Greetings in the Name of Our Lord:
Thanks for your interest in our Footprints of God Pilgrimage. Here is an update on our tentative pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
I just met with with John Hale of Corporate Travel, a Catholic company, for the first time yesterday and we just started making preliminary plans. Keep you eye on my website for details as they develop. There is also no need to worry about your security or the problems you hear so much about in Israel. I have been there many times and we know where to go and where not to go. We know how to avoid risk and will keep our pilgrimage in safe areas.
We haven't work on the detailed costs yet but it usually costs about $2000-$2500 per person for all expenses paid from NewarkNJ and back. I think it is OK to bring kids if they are well behaved and can handle 8 or9 full days of touring the sites, daily Mass, etc. We are tentatively planning to leave NewarkNJ on October 20 and returning to Newark on October 28 or 29, 2005. We expect to take 40-50 pilgrims on this first Footprint of God Pilgrimage.
We expect to spend three days and four nights in the Galilee area (Capernaum, Caesarea Philippi, Nazareth, Cana, Mount of Transfiguration, Bethsaida, Jordan River, fishing boat, and more). We will stay right on the shore of Galilee where Jesus lived. We will also try to meet with my friend the Bishop of Nazareth. You can see the Nof Ginosar Hotel by clicking here.
Then we will probably spend aday driving south up to Jerusalem passing through Megiddo (Armageddon), Carmel (cave and mountain of Elijah near Haifa) and Caesarea on the Mediterranean. Peter baptized Cornelius here and Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea for two years. The ruins here are marvelous.
Then we will spend three or four days in Jerusalem atthe Notre DameHotel (Vatican property) with daily Mass. Our hotel is only a 2-minute walk from the New Gate into the OldCity. We will likely visit Church of Holy Sepulchre, Via Dolorosa, Garden of Gethsemane, Ascension Chapel, David's Tomb, Upper Room, Church of Dormition, Church where Cock Crowed, time for shopping, Ein Kerem where Elizabeth lived, meet the bishop of Jerusalem, Church of St. Anne, Pools of Siloam and Bethesda, and more. We can possibly fit in a trip to the Judean Wilderness, Qumran, a swim in the Dead Sea, and a ride on camels.
We plan to have daily Mass at holy sites. We will have a priest along with us as a spiritual advisor for Mass, confession, etc. Janet and I will also share stories and biblical background at the sites and my good friend Zvika Harpaz will be our daily guide. No one knows the Holy Land better than Zvi and he will make sure everyone is always well taken care of and safe.
Good food with the locals, good friends, comfortable accommodations and a time of experiencing our faith which no one will forget.
So, keep your eye on my website and I will keep your name on file as an interested adventurer!For pictures of many of these places, visit my website photo album.
To be a worthy Servant of the King,
Steve Ray
Website:onvert.com and Discussion Board and Steve's Blog
Video/DVDs:Moses, Peter, Mary, Jesus, and now Paul..Order today fromIgnatius Press. To learn about the 10-part series, visitFootprints of God.
Books: Crossing the Tiber,Upon this Rockand St. John's Gospel:a Bible Study Guide and CommentarythruIgnatius Press.New! Papacy Learning Guide.
Tapes:The 7 Sacraments, Graceful Parenting, Searching the Scriptures, Sharing the Fullness of the Faith and more. Click here.