Tekton Ministries “Serving God’s people on their journey of faith” Pilgrimage to the HOLY LAND with Roy Schoeman November 6th - 17th, 2017 Fr. Patrick Barnes Fr. Chris Shofner St. Nicholas Catholic Church, St. Mary’s and St. Henry’s, LeCenter, MN Elko New Market, MN The Nativity of Mary, Cleveland, MN The Immaculate Conception, Marysburg, MN Pilgrimage Itinerary U Day 1 – Depart U.S.A. Our pilgrimage begins today as we depart on our flight to Israel. Meals and drinks served aloft. U Day 2: Arrive Tel Aviv / Haifa After arrival at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv we will be met by our local guide who will arrange the schedules of our visits and ensure that all goes smoothly as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus. We drive north along the Mediterranean coast to Haifa. Depending on the arrival time, we will celebrate Mass at Stella Maris on Mt. Carmel, home of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. Overnight at Stella Maris. U Day 3: Haifa / Tiberias Following breakfast, we visit the largest Carmelite Monastery and world center of the Order, built above the very cave where Elijah lived. We then visit Muhraqa where Elijah had his famous duel with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18) before proceeding to Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus. In the Church of the Annunciation we will celebrate Mass. Just behind the altar U Day 5: Tiberias we will see the actual room in which Mary said “yes” to the This morning visit the Tomb of Maimonides followed by angel Gabriel. From there we will visit St. Joseph’s Carpentry a stop in the ancient center of Jewish mysticism - Safed. The Shop and Mary’s Well. In the afternoon we drive to Cana of narrow cobblestone alleys reveal artists’ galleries, medieval Galilee where Jesus, at the request of Mary, performed His first synagogues, private homes and small guest houses. We will miracle…changing water into wine. It was here also that He tour one of the medieval synagogues, then make a short stop in blessed marriage and raised it to the dignity of a sacrament. Chorazin, one of the three towns cursed by Our Lord for their Those who wish may renew their wedding vows as a lasting lack of faith(Lk. 10). Later, ascend the Golan Heights and stop at remembrance of this holy site. Next we will take an excursion the Banias Spring that rises from under a cave and is one of the to the summit of Mt. Tabor where Jesus was transfigured and sources of the Jordan River. It was here, the ancient Caesarea revealed his Divine Glory to the apostles (Matt 17:2). We Philippi, where after Peter made his confession of faith, Jesus continue to our hotel located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, said “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” our home for the next three nights. (Mt. 16) On our return to Tiberias we will travel around the Sea of Galilee and stop at Kursi. Here Jesus met a possessed man and miraculously cast out a legion of demons into the herd of swine (Lk. 8:26). U Day 4: Tiberias This morning, we will enjoy a scenic boat ride across the Sea of Galilee and proceed to the Church of Peter’s Primacy (John 21:16). Here on the shore of Galilee, Jesus appeared to the Apostles after His Resurrection and confirmed Peter in the role U Day 6: Tiberias / Jerusalem as Vicar of Christ with the words, “Feed My sheep.” The church This morning we will depart Tiberias and travel south to the is built around the rock on which they ate breakfast. We will spot on the Jordan River where John the Baptist baptized Jesus, proceed onto Capernaum which for three years was the center where we will renew our baptismal vows. The Bible tells us that of Jesus’ public ministry. Here our Lord met his first disciples – the Children of Israel crossed the River Jordan opposite Jericho Peter, Andrew, James, John and Matthew – and worked many when they came into the Promised Land. The prophet Elijah miracles. