Hi Cara,

Just wanted to let you know all went well for me and Debora.
Our seats on the plane were just the best, will travel again like that.

There are no words to say about our trip, It was so beautiful and rewarding to be there, in all the places Jesus had been.

Father Jonathan was the best. For his first trip there, he acted like he had been there many times before. He was great.
Our tour director Rami was also the best, he really knew what to do, where to go, and all the places, he told us such good stories, that made the trip for us, to get closer to god.
Bus driver was great also, do not know how he can drive that bus on so many narrow streets, but he did it and was good.

When I went on the internet looking for a tour, I found the best. And i am glad we went with your company. Can say enough about it.

Thank you again for all the nice goodies sent from your company for our trip love the hat, and the bag is the best for everything. Rosaries, and a nice olive wood cross made the trip so special.

Hotels were very nice, clean and comfortable. The food in every hotel was very good. All of the restaurants had such nice lunches for us. There was nothing I can say that would be a negative at all. Your tour company know it stuff. And we are thankful for such a nice one.

God be with you,

laura bobak

Dear 206,

I just wanted to share this special photo with you from my pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe (Jan 2019).

Everything I saw and felt and learned on that pilgrimage, can be summed up into one unforgettable spiritual moment when I was descending Tepeyac Hill. Surprised to see the larger-than-life statue of Christ the King, my heart literally (literally!) fluttered (for never in my life have I ever seen a sculpture of Christ THAT big)! My eyes welled, and I walked faster toward Him, thinking over and over and over again:  ¡Viva Christo Rey! !Viva Christo Rey! !Viva Christo Rey!

Those words are my greatest souvenir and will forever be stamped on my heart –

I must also recognize our amazing guide, Father Seán Connolly, who not only taught us so much about the history of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Cristeros War, but he also made our Masses so incredibly joyful with his inspiring homilies, his printed-out songs for us to sing, and just overall his very happy and very holy nature.

So, thank you 206 for such a wonderfully spiritual and UNFORGETTABLE time. Long live Christ the King!!! Especially  in the heart of this humbled and unworthy pilgrim!

Jackie B.

Hi Rinda,

This was my first trip to the Holy Land and also my first pilgrimage. It really was a life-changing experience! I am especially blessed to have had Fares Saba as the tour guide. It was wonderful to learn from an Arab Catholic who was actually from Nazareth. He gave me insight into what it is like to be one of the few Christians in the Holy Land, and was very knowledgeable about every person/place we visited. He even went out of his way to arrange a visit with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. After listening to Fares and meeting other Catholics in the country, I now feel a strong solidarity with my fellow Christian brothers thousands of miles away. The Catholic Church truly is universal. I also want to thank Msgr Steffen for leading our group. He celebrated beautiful daily Masses, prayed the Angelus and Rosary with us each day, and explained the biblical passages related to each site we visited. Without him, it wouldn’t have been a real pilgrimage so thanks be to God for giving us a wonderful priest! This pilgrimage reinforced my faith and was a blessing in every way.

Thank you 206 Tours!!

Sincerely,

Suzanne

Hi Rinda, This was my first trip to the Holy Land and also my first pilgrimage. It really was a life-changing experience! I am especially blessed to have had Fares Saba as the tour guide. It was wonderful to learn from an Arab Catholic who was actually from Nazareth. He gave me insight into what it is like to be one of the few Christians in the Holy Land, and was very knowledgeable about every person/place we visited. He even went out of his way to arrange a visit with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. After listening to Fares and meeting other Catholics in the country, I now feel a strong solidarity with my fellow Christian brothers thousands of miles away. The Catholic Church truly is universal. I also want to thank Msgr Steffen for leading our group. He celebrated beautiful daily Masses, prayed the Angelus and Rosary with us each day, and explained the biblical passages related to each site we visited. Without him, it wouldn’t have been a real pilgrimage so thanks be to God for giving us a wonderful priest! This pilgrimage reinforced my faith and was a blessing in every way. Thank you 206 Tours!! Sincerely, Suzanne

