Join the Pilgrim Center of Hope on a Spiritual Pilgrimage to the Holy Land & Jordan in 2010. For more info, visit http://www.pilgrimcenterofhope.org

1. SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE TO
THE HOLY LAND
with the Pilgrim Center of Hope
a Catholic Evangelization Ministry

2. SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE TO
THE HOLY LAND
Pilgrimage organized by Deacon Tom & Mary Jane Fox, directors,
The Pilgrim Center of Hope
A Catholic Evangelization Ministry
in the Archdiocese of San Antonio
7680 Joe Newton Dr. San Antonio, TX 782451
1.210.521-3377 / dtmjfox@pilgrimcenterofhope.org

3. SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE TO
THE HOLY LAND
Read through each day’s slides until you conclude with the prayer for the
day. Here’s a calendar to help you:
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
27 28 29 30
OCT OCT OCT OCT
31 01 02 03 04 05 06
OCT NOV NOV NOV NOV NOV NOV
07 08 09 10
NOV NOV NOV NOV

4. Departure

5. 27 Excitement, anticipation, joy and wonder accompany the
pilgrims in their thoughts and conversation as they
OCT travel half-way across the world to the land sanctified by
our Lord. Upon arrival in Tel Aviv airport, the group
will travel to Mt. Carmel in Haifa for one night.

6. 27 Lord Jesus, You call us each by name. Thank you! We
ask Your blessing upon each pilgrim. May their journey
OCT of faith bring them closer to Your heart. May they have
a safe journey to the Holy Land. Glory be to the Father, to
PRAYER
the Son and to the Holy Spirit…

7. Mount Carmel

8. 28 Site of Elijah the Prophet’s cave (1 Kings 18). The
Carmelite Order was founded on Mt. Carmel. Today, the
OCT Basilica of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is built over the
cave of St. Elijah. The pilgrims will celebrate Mass in
the Basilica of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

9. 28 Elijah, you were a prophet with courage and zeal for
God’s Truth. I ask your intercession for a courageous
OCT and zealous heart, and to live and share my faith!
PRAYER

10. House of Mary in Nazareth

11. 29 The group will drive to Nazareth, where the Basilica of
the Annunciation is built over ancient Nazareth and the
OCT House/Grotto of Mary. It is here that the Angel
Gabriel came to Mary (Luke 1).
Nearby is a church named after St. Joseph, built over the
home of the Holy Family. Mass will be at the Basilica of
the Annunciation, by Mary’s home.

12. 29 O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have
recourse to thee! Blessed Mother, pray for us to have
OCT the grace to say “YES” to God’s will in our lives.
St. Joseph pray, that our families and our households will
PRAYER
remain in God’s protection and peace!

13. Sea of Galilee

14. 30 The Lord Jesus spent three years of His apostolic life in
this area. The group will spend three nights in Nazareth,
OCT which is considered the Galilee area. They will also visit
the House of St. Peter in Capernaum, Mt. of Beatitudes,
the site of the Multiplication of the Fishes and Loaves,
and take a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. Mass will be
at the Church of St. Peter the Primacy, where Jesus
appeared to the disciples after His Resurrection.
Sea of Galilee

15. 30 Lord, we, unlikely as we are, are Your disciples now,
because those first disciples said ‘yes’, and went forth to
OCT be fishers of men. We were caught in their nets and
brought to You, Lord Jesus, so that we might become
PRAYER
Your disciples. That voice from the Sea of Galilee is still
calling...
“Whatever you are involved in, whatever you work at, no
matter how unlikely you may think you are; follow Me,
and I will make you fishers of men!”

16. Cana

17. 31 On Mt. Tabor, the Lord Jesus was transfigured before
Peter, James and John on Mt. Tabor. The Father said,
OCT “This is my Son, my Chosen one, listen to him” (Luke 9:36).
Mass today is at the Church of the Transfiguration.
Lunch will be at the Franciscan Casa Nova on Mt. Tabor
overlooking the valley of Sharon.
In Cana, the site of the First Miracle, the changing of
water into wine, the servants obeyed Mary’s request,
“Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5) Couples in the
group that have received the Sacrament of Matrimony will
renew their wedding vows in Cana. Later, they will
celebrate with wine from Cana!

18. 31 “Lord slow us down. Sometimes we get so busy that
many distractions challenge our values and priorities.
OCT Take us apart with Your Son so that we may listen to
Him and not become confused or empty.
PRAYER
Speak, Lord, we desire to listen to Your voice!
Mary, pray for us to, “Do whatever He tells us.”

19. The Dead Sea

20. 01 An early morning Mass on the Mt. of Beatitudes will
begin the day. We will drive along the Jordan Valley,
NOV southward toward through the Judean Desert. After
lunch in Jericho the group will experience floating in the
Dead Sea. The area of Jericho and the Dead Sea is the
lowest point on earth below sea level.

