Pilgrimage to Italy

Under The Spiritual Direction Of Fr. Martin Gillespie

13 DAYS

FROM $4,999

Date

May 13 - 25, 2025

Activity Level

Moderate – High

Book By

1 / 31 / 2024

Group Limit

30

Pilgrimage Overview

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, it is with great excitement and anticipation that I invite you to travel with me on the pilgrimage of a lifetime! In May of 2025, we will travel to Italy to visit some of the holiest places on Earth and enjoy each other’s company as we are drawn closer to Our Lord! It is good for us to step away from our daily routines, as Jesus Himself invited His Disciples to “Come away for a while and be refreshed” and to enter into a more spiritual realm. It is on just such a pilgrimage where we begin to not only appreciate the places where the saints once walked, but to also, and perhaps more importantly, to see Christ more clearly in the people we meet. It is with these very thoughts that I look forward with great glee the opportunity for all of us to share a most special journey together!

On a personal note, on May 20th, 2025, I will be celebrating my 25th anniversary of ordination to the Roman Catholic Priesthood, a very special milestone indeed. On that day, I will honor my commitment and promise to Our Lord and His Mother, to be a good and faithful steward of the souls in my care. As per Christ’s command, I have placed my hands on the plow and never looked back. I have served joyfully in the vineyard of God, and would like nothing more than to share this momentous occasion with all y’all! What’s more, I will be celebrating my Mass of Thanksgiving in the Basilica of St Clare in Assisi. I have had a tremendous devotion to St Clare after having served as pastor of St Clare Catholic Church before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina. We placed our lives in Her care, and she kept everyone safe.

So please, I ask that you prayerfully consider joining me on this pilgrimage. I can assure you that it will not only be a spiritual journey, but also a fun and exciting one, too! Be safe and be well, and may Almighty God bless you!

Fr. G

Travel Insurance Group Name/ID: CA112

DAY 1

Depart USA

Flight to Milan

Our Pilgrimage begins today as we depart on our flight to Milan. Meals and drinks served aloft.

DAY 2

Arrival in Milan

Transfer to Hotel

Upon arrival in Milan we are welcomed by our HLTC Guide and Driver. We will then enjoy a brief panoramic city tour before arriving at our hotel for a special welcome dinner and overnight.

DAY 3

Milan

Milan, Duomo, The Last Supper:

After a good night’s rest and a delicious breakfast we’re ready to explore Milan! We begin with what is perhaps the city’s most famous structure. Standing as the centerpiece of Milan for over six centuries, the Duomo is an architectural marvel and is sure to both awe and inspire us as we experience our in-depth tour. Afterwards, we will be free to indulge in a meal at one of the many restaurants that surround the Cathedral Square. We then continue with a short walk to the nearby Church of Holy Mary of Grace. Here, we will see one of the world’s most iconic and recognizable works of art – Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Before returning to our hotel for dinner we will enjoy a private Mass at a local Church.

DAY 4

Florence

Transfer to Florence:

We greet the day with a smile and bid farewell to Milan as we depart for Florence (5hrs). Upon our arrival, we check in to our hotel and enjoy the balance of the day to explore Florence and rest after our long journey.

DAY 5

Florence

Florence:

Today we enjoy a comprehensive tour of Florence with visits to the Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo and the Academia to see Michelangelo’s “David.” Get those cameras ready! Later, we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 6

Assisi

Florence, Assisi:

Today we depart Florence for Assisi (2.5hrs), birthplace of St. Francis. Assisi holds a special place in the hearts of every faithful Catholic the world over. Upon arrival, In Assisi, we will visit the Basilica of St. Francis, the upper Basilica with Giotto’s frescoes representing the life of St. Francis, then the lower Basilica and the Tomb of St. Francis. After lunch, we will transfer to the Convent of San Damiano, where St. Francis received his call to rebuild the Church and where St. Clare lived and died. Here we celebrate Mass before continuing for our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 7

Assisi

Assisi:

After breakfast, we begin our day with Mass at the Basilica of Santa Chiara followed by a group tour. We then have the balance of the day to explore Assisi at our own pace. To facilitate your exploration, our bus will offer limited transportation to the town’s Piazzas. In the evening, we will gather for our group dinner at the hotel to share stories of our wonderful time in Assisi!