Thank You so much for making my first pilgramige so amazing… I’m planning to go back again.. I will be deffinatly booking all my pilgrimages through 206 Tours… Can’t thank you enough…

Lucy

Just wanted to tell you what a wonderful time we had on our tour to Italy (Faith and Food) We had an exceptional tour guide in Christina who helped us out tremendously, epically when my husband did not feel well. She even notified the desk in case we had to go to a hospital and checked up on us. Our spiritual director was Neil Bakker who gave wonderful sermons on all our days during mass. He helped me to be more open to God and let him handle my problems. I needed to let go and let God do his work and to be open to his work. Our driver Antonio was wonderful in getting us to our locations without any problems, he even stopped to let us get pictures when we were driving through the country side in Tuscany. We enjoyed our time in Italy and will recommend your company to others who want to travel abroad. Thank you for a great memorable time.

Joan Munsch

Dear Cara,

I am grateful for all of your work and connection with Mark and Sidna as you organized and prepared out Holy Land Pilgrimage. Everything was perfectly organized and we simple had no issues to deal with or any surprises that left us wondering. Our “tour guide” was exceptional in every way as well as our bus driver. The level of participation and commitment from the group was extraordinary and this was due in good part to way everything was calling for harmony and unity which led to people being very engaged and attentive. Usama Salman was always aware of the needs of the people and consistently anticipated every stop and need which created a very positive approach. 206 Tours received very high marks from our group!!

Father Mahon

Dear Cara,
I am typing this note as we are flying home from the Holy Land Pilgrimage. We had a wonder-filled week. The travel, accommodations and food were A+. We love, love, loved Usama our guide. Usama is such a faith filled man with an enormous love for the Holy Land and is an amazing historian and archaeologist. The driver, Mufeed, was a super skilled driver and really engaged in his work and companionship with the group. We were in awe with the mass locations: The Church on the Annunciation, The Church of All Nations around the rock of agony, Peter’s House and High Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (front row seats!). Another big, big highlight of take week was going to Bethlehem University and having time to meet three Arab, Christian students. We were also very grateful for the shell ceremony at the Latin Patriarchate. All week long we heard superlative comments from our travel companions. We believe there are some who are interested in joining the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem after experiencing this pilgrimage. Mark and I had traveled to the Holy Land in June 2006 and January 2013, we were really struck by how many more pilgrims there were in October. It’s was interesting to see the traditions associated with the Feast of Tabernacles. Due to the large number of Jews coming to the Western Wall, roads were blocked at times. Our bus driver and tour guide, skillfully worked around these occasions. Compared to staying at the Imbal, Notre Dame’s top floor restaurant/bar, close proximity to the old city and on sight chapel were noted as unique benefits. We felt the Imbal had better food. But will prefer, Notre Dame for the June 2021 Pilgrimage if possible. Cara, you were absolutely wonderful to work with. Everyone on the pilgrimage had stories of how you accommodated their needs. We hope that we can work with you for the June 2021 pilgrimage too. We are already thinking we should find dates for 2022 with Usama as the tour guide, God willing. Perhaps a time of the year a bit less crowded? Prefer cold weather to hot weather too, after all we are from Minnesota!

May God richly bless 206 Tours and You, Cara, Sidna and Mark

P.S. We all got a real chuckle out of all the 206 signs stating “Sidna’s Group”.

Sidna Scheitel

Dear Liz, Natasha, and Milanka,
I want you thank each of you for our very rich and successful pilgrimage to Rome and points north in Italy.

• Special thanks for customizing our itinerary to include the visit to see Kentucky native Mother Catherine Marie, CP at the Sanctuary of St. Gemma Galgoni in Lucca.
• Likewise special thanks for the detour to visit Brescia and the Sanctuary of St. Angela Merici. The Ursuline Sisters have contributed greatly to the history of the Diocese of Owensboro and it was a blessing to trace their roots.
• Thank you as well for navigating so kindly the “special demands” of some of our pilgrims. But I trust our pilgrims were not the first to present such challenges. The special dining experience on our final night in Venice was beautiful.
• Our guide Alessandro was excellent. He was very attentive to our pilgrims and diligent in meeting every need.
• He even bought a personal gift for two women who celebrated birthdays on our final days together.
• Though I assume Alessandro may not have been terribly familiar with either Lucca or Brescia it was clear that he had done research to ready himself for these visit.

