Prepare Him Room Through Pilgrimage

This week most will be focused on finishing their Christmas lists, but as Catholics, we know that the purpose of Advent goes much deeper. In the famous Christmas song “Joy to the World”, we hear this beautiful call: “Let every heart prepare Him room”. Advent is the beginning of a new liturgical year in the Church. It is a season of hope and new beginnings. This is when we can make our “new year’s resolutions” as to how we will invest in our spiritual life in the year ahead. We should ask ourselves, “How can I intentionally put God first in my life?”.

Christmas celebrates the incredible miracle of when Our Lord became “Emmanuel” which means “God with us”. Rather than being seen as distant or aloof, Christ humbled Himself and became man so that we could know, love, and serve Him in a deeply personal way.

In the book of James we read, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Sometimes in order for us to draw near to God, He calls us to step outside of our comfort zone. To take a break from our day-to-day life and experience Him in a new way. To realize that He is truly “God with us” through the Eucharist and the beauty, history, and worldwide presence of His Church. There is no better way to experience these truths than by traveling on a pilgrimage.

With over 250 available itineraries (www.206tours.com/pilgrimages), daily Mass, and a Priest traveling with every tour group, a 206 Tours pilgrimage is an investment in your relationship with the Lord. For over 38 years, thousands of our pilgrims have had life-changing experiences as they visit holy sites and shrines around the world. They have returned home forever changed and we want to invite you to do the same. Whether for yourself or someone you love, a pilgrimage is truly a gift for one’s soul.

So, as you finish your Christmas list, consider whether God may be calling you or someone you love to encounter Him through a pilgrimage. To experience in a real and tangible way the reality that He is still truly Emmanuel – God with us.

View 206 Tours’ Pilgrimage Directory: www.206tours.com/pilgrimages

Continue Your Eucharistic Pilgrimage

On July 17 – 21, 2024, 60,000 Catholics (lay people, clergy, and religious) traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana to participate in the National Eucharistic Congress. This historic event was the first Eucharistic Congress in 83 years and was a key moment for the Church in the United States.

Pilgrims had the opportunity to attend daily Mass, worship Our Lord in Eucharistic Adoration, hear from dynamic Catholic speakers, go to Confession, and more. In addition, there were a great number of Catholic organizations present to share how the body of Christ is working to spread the faith, including 206 Tours!

As the attendees have now returned home, many are wondering how they can continue to foster a greater love for Our Lord in the Eucharist. Here are five of the many ways in which you can continue your Eucharistic Pilgrimage:

• Join the Eucharistic Consecration in Fatima:

This coming October, join Matthew Kelly, Dynamic Catholic, the International Society of the Eucharist, and hundreds of pilgrims in Fatima, Portugal for a Retreat and Consecration to the Holy Eucharist. This will be a historic event for the Church, organized in response to the crisis of so many Catholics losing faith in the Real Presence. More than just a Pilgrimage, this will be a powerful retreat experience as we consecrate our nation and the world to the Eucharist through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother. Learn more: www.206tours.com/eucharist

• Travel on a Pilgrimage to the sites of Eucharistic Miracles:

One of the greatest testaments to the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist are the abundant Eucharistic Miracles that have taken place throughout the Church’s history. These miracles are located around the world and many of the sites have become popular places of Pilgrimage including Lanciano in Italy, O Cebreiro in Spain, Santarem in Portugal, and many more. As pilgrims visit these sites, they witness the undeniable truth of God’s love and presence in the Holy Eucharist as they see these miracles in person.

• Walk in the Footsteps of Saints who were especially devoted to the Eucharist:

One of the greatest joys of traveling on a Pilgrimage is the opportunity to encounter the lives of the Saints. Many Saints had a very special devotion to the Eucharist. One of the most recent is Bl. Carlo Acutis who is buried in Assisi, Italy and will be canonized as the first millennial Saint in 2025. Carlo went to daily Mass and frequent Adoration. Bl. Carlo created an exhibit documenting in detail Eucharistic Miracles from around the world to help others believe in the Real Presence of Jesus. The exhibit is still in use today; you may have seen it on display at the recent Eucharistic Congress! (Join 206 Tours on a Pilgrimage to the Canonization of Bl. Carlo Acutis: www.206tours.com/acutis)

• Travel with a Pilgrimage Company that offers daily Mass

When you travel with 206 Tours, your group will have a dedicated Spiritual Director who will offer daily Mass. Being able to receive Our Lord each day completely transforms one’s Pilgrimage experience as the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. 206 Tours groups have the opportunity to celebrate Mass at some of the most famous Churches and beautiful holy sites around the world. These are experiences you will never forget.

• Worship Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration with fellow Pilgrims

Adoring Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is a powerful way to thank Him for all the graces you will receive while on a Pilgrimage. Eucharistic Adoration allows the faithful to have time for quiet, intimate prayer with Jesus in their midst. There are many opportunities for Adoration while on a Pilgrimage with 206 Tours. Some highlights include Medjugorje where hundreds of pilgrims gather every Tuesday and Saturday in Adoration outside of St. James Church. Another is in Paris, France where pilgrims can go to Sacre Coeur Basilica where perpetual Adoration has been taking place uninterrupted since 1885. Traveling to Poland? You will be able to visit the perpetual Adoration Chapel started in Niepokalanów, Poland by St. Maximilian Kolbe (pictured in the above header image). These and so many more opportunities are available when you travel with 206 Tours.

View all Pilgrimages with 206 Tours: www.206tours.com/pilgrimages