DAY 8

Rome

Rome, Vatican

Today we depart Assisi for Rome. Before our departure, however, we will celebrate a special Mass at the Basilica of St. Clare to mark Fr. G’s Silver Jubilee! Afterward, we’ll enjoy a tour of this magnificent Basilica before transferring to Rome (2 hrs). Upon our arrival in Rome, we will visit Saint Paul Outside the Walls, one of the four major basilicas in Rome, where we will visit the tomb of St. Paul before enjoying lunch and some free time to stretch our legs. We then close the day by checking in to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 9

Rome

Rome, Papal Audience:

Today, we will share in the truly unique experience of attending a Papal Audience. An early morning start ensures the best possible view of the Holy Father as he personally greets and addresses the faithful. In the afternoon, we visit the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the oldest basilica of the Western World. We then visit the Basilica of St. Mary Major, one the most important shrines in the world dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. At the close of the day, we will return to our hotel for a peaceful night of rest.

DAY 10

Rome

Rome:

Our day begins with an exploration of Vatican City. We begin with a tour of the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica. We will then discover the Vatican Museums which house many of the Western world’s most important collections of art. Our experience culminates in a visit to The Sistine Chapel, a place where our minds and hearts will surely linger for many years to come. After lunch, we will continue to a tour of the Catacombs of St. Callixtus. Later, we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 11

Rome

Rome, Orvieto

Today we bid a brief farewell to Rome as we make our way to Orvieto (1.5hrs) just North of the city. Here, where we visit the Gothic Cathedral built to house the holy relics of the Eucharistic Miracle of Orvieto. It was this miracle that occasioned the proclamation of the Feast of Corpus Christi and inspired St. Thomas Aquinas to write the famous hymn “Tantum Ergo.” Here we celebrate Mass. We enjoy lunch in a local restaurant with tasting of the Orvieto and Orvieto Classico wine that this region is famous for. Afterwards, we board our bus and return to our hotel in Rome for dinner and overnight.

DAY 12

Rome

Our pilgrimage is nearly at an end. After breakfast, our group will enjoy a special Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. We then proceed to the Piazza Navona for a walking tour that visits the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps among other interesting finds. The group will then be given the balance of the day to explore Rome at their own pace. Later, we will reconvene at the hotel for a farewell dinner to celebrate our shared pilgrimage.

DAY 13

Return Home

Our hearts and minds fortified by faith and fellowship, we now begin the long journey home.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

4-5 Star Hotels
Roundtrip Flights
One Checked Bag
Air-conditioned Motor Coach
Professional Licensed Tour Guide
Gratuities
Accommodations (based on double occupancy)
Entrance Fees as per itinerary
Meals (per itinerary)

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

TRAVEL INSURANCE

We recommend that all travelers purchase a travel protection plan to help protect themselves and their trip investment. Travel protection plans can provide coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical expenses and emergency evacuation/repatriation, trip delay, baggage delay, and more. Please go to the link below to learn more Click here for Travel Insurance Details.

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What Our Customers Are Saying

"We will always remember that experience - one of the greatest memories of our lifetime. So glad you were there! We appreciated the good experience of the travel guides. They made us feel comfortable, were very knowledgeable, and we learned a lot. George was incredible to watch and listen to. We appreciated the fact that he started every day with a scripture reading that was based on what we were going to see that day. He made the Holy Land come to life for us and was able to make everything so interesting.”

Artie Davidson

"I just wanted to personally thank you for such a blessed and grace-filled pilgrimage. It was amazing and I was very much impressed. Please extend my thanks to George for being the best tour guide that a pilgrim could have. On behalf of the group, thank you so much for giving us this opportunity to experience the Holy land in a spiritual and Christian way!!! I will keep in touch with you for the next Holy land pilgrimage.”