Rev. Bishop William Medley

Hello Folks,

The photo is about Father blessing Nancy Coelho and me (Venkata Prabhala) on our 38th marriage anniversary in Assisi. About the personnel conducting the tour: We really appreciated the safe driving and smiling disposition of the driver Amos. However, no one can top our tour guide, Vanessa, in how gracefully she handled the tour. Apart from the great command of knowledge she had about the places of visit, she was utterly professional and calm under pressure. She showed great compassion to the older tourists, mixed very well with the group, and it felt like a close family member was conducting the tour. We will go on any tour she conducts with utter confidence. God bless her and her family. Deborah, Vanessa’s trainee guide, was a great companion as well. She helped the tourists a lot even though she was only training for the role. Thank you 206 tours for such a memorable tour, and nurturing great tour guides!

Venkata Prabhala

Dear 206 Tours,
The Marian Pilgrimage Sept. 30 – Oct. 9, 2019 was I believed the 4th pilgrimage I had via 206 Tours. All 4 pilgrimages were excellent but this last one was really, really outstanding and SUPREME. Everything was easy from booking ( I also booked Fr. John Pikulski) to getting back home. My co-pilgrims were very friendly, prayerful and understanding- looking after one another. My roommate Pat Zumbrun , whom I ‘ve met for the first time was very cordial. To top it all our Tour Guide Quico and driver Marcos were efficient, punctual, knowledgeable, helpful, in short SUPERB and m,ost of all treated the group as “family” as Quico called our group (Blue group/bus) Our spiritual Director Fr. Dominic Thomas took care of our spiritual needs very consciensiously. I felt especially blessed when Fr. Dominic served and led the whole congregation during the exposition/procession of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Thank you so much for my wonderful experience with 206 Tours. May God Bless us all.

Prayerfully,
Rosa

Peace!
Thank you for allowing me to serve as the Spiritual Director to Ireland from October 3-12, 2019. The pilgrimage was wonderful as always and I am specifically grateful to our wonderful tour guide Stefan Hanrahan and the bus driver, Eoin Lynch. Stefan offered a wealth of knowledge for his beloved Ireland and was able to handle all of us with loving care and kindness. I am especially grateful for the fact that he partook in all the Masses and prayed with us. I think he was the first of all tour guides that I witness praying the rosary on the bus with us. Then again most of the tour guides from 206 shows a love for the Catholic Faith. Sincerely, I highly recommend Stefan for all tours in Ireland. In regards to Eoin, he was a kind and good young man that handled the bus with great expertise. He is an excellent driver. In addition to driving he was able to share some of his life in Ireland with the people on the pilgrimage. In fact, I was impressed with the Lynch tour bus company and found the bus ride both comfortable and safe. The pilgrims came from all over the USA. Some arrived in search for a greater spirituality while others were on a site seeing tour. All in all, I believe, most left for a greater appreciation of Ireland and the Catholic Faith. Once again, 206 Tour, you did well in the planning of this trip and I hope to be considered for another tour in the near future. Please also note my new email address. Thank you!

Fr. Peter Glabik

Milanka, just a note to say that all went extremely well. One pilgrim said she had been to Medjugorje 13 times and that this was the most prayerful pilgrimage. We had similar comments from many — especially about how well-organized everything was by 206 (as usual) and about Ivan and Slavenka, who do such a great job: loved by all. Simply put, it was splendid, and Lisa, Mary Rose, and I want to thank you for being so kind to us.

Chris did fine work with everyone. I think this was actually an ideal size for a pilgrimage.