21. Judean Desert – site of Jesus’
40 days in the desert

22. 01 The Judean Desert is nearby; our Lord spent 40 days and
40 nights in prayer and fasting in the Judean Desert.
NOV The group will spend 40 minutes in this desert,
contemplating the Lord’s time in that area.
Then, on to Jerusalem.

23. 01 Because of the Holy Spirit who has been poured forth in
our hearts, we are no longer slaves but children of God
NOV and can sing…Our Father who art in Heaven…
PRAYER

24. Bethlehem

25. 02 The day will be spent at the Basilica of the Nativity, the
site of our Lord’s birthplace, the Milk Grotto—the
NOV home of the Holy Family before their exile to Egypt,
and Shepherd’s Field—where the Shepherds received the
angels’ announcement of Christ’s birth.
The group will have Christmas Liturgy in the Basilica
of the Nativity. This is the only place in the world
where the Christmas Mass may be celebrated outside of
the Christmas Season, because it is here where it began!
The group will also have lunch at Bethlehem University
and meet Palestinian Christian students studying in the
first Catholic university in the Middle East.

26. 02 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us! He
shared our humanity that we might share His divinity.
NOV Thank You, God, for the overflowing love which burst
forth and is found in the arms of Mary. Lord, may You
PRAYER
be born again in our hearts!

27. Olive wood artisan
in Bethlehem

28. Ancient City of Jerusalem

29. 03 Today, the group will have a private Audience with
Bishop William Shomali, Auxiliary Bishop for the Latin
NOV Patriarchate of Jerusalem. He will briefly speak about
the Mother Church (the Church of the Holy Land) and
bestow his blessing upon the pilgrims.
The remainder of the morning will be spent at an area
called St. Peter Gallicantu, where Jesus spent Holy
Thursday evening in prison, awaiting the trial of Good
Friday.

30. Site of our Lord’s scourging
in Jerusalem

31. 03 In the afternoon, the group will spend time in the ancient
city of Jerusalem visiting the Chapel of Flagellation and
NOV the Palace of Pontius Pilate, today called the Lithrostos
(“stone pavement”). It is here where our Lord was
scourged by the Roman soldiers. Today, a chapel is built
over this area and the group will have Mass at this holy
site. Nearby is the Church of St. Ann, built over the
birthplace of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

32. 03 Jesus, You came to tell us of the Father’s love. Have
mercy on us! We pray for the spiritual renewal of our
NOV families and for the sanctity of life. Thank You for the
gift of salvation; we pray that many will experience a
PRAYER
desire to know You and love You. Amen.

33. 04 Early in the morning, the pilgrim group will walk the Via
Dolorosa, carrying a large wooden cross, ending with
NOV Mass in the Tomb of Christ located in the Church of the
Holy Sepulcher.
Steps climbing Calvary

34. Holy Sepulcher Church
in Jerusalem

35. 04 After breakfast, a visit at the Upper Room and Dormition
Abbey (a beautiful Benedictine church to commemorate
NOV Blessed Virgin Mary’s Assumption) are an important part
of the pilgrimage.
Then a visit to the Western Wall or Wailing Wall.

36. Palestinian Women’s
Solidarity Project (CRS)

37. 04 Later in the day, three women of the three monotheistic
faiths in the Holy Land (Christian, Jewish, Muslim) will
NOV speak to the group about their lives and hope for their
future.

38. The Tomb of our Lord Jesus

39. 04 Lord of Life, we are Easter Christians and “Alleluia” is
our song! May the light of Your Resurrection shine
NOV through us! He is truly risen! Alleluia!
PRAYER

40. Garden of Gethsemani

41. 05 Today, we spend the entire day on the Mt. of Olives.
Beginning at the top where our Lord ascended,
NOV walking down to Dominus Flevit where He wept over
Jerusalem, ending in the Garden of Gethsemani,
spending time with Jesus in silent prayer, praying for
God’s will in our lives. Mass today will be in the Basilica
of Agony, the site where the rock upon which our Lord
spent his Hour of Agony is located.

42. 05 How many times, Lord, do we cry out: “What is life
about?” Or, “In which direction shall I go?”
NOV Lord, by Your example of praying for the Father’s will,
PRAYER
give us the courage and patience to persevere in our
pilgrimage of life. We ask forgiveness for the many
times we have failed to reconcile with others or have
failed to love.

43. The Hills of Judea

44. 06 The group will travel outside Jerusalem to the Judean
Hill country to a village called Ein Karem, where St.
NOV John the Baptist was born, and the location of the
Visitation of Mary to her cousin, Elizabeth. Crossing
over to Jordan—near Jericho—the first stop will be
Bethany, the River Jordan, site of Our Lord’s Baptism by
St. John the Baptist.