Alicia Policarpio

"There are so many things to thank you for, but let me say that all of us had a pilgrimage of a life-time; this was my third pilgrimage to the Holy Land and was by far the best."

Deacon Donato Lucero

"I want to thank you for the wonderful tour of the Holy Land and Jordan. It is always a joy and inspiration to lead these tours, and I know that our people enjoy the special accommodations and events."

Fr. Michael J. Shea

"My trip to the Holy Land arranged by Issa Qumsieh was above and beyond my expectations. All was organized down to the last detail. Our arrival in Tel Aviv was welcomed by our guide George and driver Basann, who were waiting at the airport. Throughout our trip, our guide and bus driver were always prompted and ensured our safety. They guaranteed visitation to all historical sites in a timely manner. All hotel accommodations were optimal with meals provided. In the future when traveling overseas I will leave all travel plans to Issa Qumsieh with Holy Land travel. I have great confidence any travels plans will be handled with efficiency and professionalism. I highly recommend Holy Land travel / Issa Qumsieh to my friends, relatives and peers."

Eleanor Miranda

"We’ve just returned from our visit to the Holy Land with Father Vitus and I must say, it was an experience of a lifetime thanks to you and your family. From the moment we arrived at the airport to the moment we landed safely back in Albuquerque your efforts to ensure we all had a wonderful and safe experience was evident. Even though you did not travel with us on this particular tour I felt you were with us every step of the way. Upon our departure from Albuquerque you were at the airport to wish us safe travels and you were there upon our return."

Catherine Penick

"We just came back home and cannot stop talking about the pilgrimage. We have been to the Holy Land before but this is much better. It was very well planned. It is an A+."

Larry Martinez

"Happy New Year! The trip was awesome and a wonderful experienced. You are right; Claudia was an excellent tour guide and Oscar Jordan too. Thanks for giving us these wonderful tour guide. Someday we plan to go back to this tour. It is addictive. We have been almost all over the world but this is emotionally moving."

Fe Buenconsejo

“Indeed, we had a most memorable experience visiting all the holy/cultural sites in France, Spain, and Portugal. In retrospect, this awesome pilgrimage, under the direction of our Spiritual Guide, Fr. Ven, has culminated into a deeper spiritual growth. How privileged we were to have him accompany us!"

Eddie and Phyllis

"Good day. I just want to say thanks for outstanding service we received during Holy Land tour last Oct 19-31 (with Fr. Ven's Group from San Diego, CA). We enjoyed it very much."

Val Cortez

"We are back safe home after 10 days away. I just want to thank you for the beautiful and spiritual trip. That it is a very memorable and experience pilgrimage. Especially we were able to visit your family. I made a picture with your Mom and also your sisters and family. Send my nice regards to them. I missed them. I appreciate that we could go to the milk grotto that was out of the itinerary. Thank you abundantly and I will recommend people to travel with your travel agent to Holy Land. God bless."

Mariani

"The Hotels, destinations, guides, food, busses were beyond my expectations. Everyone was professional, solicitous and friendly. I felt the guides were knowledgeable and eager to take us to places of interest to all the pilgrims."

Monsignor Richard Olona

"We were a small family group who folded into the larger Fr. Martin group from St. Louis. We felt welcomed and accepted into their 'family'. The pace was aggressive, which we needed to be able to see everything. Both guides, Enza in Rome and Nadi in Israel were wonderful about informing the group how far we would be walking to the next site and the terrain. They were awesome at making accommodations for those who needed to adjust the speed. Enza worked hard to get us tickets to the Sistine Chapel on short notice and Nadi dealt with several pilgrims with health issues on the trip. He made us comfortable with the care our family member was receiving at the Israeli hospital. They were both extremely knowledgeable. We felt safe and cared for the entire trip. We would whole heartedly endorse this trip to anyone who asks for a referral. Deacon Dennis and Kim Patrick Guthrie Center, Iowa"

Dennis P

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