God bless,
Michael H. Brown

To whom it may concern,
I’d like to extend my gratitude for my recent pilgrimage. My experience with 206 has been wonderful. The sign up and payment process was seamless, and all the materials sent to me were above my expectations. The flight on Austrian Air was exceptional, their service was phenomenal, I would definitely use them again. Arrival and pick up were great, and our tour guide Niksa, was excellent and very professional! He was very knowledgable, and was attentive to our every need. All of our tours were very professional and very well timed. The hotel was more than I expected, and the food and staff were exceptional. I am definitely planning on using 206 for future pilgrimages, and will recommend 206 to anyone who would consider a pilgrimage. Thank you so much for wonderful experience!

God Bless,
Dr. Jairo Vedra

Dear Rinda and 206 Tours,
We wanted to give a huge thank you for arranging an unforgettably amazing pilgrimage to the Holy Land. This was truly the trip of a lifetime, and such a moving spiritual experience. As always, details were perfectly executed and you continue to spoil us. We were so very grateful for the complimentary airline seat upgrades to Premium Select and Comfort Plus. This made all the difference for a comfortable and restful arrival to the Holy Land and home again. Father Kevin White was a true blessing for us, and a better spiritual leader than we could have ever imagined. He connected with us in a very personal way that made this trip so much more meaningful and spiritually engaging. We were so lucky to have him share our early tour in Jordan…thank you for arranging for him to be with us, even though we were the only 2 pilgrims on the Jordan leg. I believe we have made a lifelong friend in Father Kevin and are planning to join him next September 2020 for the northern Europe 206 pilgrimage if all works out. Rami was an amazing guide as well. So knowledgeable and respectful of different cultural, political, and religious topics. His command of scripture and ability to connect it with the land was remarkable and truly opened our eyes to the “Fifth Gospel.” Our trip was so deeply enriched by his presence. Honestly, when we return to the Holy Land or recommend your tours to friends, we will strongly suggest that Rami be at the helm! We are also thankful for the way that the unexpected Jordan/Israel border crossing closure was handled. In addition to your help, our Jordan guide Masin and our driver calmly helped us arrange safe alternative passage to Israel so we did not miss the second leg of our tour. We always feel so safe and cared for with 206. Thank you and bless you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity, attention to detail, and perfect execution of another fabulous pilgrimage. We look forward to many more to come with 206 Tours, and can’t sing enough praise to friends and colleagues about your services.

Very best,
Ken May and Angie Chenier

Bika: The tour was over the top!!!!! Robert our guide was perfect and the 5* hotels were absolutely fabulous. All my pilgrims were just delighted!!!!! . Our extended tour to Medjugorje goes w/o saying – Staying w/Ivan and being in the holy place of Our Lady needs no words in terms of the spiritual journey and joy of all. 206 certainly did an outstanding job and when I start the planning for my next pilgrimage, please know that 206 is the only company that I would use – Please let me know Ivan’s schedule for 2020 – Fr. Ed wants to start planning another tour w/me – not sure where as we have discussed several places including the St. James walk or perhaps Divine Mercy. Time will tell and I will be in touch again once I finalize plans with the group. At any rate, it was a pleasure working w/you all. Thank you again and again!!!!! God Bless!

P.S. I do hope you are enjoying your new little angel. BTW, while in Medjugorje, Our Lady appeared w/three angles of the feast Day, while we were there – so beautiful!