45. Walking to the River Jordan

46. River Jordan

47. 06 The group will renew their Baptism vows where St. John
the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord. John 1:28
NOV speaks of “Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was
baptising,” while John 10:40 mentions an incident when
Jesus escaped from hostile crowds in Jerusalem and “went
away again across the Jordan to the place where John had
first baptized ...” The site of this Bethany beyond (east of)
the Jordan River is not to be confused with Bethany near
Jerusalem, which was the hometown of Lazarus.

48. 06
Lord Jesus, through Your Baptism, we are given the gift
of our own Baptism. In becoming members of the
Church, we belong to the family of God. Give us the
NOV grace to live our baptismal call as sons and daughters of
PRAYER the Heavenly Father. Lord Jesus, we thank You for the gift
of faith, for the gift of learning more about You. Please
give us Your guidance & the grace to live as Your disciple.
Thank You, Jesus. Thank You for the Holy Spirit!

49. Mount Nebo

50. Mount Nebo

51. 07 This day will be dedicated to two sites: one related to the
Old Testament, Mt. Nebo and the other to the early
NOV Christian Church, Madaba.
Moses lived out his remaining days and viewed the
Promised Land from Mt. Nebo (Deuteronomy 34:1-8).
Mt. Nebo offers a fantastic view westward, with a view
that includes the Dead Sea, the West Bank, the Jordan
River, and, on a clear day, Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

52. 07 Outside the church building is an enigmatic Serpentine
Cross. The figure represents the bronze serpent taken up
NOV by Moses in the desert, as well as the cross upon which
Our Lord Jesus was crucified. Today the Franciscans are
the custodians of the church on Mt. Nebo.

53. Madaba

54. 07 Madaba’s real masterpiece is within the Orthodox Church
of Saint George—the 6th century A.D. mosaic map of
NOV Jerusalem and the Holy Land—the earliest religious map
of the Holy Land in any form to survive from antiquity.
With two million pieces of colored stone, the map
depicts hills and valleys, villages and towns as far as the
Nile Delta.

55. 07 Heavenly Father, You chose Moses to lead Your people out
of bondage and gave us the Ten Commandments as the
NOV way to live as Your child. In Your Son, Jesus, You gave us
the New Covenant, the gift of the Catholic Church. Grant
PRAYER
us the faith and hope needed to receive this gift and share
it with others!

56. Petra, Jordan

57. 08 The entire day will be spent in Petra, 115 mile journey
from Amman.
NOV Often described as the eighth wonder of the ancient
world, it is without doubt Jordan’s most valuable treasure
and greatest tourist attraction. It is a vast, unique city,
carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an
industrious Arab people who settled here more than 2,000
years ago, turning it into an important junction for the
silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India,
and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome.

58. 08 Thank You, Heavenly Father, for creation! We praise You,
Father! We thank You for Your presence and Your mercy!
NOV
PRAYER

59. Amman, Jordan

60. 09 Today is dedicated to the local Church; the group will
meet with a Catholic group in a local parish. During his
NOV pilgrimage to the Holy Land & Jordan, Pope Benedict XVI
addressed the Jordanians upon his arrival at the airport in
Amman: “I came to Jordan as a pilgrim, to venerate holy
places that have played such an important part in some of
the key events of Biblical history. At Mount Nebo, Moses
led his people to within sight of the land that would
become their home, and here he died and was laid to rest.
At Bethany beyond the Jordan, John the Baptist preached
and bore witness to Jesus, whom he baptized in the waters
of the river that gives this land its name...

61. 09 In the coming days I shall visit both these holy places, and
I shall have the joy of blessing the foundation stones of
NOV churches that are to be built at the traditional site of the
Lord’s Baptism. The opportunity that Jordan’s Catholic
community enjoys to build public places of worship is a
sign of this country’s respect for religion, and on their
behalf I want to say how much this openness is
appreciated. Religious freedom is, of course, a
fundamental human right, and it is my fervent hope and
prayer that respect for all the inalienable rights and the
dignity of every man and woman will come to be
increasingly affirmed and defended, not only throughout
the Middle East, but in every part of the world.”

62. 09 Lord, bestow upon us a desire to have Your Word burn in
our hearts and in our minds. Open our eyes, Lord, that we
NOV may see You in every Eucharistic celebration and in your
people. Come, Holy Spirit, renew our faith and help us in
PRAYER
our daily walk with Jesus!

63. 10 Although the pilgrims return to their homes, their
pilgrimage continues—it never ends! It is the same with
NOV each one of us; our journey in life is a pilgrimage to the
House of the Father. Our destination is the Heavenly
Jerusalem.
Departure

64. 10 We pray, Lord, stay with us. Mary, pray for us to remain
faithful. St. Joseph, be our guardian in the faith and
NOV protect our families!
PRAYER
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…