One of the most popular saints among Catholics is Saint Philomena, patroness of impossible causes. As Saint John Vianney said: “To Saint Philomena God refuses nothing.” Or as Pope Gregory XVI said: “Whatever you ask from her, she will obtain for you”.
Her shrine in Italy at Mugnano de Cardinale, Avellino, is a short distance from Naples. Churches around the world will honor her on her Feast Day August 11th.
The Centers for Disease Control had banned cruising in U.S. waters through July 24, 2020. For those cruise ports that are in U.S.waters, that meant no cruises departing from the U.S. whatsoever. That would also apply, of course, to Transatlantic crossings docking in the U.S.
Under the new extension, cruising will not resume until October 1 at the earliest. We suspect that even this date is highly likely to change.
The Canadian government has also come down hard: it is banning all large cruise ships that carry more than 100 people until Oct 31, 2020. Again we suspect that will not be the last we hear.
The Miami Herald reports that since June 23, some 1,000 cruise ship crew members have developed either confirmed or suspected cases of the coronavirus while living aboard mostly empty ships waiting off the U.S. coast. Click here for the video from the Miami Herald (external link).
Although this is a disappointment for passengers, it is an absolute tragedy for many crew members. These men and women are often from impoverished countries and rely on earnings to help support their families back home. While quarantined in port, they are not receiving any pay…and in many cases they are not able to return to their home countries. It is a nightmare scenario.
We would hope there might be some way to help these crew members….and we would like to hear from you if you have any information or are aware of any organized efforts to help them financially. We’d be happy to post it on our site. Of course, your prayers should come first.
Find out about cruises for Catholics on our cruise page.
Walking The Way of Saint James is a wonderful experience for those who are able to make it. It has been closed during the Coronavirus pandemic, but is now back open.
But for those who cannot make it, The Camino de Santiago Virtual Challenge is the next best thing.
Here is how it works:
♦ You set up your own deadline (up to 78 weeks) and you can do it solo or as a team. Cross the finish line and you will receive a “finishers” medal (if you walk the physical Way, you normally have a passport stamped at various places along the way and get “finished” when you reach Santiago de Compostela.
♦ Each time you complete a distance based exercise activity such as running, walking, cycling etc you advance along the map from France to Spain.
It is a great way to stay fit during these strange times of partial shut-downs.
The catch is, it’s not free. It costs to participate (includes the medal) You can find out more and sign up here.
We know that many of you cruisers appreciate the fact that you are able to attend daily Mass when sailing on Holland America Cruise Lines.We recently received the following email from a prospective Holland America passenger:
” Hi there,
I’m looking at cruise options and would like to make sure a priest is available for Sunday mass. A number of reviews I have seen say that the Holland America Line offer mass on all cruises however when I phoned them they said it’s not always the case. Can anyone confirm for sure?
Many thanks,
Elise “
Since Holland America does claim to have a Catholic priest on board all of its cruises (to our knowledge, they are the only U.S.-based cruise line to do so), we wrote to Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America to verify this infomation…..not really sure if or when we would get a response. To our pleasant surprise, we received a reply within a few hours, and here it is:
” Thank you for your recent correspondence with Holland America Line regarding the clergy onboard our ships. I am reaching out to you on behalf of Mr. Ashford.
We sincerely apologize about any confusion regarding the religious services held onboard our ships. We are pleased to inform you that a Catholic priest is on board each ship at all times and a Catholic mass is held daily. The only reason we would not have a Catholic priest onboard is due to an illness or possible travel delay. The Daily Program provided onboard will list the times and locations.
We thank you for giving us this opportunity to review your concerns, and assisting us in our efforts to meet our goal of consistent excellence. ”
For more information on how to find a cruise with a Catholic priest on board click here.
Shown primarily in the U.S., this P.B.S. show deals with a young girl..and her adult chaperone…traveling from Wichita, Kansas to New York City. It has a dual plot….it turns out that the chaperone was an orphan raised in a Catholic orphanage in New York, and wants to find out who her birth mother was. Reverend Mother dissuaded her…..but we won’t spoil the rest of the story for you.
The fact that the chaperone was an orphan in a Catholic orphanage immediately caught our interest….but we often fear the worst, as the media these days does not always reflect Catholic institutions in a positive light. This was not the case here, though.
The show briefly touched on the fact that the chaperone was sent off by train to live with a family across the country at a young age….but few details were given. That is understandable, since that was not central to the plot.
But you might be interested to know about the “Orphan Trains” and their connection with the New York Foundling Hospital, run by the Sisters of Charity. These sisters helped re-locate thousands of orphans and abandoned children to Catholic families throughout the U.S. in the late 1800’s.