Mary

To The Fabulous 206 Tours Team:
I have been on several European “motor coach tours” and have arranged a few in the US. Even with everyone working together, there are problems. Not big, but enough that your clients notice. The 206 Team has it together. From competent coach drivers to our spiritual leaders, this trip was flawless. I can’t say enough. Unless you have something to compare to, you do not realize how much work went into the 206 Tours to Poland. Our hotels were 5-star, they were ready when we arrived, there were porters ready to take luggage to rooms immediately. The keys were distributed alphabetically and swiftly, there was no waiting around in the lobby until “they” sorted the keys and rooms out. The rooms were immaculate with exquisite linen; so soft and inviting for each night. Breakfasts and dinners were above 5-star with attention given to details, including the dinnerware and serving dishes. The food presented was pleasing to the eye as well as to the palate. My goodness, I’ve never had nine days of such fine dining. There were no extra unexpected charges or hidden tips expected. The coach was cleaned every night and was warm when it was time to board. The guides knew exactly where to stop for clean bathrooms, and timed their stops so no one had to request bathroom stops. When exiting the coach, there were no questions as to directions … the guides had their routes perfectly timed. The Holy sites we visited will be forever remembered. The Holy Spirit was with us on our trip and you could feel His presence. We knew about the saints for every shrine and city. Fr. Calloway, Fr. Dante, Mrs. & Mr. Calloway you were all led by the Spirit and set examples for us to follow. God Bless. Olga, Bart and Shiraz, you were great. My fellow pilgrims, what a blessing to be surrounded by such faith-filled pilgrims for 9 days. Jesus, I Trust In You to help me follow their examples and become a better version of myself! Milanka, you are a faith filled disciple living by the Word of God. May the Holy Spirit remain your constant companion. Fr. Calloway, stay strong. You are a spiritual example to all those you come in contact with.?? I could go on, but I will end and say prayers for my traveling pilgrims. Jesus, I Trust In You!

<!– God Bless,
–> Janet Borchert

Good morning Cara:
Sorry for the delay in answering because I had to go to New York for medical appointments on the 7th of October. I returned the same day at night because I had to pack to go to Washington for 3 months. Lets get to the point. First of all, I want to congratulate 206 Tours for a job well done. Everything was well planned and organized without any omission. Again Kudo to 206 Tours. I was satisfied with the entire package naming: Bus to Boston for flight to Munich then to Bosnia-Herzegovina then bus to Medjugorje. Everything went well. Dragan, our tour guide is priceless, very pleasant, knowledgeable with regard to Medjugorje history, where to visit, where to eat, setting for all our private masses, etc… You are so right, the pilgrimage did exceed my expectations. This is my third pilgrimage after The Holy Land and In the Footsteps of St. James. I cant compare Medjugorje to any of them because it’s a different ball game. I was so happy and so pleased that I cant describe it. When I came back, talking to my daughter I told her you have to go and guess what she wants to go. All I’m telling to my friends is: “just pack your bag and go”. I also found your services to be very professional compared to other agencies that I have worked with. Congratulations also go to the Group Leader Doreen Duquette who turned out to be an impeccable lady down to earth, caring, loving, making sure everyone ate, everyone is on time, has no problem with food, water and housing, never forgot her counting check, respectful, you name it that’s my lady. She gathered such a pilgrims group never saw before. The people were so nice, so king, helpful, willing to assist anyone in difficulty, some of us went even beyond to help other people. I have absolutely nothing to reproach to any of them. We respect one another and did our best to be nice to everyone. I traveled a lot and this is the first time I met such a nice group. I was happy and proud at the same time. Thanks to the group, our religious mission was fulfilled without any flaws. God was with us the whole time as well as Mother Mary and we felt them. I don’t know for the others, my only problem was Lufthansa, that was the first time I flew with them. I found the seats to be very narrow, not enough legroom, even the aisles were narrow. I felt it because my knees are no good (2 surgeries in both of them). Having said that, I will not hesitate to recommend 206 Tours to any of my relatives or friends.

Have a blessed day!
Ginette (Joujou)

Dear 206 Tours,
Once again it was a pleasure to travel with your company. Everything went well as planned. I’ll recommend that Pilgrimage to Greece in the Footsteps of St Paul to my family, relatives and friends. I learnt so much about St Paul’s life, his conversion and his devotion to teach the Gospel, of Our Lord JESUS CHRIST. It makes me appreciate and understand the Act of the apostles and all the letters St Paul wrote to the Ephesians, Thessalonians, Corinthiens and so on. While reading the Bible, I can visualize and relate how the events took place. I love St Peter a lot but I’m starting loving St Paul more. Since I can see myself as a sinner trying to live and follow Jesus’ Gospel. It’s not easy specially nowadays, but trusting and surrendering your life to the Almighty Lord will bring you salvation through faith. I wish that we (the world) can be as bold as St Paul was and say “I have been crucified with Christ. It’s no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me…”
I had a great time learning, enjoying the sites and meeting wonderful Pilgrims. A special thanks to Alexandra, our lead tour guide. The lady is incredible, knowledgeable and humble. She’s the perfect tour guide to follow the footsteps of St Paul. On last note, we need to see more when we reach the island of Santorini. After the mass, we barely have time to see or explore the island. We were a bit deceived and frustrated. Thanks again for a wonderful pilgrimage.

