Catholic Travel Centre

09/03/2021

Our traveling family from Minnesota also visited the charming towns of Sandomierz and Binarowa, as well as the ski resort town of Zakopane, and of course, Krakow!

09/02/2021

A group of family members from Minnesota recently traveled to Poland with their local priest. They asked CTC to customize an itinerary for them to trace the footsteps of their recent ancestors in the old country. Enjoy these highlights from their journey!

08/23/2021

The playground at one of the Catholic schools in Zarka, just outside of Amman, supported by the Western USA Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

08/22/2021

Pilgrims celebrate Mass at the traditional baptismal site of Jesus on the Jordanian side of the Jordan River, near the Dead Sea.

08/21/2021

A traditional dance of celebration for Fr. Twal.

08/21/2021

Members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem prepare for the first Mass of just-ordained Fr. Ramez Twal.

08/20/2021

Pilgrims from Phoenix, Arizona visit Mount Nebo in Jordan, the place from which Moses reportedly viewed the Promised Land.

08/20/2021

Members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem process into the Our Lady of Peace Center in Amman, Jordan, to attend the Ordination of Deacon Ramez Twal. Members from the Phoenix Council of the Western USA Lieutenancy sponsored Deacon Twal throughout his seminary education, and they traveled to Jordan to attend the ordination.

04/28/2021

Throughout the month of May, the piety of the faithful is especially dedicated to Our Blessed Mother. We invite you to join with us and Catholics around the world in response to the Holy Father's dedication of this May to a global rosary "marathon" for the end of COVID-19.

The month-long “prayer marathon” will involve 30 Catholic shrines worldwide

04/26/2021

Our hopes are lifted again with this latest announcement from the EU.

A top European Union official said Sunday that Americans who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 should be able to travel to Europe by summer, easing existing travel restrictions.

04/19/2021

Things are looking good on the Holy Land Pilgrimage front! Israel will be opening to vaccinated tourists in May. We are hopeful with the announcement of this news, and we will monitor how the opening goes in the coming months.

The tourists will need to undergo a PCR coronavirus test before boarding the plane and another PCR test and a serological test when they arrive in Israel.

04/09/2021

Enjoy this piece by Bishop Robert Barron of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as he reflects on recapturing the surprise and excitement that the Resurrection brought to Jesus’ first followers.
Listen or read at the link here.

For Christians, the holiday is about recapturing the surprise and excitement that the Resurrection brought to Jesus’ first followers.

04/04/2021

A Blessed and Joyous Easter to each and all!

04/02/2021

What is it like to celebrate the Resurrection in the place where it happened?

Hear from Fr. Francesco Voltaggio, a priest of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, in this interview that touches on language, culture, religion, the experience of being a Christian in the Holy Land, and more.

A Pillar Interview

03/15/2021

On March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph, Pope Francis will officially designate Knock Shrine in Ireland as an international Marian and Eucharistic shrine. Many of our pilgrims have visited the shrine in person on our pilgrimages to Ireland, and in time we will once again be able to share this wonderful experience with our pilgrims in the future.

Pope Francis will officially designate Knock Shrine in Ireland as an international Marian and Eucharistic shrine on the feast of St. Joseph.

03/03/2021

If you were hoping to walk the Camino de Santiago during the Jacobean Holy Year this year, you'll be pleased to learn Pope Francis has announced the extension of the Jacobean Holy Year 2021 to include 2022!
Although CTC does not organize group walking tours of El Camino, Group Leaders might consider organizing a pilgrimage to include Lourdes, Fatima & Santiago, including the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
The Santiago Cathedral requested the extension of the Holy Year to allow for a greater recovery period and celebration following the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is only the second occurrence in nine centuries of Jacobean Holy Years, the first being in 1937-1938, due to the ramifications of the Spanish Civil War.

02/19/2021

Ash Wednesday not only marks the beginning of our Lenten season, but on this day Oberammergau announced its Hair & Beard Decree. Yep, that's right. Starting Feb 17, all Passion Play 2022 participants will grow their hair and beards again, as also grows the joyful expectation for the premiere on May 14, 2022.

The tradition of the Decree dates back about 200 years, when the people of Oberammergau began to bring more than 50 performances per season to the stage. (The Oberammergau Passion Plan began more than 380 years ago with a handful of performances.) This week, posters and advertisements throughout the town announce the beginning of the 15-month ban on hairdressing. From here on, the 2,000+ actors -- all townspeople -- begin to grow into their role with the visual change.