You can read more about the “Orphan Trains” here.
Spoiler alert! Reverend Mother was right in the advice that she gave to the chaperone!
In 1931, Jesus appeared to Faustina Kowalska as the King of Mercy. Clothed in a white robe and emanating two large rays from his side, one white and one red, He asked Faustina to paint this image of Himself along with the phrase, “Jesus, I trust in You” and to spread the message of mercy around the world. He promised that anyone who venerated this image would not perish. The gripping new docudrama LOVE AND MERCY presents unknown facts and recently disclosed documents that shed new light on the vision of Faustina.
Aided by scientific analysis, the film reveals how the Divine Mercy image and the Shroud of Turin were compared to one another to stunning conclusions. Dramatically recreated scenes between Saint Faustina and her confessor Father Michał Sopoćko traces the story of the origins of the image and how the devotion to Divine Mercy was born and spread throughout the world despite a ban of the devotion by the Catholic Church.
Shot in the U.S., Poland and Lithuania, the film is a compelling hybrid of dramatization and documentary-style storytelling that will leave viewers in awe of this spectacular account of divine friendship.
This great movie will appear in theaters in the U.S. beginning October 28, 2019.
“Oh, please be careful. It’s so dangerous over there.”
I knew my friend meant well, but her words were not comforting. I was only a few days away from departing for the Holy Land and my nerves were already raw from packing, checking flights, reading weather reports, finding someone to care for my cat, and scheduling a ride to the airport.
I had dreamed about visiting the places where Jesus walked since High School. That dream was jaded by year upon year of news reports featuring skirmishes and wars in and around Israel. The picture the media had painted was unnerving. I wanted to be excited, but in all honesty, I was a little scared and my friend’s words were not helping.
A family-member drove me to the airport, warning me on the way to, “please be careful.” Was I making a mistake? Was I putting myself in harm’s way? I am normally very excited to get on a plane, but all these warnings made me very anxious.
I flew through Toronto on my way to Tel Aviv. The first flight was uneventful, and I arrived with plenty of time to make my connection. I found my next gate on the monitor and headed there to wait for boarding. When I arrived, there was an additional security checkpoint…only for our gate. I had never experienced this before. I waited in the line and reached the guard who examined my passport and boarding pass and asked me a few questions. He directed me to yet another bag check.
My mind raced: Why is there so much security? Is there a threat? Is something wrong? Should I walk away from this flight? The questions echoed in my head as I eyed every passenger waiting for the flight. With each reverberation, I heard the words of my loved ones, “Please, be careful.” It was only through the grace of Our Lord that I boarded that flight. My mind was working overtime to convince my body to abandon it.
If you have never traveled to Israel, I imagine you are facing the same fears that I did. I imagine that the news, friends, and family are warning you to, “please be safe,” as well. Most of all, I imagine that you are asking the same question that I did: “Is this trip even worth the risk?”
Let me put your mind at ease. Yes, it is worth the risk. And, perhaps more importantly, the “risk” is unjustly amplified. I have never traveled anywhere in the world where I felt safer than the Holy Land. Now that I have traveled there and back, I would return in a heartbeat! But I did learn a lot along the way that might help you feel a little more prepared for your trip.
Additional Security
I learned that additional security is normal for Israel. In fact, the security in place while boarding a flight is only the beginning. There are special restrictions to stay in your seats while in Israeli air-space. There are multiple security stops in the immigration and customs line. And, while traveling through the country, there are random security checkpoints on roads and at Palestinian Territory borders.
It was initially unnerving to answer questions of a security officer dressed in military fatigues and holding a weapon, but, in my experience, they were always pleasant and calm. They asked simple questions, checked my passport, then sent me on my way.
Crime and Common Precautions
Crime rates, in most cases, are significantly lower in Israel than the USA*. Violent crime is significantly less common. Still, this doesn’t mean you should be naïve. Petty theft from pickpockets and burglaries at tourist hotels still happen. So, take the same precautions you would take when traveling to any major city: use the hotel safe, carry a secure backpack or purse, and keep all your belongings on you.
When you stop to rest, eat, or sightsee, keep your belongings attached to your person or on your lap. Don’t leave your bag on the ground or hanging on your chair. Additionally, ALWAYS carry your passport and leave a photocopy in the hotel safe.
