Sistine Chapel one of the highlights of your trip to Rome then you can probably take a private tour since most of these tours are after-hours when the daytime activities of the tour group are finished.

Be sure to check around since there are several companies offering these tours and you want to be sure that you choose the right one. Some of these “private” tours offered are during regular hours and although they are much less expensive (about $90 per person), they are not private in the sense that you avoid the huge crowds.  You do, however, have your own private guide and usually a group of about 15-20 people.  For independent travelers who don’t want the after-hours private tour this is a good alternative.