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Travel reviews: Real or Fake?

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One of the criticisms of travel review websites is that they can be manipulated by people to either build up their own reputation or tear down the reputation of a competitor.  We are sure that most of these websites do their best to avoid this happening since their reputation (and their income) derives from people trusting that the information provided on their site is honest and accurate.

Still, they can be manipulated.  We want to pass on an article written by Arthur Frommer, the venerable travel guide publisher about a restaurant that got great reviews for a period of several months on a major travel review website despite the fact that it did not exist.  

So by all means visit those travel review websites.  They will give you a general idea if an attraction, restaurant or tour company is reliable….just don’t use that as your only resource.  Do some additional research.  

This is why we offer tips on how to choose a Catholic tour company, ways to check on a company’s reputation and how to evaluate an itinerary on our main website.  It will help greatly if you can make an informed decision based on solid information from more than one source.

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Mass at the Gesu Church in Rome on July 31st

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July 31 is the Feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order.  Masses at the Church of the Gesu in Rome on that day are at noon and 7:00 p.m.

 It was earlier announced that Pope Francis would be celebrating Mass on the Feast Day, but we have not been able to find out when that will be and if it is open to the public.  So if anything breaks in the next few hours we will let you know.

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Dates for Canonization of Bl. John Paul II and John XXIII

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Everyone seems to have a date when they think the Canonizations will occur, so we might as well join in.  

There were some who felt it would be in October but we think that is just too soon considering the enormous amount of planning and preparation not only the part of the Vatican but also organizing all the groups that will want to attend.  

Then speculation turned to December 8th, but this presents a problem that Pope Francis himself mentioned.  Since Blessed John Paul II was from Poland, we can expect a large influx of pilgrims from that country, many arriving by bus. Roads at that time of year can be treacherous and so that would not be an ideal time for the Canonizations.

Our guess….of course it is only a guess….is that it will take place some time in the Spring of 2014.  Divine Mercy Sunday (the Sunday after Easter) was initiated by Blessed John Paul II and would make an interesting choice.  In 2014 this falls on April 27.  

We will keep posting any hard facts we get, but for now it is still up in the air.  One thing we know, Pope Francis is full of surprises so all of the above may be wrong.

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World Youth Day in Washington D.C.

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World Youth Day is not only for those able to travel to Rio.  WYD events are planned in many cities throughout the world.  They offer a great opportunity for young people to get together to celebrate this occasion and participate in various activities.  One of these is in Washington, D.C. at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in what is appropriately called Rio in DC.  The event will be held Saturday evening at  the Monastery beginning at 6:00 pm and ending at 11:00 pm.

There will be live feeds of Pope Francis from Rio, relics John Paul II on display (courtesy of the John Paul II Shrine in Washington), Mass and much more.  It is open to ages 18-35.

Click here for the official Archdiocesan website for details of Rio in DC.

Click here for the official website of the Franciscan Monastery in the Holy Land in Washington, D.C.

Click here for more information about The John Paul II shrine in Washington, D.C.

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WYD venues changed for Saturday & Sunday

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It seems that the rain never quits.  Although it has apparently not dampened the enthusiasm of what could be over one million young people—as well as Pope Francis—it has resulted in flooding of the original planned site for the Vigil Mass on Saturday evening as well as the closing ceremonies on Sunday.  

No doubt this is a disappointment to those who worked so hard to set everything up, but the weather dictated otherwise.

Therefore these events have been moved to Copacabana Beach.  The schedule remains the same.  And as we said, enthusiasm remains high, and Pope Francis seems to draw energy from the crowds.  We will keep you updated on any changes in the next 24 hours.

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Are Travel Guidebooks passé?

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Earlier this year the venerable “Frommer’s” travel guides were purchased by Google and soon thereafter it was announced that they would discontinue publishing the travel guides in book form.  Word on the street is that Google was mainly interested in the social media followers of Frommer’s, not in publishing guidebooks, so they sold the publishing rights back to Arthur Frommer and the good news is that he will continue to publish the books. 

A frommer's guide book from 2000
Even an older guide book can have a lot of great information….and you can probably pick them up cheap at a used book store.

So are guide books still useful?  Well, let me give you my “two cents”.  Guide books are still a great planning tool: you can lay them out on the table, flip from page to page and share with one another much easier than if you were on a computer or tablet.  Also, you can highlight items that are of interest to you.  Even an old guide book that might seem out of date can provide great insights you may not find on a website.

Once you’re on the road, a guide book can be invaluable to you. Although most travel websites are now adapted for mobile use, and there are many apps available as well, there are times when a guide book is more convenient, especially if you have bookmarked or highlighted pertinent pages when planning.

So bottom line…..both guide books and travel websites together can help you plan the trip of a lifetime. Hint….check out our website first!

We offer reliable guidebooks that are carefully selected for Catholic travelers.  Together with secular guide books they are a great resource. If we can quote Rick Steves, he said something like “$30 tools for $3,000 experiences.

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Relics of Saints to be venerated at WYD 2013 in Rio

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The veneration of relics is an age-old tradition in the Church, and no, we do not worship them as some people might think.  It is a tradition going back to the early days of the Church to venerate them as reminders of the holiness of these great Christians.  As the originator of World Youth Day, John Paul II obviously had a great connection to this event.  A vial of his blood was sent to World Youth Day in Madrid in 2011 and has again been sent to World Youth Day in Rio to be venerated by the faithful.  

This vial arrived in Rio in early July and will remain in Rio for several weeks after World Youth Day officially ends on July 28th so that visitors and locals alike will have the opportunity venerate his relic. 

Among other relics at WYD in Rio are the body of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Blessed Chiara Luce Badano, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam and St. Antônio Galvão de Santana, the first Brazilian-born Saint. 

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Pope Francis to celebrate Mass at the Jesuit Church in Rome July 31st

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According to Vatican sources, Pope Francis will celebrate Mass at the Church of the Gesu (home Church of the Jesuits) in Rome on July 31. This is the feast day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order.  Pope Francis will celebrate the closing Mass of World Youth day in Brazil on Sunday July 28th and is due back from World Youth Day on Monday, July 29.   We do not have the details of the Mass yet (the time or whether it is open to the public) but will try to find out in the next few days.

If you are in Rome, whether this July 30th or any other time, we encourage you to visit the Gesu Church.  In addition to its architectural beauty (the “domed” ceiling is not actually a dome, but is painted to look like one) you can also visit the rooms next door where Saint Ignatius lived out the last 17 years of his life.