Mentally Prepare
The political complexity of the Middle East requires additional patience from travelers. Mentally prepare yourself and expect to wait in security lines, answer questions about your travels, and show your passport. Pay attention to your guides’ instructions. They are familiar with the checkpoints and security requirements and their insight can significantly reduce the inconvenience. Security personnel are simply doing their job to keep everyone safe. A warm smile and friendly demeanor on your end will often be met with the same from them.
On my most recent trip, we were stopped in the car—before entering the airport—for twenty minutes. They checked my bag, asked me and the driver several questions, and checked my passport and flight documents. When entering the airport, I had to go through two security checkpoints before entering the bag check. At the second checkpoint, they asked me several questions then instructed me to one of four bag-check lines.
In Israel, they profile every traveler and send them to a specific line depending on their “reading” of the individual. Don’t let this frustrate you. It is just part of the trip. While standing in the bag-check line, you will be asked the same questions you were already asked several times. Again, a warm smile and friendly demeanor will serve you well. They will check your bag thoroughly…meaning they may remove every item and inspect it, x-ray it, chemically test it, or even ask you questions about it. The process takes significantly longer than a TSA check in the USA, so exercise patience.
On my most recent trip, I arrived at the airport 3 hours and fifteen minutes before my flight. After all the security checkpoints and bag-check, I arrived at my gate, ready to board, with forty minutes to spare. The whole process took two hours and thirty-five minutes.
After a long flight, I walked to the Immigration officer at Newark International Airport. She glanced at my passport and asked how long I had been in Israel. “Seven days,” I replied.
“Wow. Short trip. Welcome home.” She waved me through.
I found my friend waiting for me outside the bag check. “Well, how was it?” She asked.
“Great. Israel is nothing like I expected. I can’t wait to go back.” I said.
“Really?”
Yes, really. My trip was short, but life-changing. There really is no way to translate all that happened to me in the Holy Land. I know that I’ll never be the same after the trip. I can see the whole story of our faith so differently now. And when friends ask me if Israel was frightening to visit, I tell them, “It was, no big deal.” They think I’m an intrepid traveler, but really, I’m just being honest.
*According to nationmaster.com (accessed September 12, 2019)
Above article reprinted courtesy of Select International Tours, organizer of this tour and many others. Be sure to check out their many offerings to the Holy Land and elsewhere.
Maybe you can’t make it to the Holy Land right now, but would love to have some prayers offered for you in this special place. Well you can…..by checking out Select International Tours….they offer the opportunity to submit your prayer requests online and they will be taken to the Holy Land by one of their departing groups each month and carried to all the Holy Sites in the Holy Land.
The group will pray for your requests at each site they visit and the spiritual Father of each group will offer your intentions at all Masses.
This is a really great way to get your prayers said at some of the most famous…and holy…sites in this special place. That is, until you get to travel there yourself someday!
All requests are kept confidential.
Nothing can ruin a trip more than being denied boarding at the airport….absolutely nothing. For U.S. travelers, you need to take a look at your driver’s license. Does it have a star in the upper right corner? Most do not…unless they have been issued fairly recently. Of course if you are traveling internationally you most likely have a passport, so that is not a problem. But if you are on a domestic flight, new rules require that driver’s licenses be REAL ID compliant (meaning that they are more secure than the old style). This rule goes into effect October 2020……which is not that far away!
Your license will be accepted if it has a star in the upper right hand corner. If not, be sure to have an alternate form of I.D. available such as a passport; a trusted traveler card, or a border ID card. If your license is due for renewal before that date, almost every state will be in compliance (a few have gotten extensions, so check with your state).
Our advice is to get a passport….even if you are not planning to travel overseas right now, they are good for 5 years, and universally accepted. Then, if you have a sudden opportunity to travel out of the country, then that is one less thing for you to worry about.
While we are on the subject, here are a few other passport tips.
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is undergoing renovation in 2019, and as a result pilgrim masses are celebrated in other churches throughout the city rather than in the Cathedral itself.
However, there is a daily mass in the Chapel of la Corticela, which is inside the Cathedral.
The Cathedral itself is open daily from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm….only the masses have been moved.
Here are the temporary locations:
Iglesia de San Francisco: Daily Pilgrim’s Mass – 12:00 am noon
Iglesia de San Fiz de Solovio: Daily Pilgrim’s Mass – 7:00 pm (from June). After the mass, Pilgrim Prayer (from Monday to Saturday).
Iglesia de Santa María Salomé:
From Monday to Friday: 7:30 am, 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 7:00 pm
Saturdays: 7:30 am, 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 6:00 pm, 7:00 pm
Sundays: 7:30 am, 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, 6:00 pm, 7:00 pm
Chapel of la Corticela: Every day – 11:00 am