Best regards,
Régine

Hi Cara,
The trip far surpassed our expectations. It was an awesome experience. A couple of suggestions: The flights need to be adjusted. The late evening flight really made a long travel time with the arrival a late day. It seems like we spent two days flying out of the eight day schedule to get to our destination. We arrived in Poland on the 24th at 5 p.m. I would recommend and earlier flight form the original point of departure so that the travelers have more time on the day of arrival. It seemed too long and rushed when we arrived in Poland. In Czestahowa, one couple, Bob and Electa Winters had an issue with there room at the Hotel Mercure. Apparently there was an odor in the room. Overall, it was a wonderful pilgrimage and I highly recommend it. I would also recommend your travel agency to others who are interested in taking a group. Cara, thank you so very much for your help to make our pilgrimage a memorable experience. I know that everyone spoke very highly of you. Also, a word of appreciation about the tour guides and bus drivers. First in Poland, the tour guide Alec was excellent and so was the bus driver Geroge. . In Rome, the tour guide Fredericka was an amazing person as well. I would highly recommend them for future pilgrimages. Great choices. Thanks again for a wonderful pilgrimage.

Blessings,
Fr. Bob S

Greetings in Christ Jesus,
Our pilgrimage to Fatima, Spain and Lourdes was absolutely wonderful. Our Lady picked a great group of pilgrims to journey together and spend life together as a family for a little over a week. In our opening Mass, I commented that the Lady called each of us to this pilgrimage and it is up to us to open our hearts and souls to find what it is that we each of us need to learn. Subsequent homilies built on unraveling what God wants of us. Our bus driver was polite. Christina our tour guide was awesome. She is a woman of deep faith and love for God, the church and the pilgrims. It was a joy that Christina prayed intently together with us during our pilgrimage to the various Holy Sites. She was very kind to each person and very pleasant to work with. From conversations from folks, I know that many felt they received insight into their faith and a deepening of their spirituality. Several had truly felt the presence of our Lady with them. In my own personal journey I sought to be a spiritual guide to the pilgrims. A highlight was when we celebrated Mass together in St Gabriel chapel at Lourdes. During that Mass I blessed the Holy Oil and anointed each person on the pilgrimage. My own personal solitude in prayer provided me deeper insight into my faith, vocation and commitment to our Lady and our Lord as I strive to serve God and spiritually guide His people. I had the honor of praying the Mass at the Chapel of Apparition in Fatima and be the main celebrant (when expecting to be a concelebrant) at the Grotto. My heartfelt thanks to 206 tours who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to provide such a beautiful experience. We prayed for Milanka and all of 206 Tours during our Masses at the Holy Sites we visited. I don’t have the social media such as facebook, yelp, etc . . . I offer my comments per the email in email form. Attached are a few photos….

Again, thanks,
Fr. Mike

206 Tours – Welcome Home! | Pilgrimage to Poland with Fr. Robert Seeman | RS092319 | Sep 23, 2019 – Oct 1, 2019

Tour 168

Thanks again for the wonderful tour you put together for my mom, my sister and myself. My mom’s comments is: that you exceed her expectations! and that is exactly how I feel. Father Brown and our tour guide Christina, really make the whole group feel like a “family”. Talking about Christina, she is the best tour guide we could have. Our masses were always on time, and celebrated at the best places. Christina had a good knowledge about the places we visited, and was always prompt to answer our questions, with the most beautiful smile. We really miss her! Thank you for your good service.

