Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, June 20 – July 1, 2016
For Initiated men and their significant others.
Click here to download Brochure and Registration Form PDF
Several brothers of our Illinois M.A.L..E.s have gone to the Holy Land on pilgrimage and found it to be very significant in their spiritual journey. They got excited about having Illinois M.A.L.E s sponsor one for Initiated men and their wives/significant others. This will be my 30th Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I am excited about returning there. Possibly God is calling you on this great journey of faith!
A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land is difficult to explain. It is not a tour, but a journey of heart and spirit. I believe it is a call from God. Scripture comes alive in unbelievable ways when we walk in the footsteps of Jesus. It is a time of prayer and reflection on the Word of God, where it happened. It follows the touchstones of the Journey of Illumination. Just think of visiting Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Galilee where his public ministry was; Capharnaum, his headquarters, the Mt. of Beatitudes, Multiplication of the Loaves & Fishes, Mt. Tabor; the Sea of Galilee; the Holy City Jerusalem, site of so much biblical history; the Garden of Gethsemani, Mt. of Olives, Way of the Cross, a Passover meal, the Dead Sea, Massada, the Judean Wilderness, Qumran and so much more. Our biblical faith assumes deeper dimensions which only the heart understands.
The cost of this Holy Land Pilgrimage is $4,355 (double occupancy) or an additional $998 for single occupancy (subject to availability). There are credit card and check options, as well as Land only. The overall cost has increased the last few years because of the devalued US Dollar and the huge jump in airline prices, esp. the fuel surcharges and departure taxes. This total price covers air transportation (Chicago-Tel Aviv); hotel accommodations; all breakfasts and dinners; two lunches, private bus transportation and driver; a local Jewish Biblical Israeli guide; all sightseeing entrance fees, taxes, and porterage. There is a land only price of $2,555 for those who want to make their own airline reservations. The special features and highlights included are listed in the brochure. We celebrate Mass/Communion Service, pray, read and reflect on Scripture each day at the holy sites. We will celebrate being holy men on Mt. Tabor.
Despite the negative focus by media, the Holy Land is relatively safe. Recently while there a few incidents occurred in Israel but they did not affect our trip or safety. I’ve never had a pilgrim who felt fearful over there. You need to be a person of faith and in good shape – we do walk a lot and there is an aggressive pace. The Holy Land is not well-suited for handicapped people or those who have trouble walking. If God is calling you to join your initiated brothers and you are interested, you can sign up through me. Anne Breslin, at Great Experiences, Inc. will be taking care of our El Al airline transportation. Zach Shavin and I are taking care of the land portion of the pilgrimage.
Reservations are made by sending in the registration form, deposit of $500 and a copy of your valid passport to:
Holy Land Pilgrimage
Carmelite Spiritual Center
8419 Bailey Road
Darien, Illinois 60561-4597
If you would like to pay your deposit using a credit card online, please visit the Carmelite Spiritual Center website to do so.
Information and the registration form are downloadable here. We need to have a minimum of 20 people to make this work. The only way to reserve a spot is to make a deposit. I look forward to sharing the Holy Land with you.
Fr. Bob Colaresi, O. Carm.
