Catholic pilgrimages around the world..

Stephentlig

I thought I'd create a discussion inviting Catholics to share with us the pilgrimages they've been on and if they know of any that they could recommend Catholics go on.

I've been to Knock and Medugorje but thats about it I'm afraid.

both were great experiences particularly Medugorje, which I visited twice in the same year.

How many pilgrimages have you been on? and where are the many places you'd like to go in the future. I'd like to go to Fatima, Lourdes, Garabandal, the Divine mercy in Poland and of course the great Holy Land Jerusalem.

Pax Christi
Stephen

underclass

Stephentlig wrote: »

I thought I'd create a discussion inviting Catholics to share with us the pilgrimages they've been on and if they know of any that they could recommend Catholics go on.

I've been to Knock and Medugorje but thats about it I'm afraid.

both were great experiences particularly Medugorje, which I visited twice in the same year.

How many pilgrimages have you been on? and where are the many places you'd like to go in the future. I'd like to go to Fatima, Lourdes, Garabandal, the Divine mercy in Poland and of course the great Holy Land Jerusalem.

Pax Christi
Stephen

I've been to Knock and Our Lady of Walsingham.

Rome is next on my list. I'd also like to get to Lough Derg.

Stephentlig

underclass wrote: »

I've been to Knock and Our Lady of Walsingham.

Rome is next on my list. I'd also like to get to Lough Derg.

Our Lady of Walsingham? where is that situated?

underclass

Stephentlig wrote: »

Our Lady of Walsingham? where is that situated?

It's in Norfolk.

prinz

I'd love to do the Camino to Santiago de Compostela, but that's about it. Been to Knock, to see the Infant Child of Prague, not sure what constitutes a pilgrimage.

Canis Lupus

I've been all over Israel from the sea of Galilee (I tried but failed at walking on the water)to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is simply awe inspiring. I've never travelled anywhere before that was so soaked in history.

Walking through the arab quarter of the old city when it's at is busiest you can use your imagination to think about how it would have been centuries ago and the eerie atmosphere that falls when the call to prayer echoes over the shops and stalls is just as awesome.

Then you have the prayer wall and the al Aqsa (sp? sorry) mosque along with a billion churches. (I can't think of the name of the orthodox catholic one but it's as beautiful as it is gaudy in that orthodox way) and the garden of Getsemane which is maintained by English people. Was a bit funny to go from mad Jerusalem to a quiet garden and be greeted by a very English hello when we went in )

If anyone thinks Israel is unsafe then I should mention that my girlfriend and I met some lovely lovely people (both Jewish and Arab)who go out of their way to help. I guess if you live there (ie a jew wandering into an arab section alone etc) it might be different but as long as you're recognised as a tourist and steer clear of talking about the conflict then you'll be grand.

Anyway, not a pilgrimage as I don't believe but I think there's something for everyone in Israel/Jerusalem.

antiskeptic

Stephentlig wrote: »

How many pilgrimages have you been on? and where are the many places you'd like to go in the future. I'd like to go to Fatima, Lourdes, Garabandal, the Divine mercy in Poland and of course the great Holy Land Jerusalem.

Israel (including Jerusalem). It's an absolutely bonkers experience to sit in the midst of the source of the three Abrahamic religions and watch them all weave their way through the same history/terrain. It helps to show you how "big" this whole thing is and, for me anyway, helped open my eyes to the pointlessness and arrogance of one denomination (whether Catholic/Protestant/other) claiming to be the way, truth and light.

God is simply too "big" for Rome..

I went with a Christian tour agency who brought us out on a guided tour of 10 days or so. I'm sure there'd be a Catholic agency doing the same. There's no point in trying to do it on your own - there's simply too much to see and do to figure it out for yourself.

One of my personal favorite places was out on a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. At that distance, modernity disappeared and the shoreline topography looked exactly as it would have in Jesus day. It was one of the few places where Jesus undoubtably walked. The Kidron Valley where Jesus would have travelled along regularity was another. For the rest, the supposed 'holy' sites were largely "possibly traditional locations" (apparently you can be brought to one of three possibly traditional garden tomb sites and the site of the "upper room" was located in a relatively modern building )

antiskeptic

Canis Lupus wrote: »

I've been all over Israel from the sea of Galilee (I tried but failed at walking on the water)

Perhaps the gospel writings erred on this point and it was the Dead Sea the story should be referring to. If so, and Jesus has unusually large feet...

If anyone thinks Israel is unsafe then I should mention that my girlfriend and I met some lovely lovely people (both Jewish and Arab)who go out of their way to help.

It's hard to feel unsafe with so many people/soldiers carrying guns around. Can you imagine a Dublin gurrier deciding to set up stall as a bag snatcher in Jerusalem?

Canis Lupus

antiskeptic wrote: »

Perhaps the gospel writings erred on this point and it was the Dead Sea the story should be referring to. If so, and Jesus has unusually large feet...

I was thinking the same when I got in. OT but isn't the dead sea the weirdest thing ever? Did you go see Massada, King Herrods palace on the side of that cliff? is just... mind boggling as is the fact that the Romans simply built a ramp up one side to invade it.

branie

I've been to:

Lourdes (3 times)

Knock (many times)

Rome

Fatima

Padua

TravelJunkie

The pope is in cyprus in June