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever, brought a divided its waters and crossed with Elisha on dry land. Naaman child back to life, cured a leper, healed the centurion’s servant, the Syrian dipped in the waters seven times and was cured of cast out a demon from a young boy and healed all that were sick his leprosy. And Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan (Mark (Matt 8:16). We will visit the synagogue where Jesus taught, 1:9). Each year, pilgrims from far and wide come to the Place and then drive to Tabgha – the site where Jesus multiplied the of Baptism to immerse themselves in these holy waters. From Loaves and Fishes and fed over 5000 people (Luke 9:13). Next, here, we will visit the shores of the Dead Sea. Next we drive a we will drive to the Mount of Beatitudes, the site of the Sermon short distance to ancient Jericho, the oldest known city in the on the Mount. Western world. In 1250 B.C., Joshua encircled the city and at the blast of the priests’ trumpets, the walls came tumbling down (Joshua 6). Many times Jesus passed through this city on his way to Jerusalem. The sycamore then pray the Rosary together in the Church of Dormition, tree which Zacchaeus climbed where Mary was assumed into heaven. We will then walk to in order to catch a glimpse of the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu where Peter denied Jesus Jesus, still grows in this area. three times, and have the opportunity to pray in the prison From Jericho, we will ascend cell in Caiphas’ palace where Jesus passed the night before His the Mount of Temptation where crucifixion. We will celebrate Mass and then have the balance Jesus fasted and prayed forty of the day free for personal activities. days before beginning his public ministry, and was tempted by U Day 11: Jerusalem / Tel Aviv the devil (Mt. 4). Next we will We will drive to Bethlehem and visit Rachel’s Tomb. Next stop in Bethany to visit the site we will have Mass at the Shepherd’s Fields. We will visit and of the House of Mary, Martha pray at the very spot of Jesus’ birth, and visit the Basilica of the & Lazarus and descend into the Nativity, built by the Emperor Constantine in the 4th century. Tomb of Lazarus. After Mass in We will also tour the Manger, Grotto of St. Jerome, and the Bethany we will continue on to Church of St. Catherine. Then we visit the Franciscan Family Jerusalem, our home for the next Center and the Milk Grotto Chapel followed by some free time six nights. before returning to Jerusalem. This evening we will enjoy a farewell dinner together. After dinner we will check out of our U Day 7: Jerusalem hotel and transfer to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv to catch This morning we will drive to the top of the Mt. of Olives for our late evening return flight home. a spectacular view of Jerusalem. We will visit the Church of Pater Noster where Jesus taught his disciples the Our Father, U Day 12: Tel Aviv / U.S.A. Ascension Chapel where Jesus ascended into Heaven, and then Today our Holy Land pilgrimage comes to an end as we arrive walk the “Palm Sunday Road” to Dominus Flevit, where Our back in the United States following our overnight flight from Lord wept over Jerusalem. Then we will proceed to the Garden Tel Aviv. of Gethsemane to visit the Church of All Nations for Mass on the Rock of Agony. In the afternoon, we will drive to visit the birthplace of John the Baptist and the site of the Visitation Pilgrimage Price: $3,620.00 where Mary greeted her cousin Elizabeth and proclaimed her per person/double occupancy “Magnificat.” Airline Taxes/Fuel Surcharges: add $723.15 (estimate) U Day 8: Jerusalem For a single occupancy please add $824.00 This morning we will enter the Old City of Jerusalem through St. Stephen’s Gate to visit the Church of St. Anne, where the For land only, please subtract $925.00 Blessed Virgin Mary was born. Next to this site is the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the paralytic man. We will then walk the Via Dolorosa prayerfully, finishing in the Church of These rates include: the Holy Sepulcher where we will have Holy Mass. There we U Arrangements for daily Mass U Roundtrip economy class airfare from Minneapolis to Tel Aviv on Delta Airlines/Air France U 10 nights accommodation U All hotel taxes and service charges U Breakfast and dinner daily U Farewell Middle Eastern dinner in Jerusalem U Comprehensive sightseeing with a licensed Christian guide U All entrance fees as per itinerary U Land transportation by deluxe motor coach U Arrival and departure transfers; group flights only U will climb Mt. Calvary and pray at the site of the crucifixion. We Whisper headsets will venerate the site where Jesus’ body was anointed, the tomb U Porterage of one piece of luggage at airports and where he was buried and rose from the dead, and the Chapel hotels of St. Helena where the true cross was found. While in the Old City, we will also see Pilate’s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of These rates do not include: Flagellation, the Arch of Ecce Homo, the “Wailing Wall”, and U Airline taxes/fuel surcharges ($723.15 per person we will view the Temple Mount.