Renaissance Pilgrimages is a private corporation owned by lay Catholics. Although we are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Cathoic Church, we are loyal to the Magisterium of The Church. We are dedicated to providing holy and joyful travel for Catholics.
Each pilgrimage is accompanied by a Catholic priest and features daily Mass and rosary. Our groups are small, averaging less than 30 pilgrims, so you get to know everyone and are given individual attention. In no time at all we become one family when on pilgrimage. Air travel is on major international carriers (no charter flights) such as KLM, Continental, Delta, Lufthansa, Air France, etc.
Our focus is on quality: fully-escorted pilgrimages featuring important Catholic sites with knowledgeable, local English-speaking guides, carefully-chosen accommodations and our own private luxury bus to ensure your comfort & safety. We combine the cultural, historical and religious elements together for an enriching and enjoyable experience. You will have a wonderful time whether you are joining us by yourself or with friends.
The dollar may be down, but we have kept our quality up. We continue to offer competitive prices, generous discounts, and the opportunity to earn free travel. In addition we can custom design a pilgrimage for your own group at no additional cost.
Your pilgrimage with us will provide special memories for years to come.
What is overseas travel like these days?
Actually it is not much different from what it has always been. In fact, our business is up over last year. The news about airline cutbacks and weak U.S. dollar are overblown, in our opinion. We continue to have groups travel every month and come home enriched by their experiences. Sure some airlines have cut back their domestic flights, and the dollar does not go as far as it used to, but overall it is still a great investment. And group travel keeps expenses down since most everything is paid for up front. So don't put off what can be a wonderful experience of a lifetime.
limited time discounts up to $300 on all of our 2008 & 2009 pilgrimages
And, frequent pilgrim discounts for those who have traveled with us before.
Why go on pilgrimage?
A priest friend of ours wrote the following: The Catholic Encyclopedia defines a pilgrimage as traveling to a place "to receive [a] spiritual benefit.." Still, why is it necessary to travel? Can't we just pray at home and in our Churches? Of course, we can---and we should. However, at home and in our parish Church our day-to-day life, with all its cares and concerns, is close at hand, and often impinges on those prayers. Traveling to a holy site gives us a healthy separation from day-to-day life. Then we are more free to open our hearts to the movement of the Spirit. Furthermore, I believe there are some places on this earth where the veil that separates the natural from the supernatural is very thin---Lourdes for example. To go to such a place and pray is to avail ourselves of God's gifts for us there, to gain new spiritual insight, new hope, and a new understanding of our heavenly Father's will for us. These are ample reasons to go on pilgrimage. The rewards always make the effort more than worthwhile.
God bless,
Fr. David
Free Miraculous Medals: blessed at the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal at Rue du Bac, Paris. Click on "latest news" for details.