Lizbeth

My husband and I just returned from a trip to the Holy Land. We used 206 Tours as our guide. The service they provided was immeasurably important to the safety and richness of our experience in Israel. Our guide, Mary D. was absolutely amazing. Mary pays attention to every detail and thus made our trip a delight. She is knowledgeable, faithful, enthusiastic, and well organized. She made sure we not only got to see all the important holy sites, but also had Mass at them, saw all the little extras there are to see (e.g. he Valley of the Shadow of Death), and took excellent care of everybody in the process. No one was ever left behind in any way.; She even provided for a special occasion being celebrated by a couple in our group. This is the second tour we have taken with 206 and we thoroughly enjoyed it because of Mary’s attention to detail and special care. In addition, we cannot thank you enough for teaming us up with Fr. Eric Bowman. What a spectacular Spiritual Director and priest. He has an energy and enthusiasm that is contagious. He went out of his way to make sure everyone in our group was given attention. His homilies and knowledge of the faith were so far beyond what we normally experience from the priests at our local churches that we learned much from him. And last, but not least is our amazing bus driver. Mahmud did an outstanding job of getting us around, sometimes against many odds and tight fits. He did it all with class and professionalism. I was so impressed that not only did he do an amazing job driving, but also making sure his hand was always there for everyone as we exited the bus.

Thank you again, 206 Tours, for a wonderful Holy Land experience.,

The Meyers’
Chris and Carol Meyer
Colorado Springs, CO

Well, our pilgrimage exceeded expectations!
Our priest (Father Eric Bowman) was spectacular! Father Eric’s homilies were mesmerizing… he shared so much about himself… put everything on the table… his life experiences and his devotion to Jesus and the Blessed Mother. Our guide (Mary) was extraordinary… her knowledge and eloquence was appreciated, every day. Indeed, our driver (Mahmoud) was amazing… keeping us enthralled by maneuvering the huge bus in, seemingly, impossible situations. The itinerary was fast paced… great to pack so much into every day. The catering was excellent… just love the Mediterranean diet. Thank you for all the little touches to acknowledge our golden wedding. We, actually, renewed our vows on the same date, at the same time of day, exactly 50 years later! Mary, our tour guide, arranged for a white mantilla for the bride to wear, during the ceremony… as well as, in the evening, presented us with a cake to share with everyone and wine and chocolates to be delivered to our room.

We’ll be recommending 206 Tours to everyone!
<!– Marel & Bryan Brady –>

Good day Rinda,
Hope all is well. Thank you so much for the opportunity to be the spiritual guide for the Saint Francis Walk ( Hike , Climb). It was truly an amazing experience for all the pilgrims . It was profound, moving and very humbling a walk, pilgrimage. Every thing went off smoothly and we were well cared for . The guides, drivers, accommodation and food was great. The churches, chapels were all beautiful.
I would definitely recommend this pilgrimage . If you need a priest for any of your trips please let me know.

Blessings and much appreciation,
Fr. Wayne Dawson

Just got back from the MOST Amazing pilgrimage. I can not begin to tell you how much we enjoyed every aspect of our trip. Our tour guide Vanessa was the ABSOLUTE best. So nice, knowledgeable , spiritual just everything you could ask for in a tour guide. She was with us all the way. Our spiritual leader Fr. Jim Garvey, was equally as great. Every person on this trip had a great time with each other. You would have never known we were strangers to start by the end. It was hard to say goodbye. We came home a booked the Holy Land for next year already.

Great job!!!!
Pilgrim

Absolutely awesome pictures! A testimonial to the suburb quality of 206’s tours! I can’t quit raving to all of my Catholic friends here in Denver the quality and organization of 206 pilgrimages and recommend using 206 for any tour they wish to experience. Continue doing the ministry (not job) you are doing to help enhance the spiritual journey that those of us privileged to have been on this pilgrimage to enhance our individual spiritual journey. God willing…look forward to our next pilgrimage with 206!

Blessings!!
Leo Albiniak

Dear Alexandra,
I just want to thank all of you for all your help with our pilgrimage. All the pilgrims had a very blessed and fruitful pilgrimage and enjoyed it very much. So much so that they were already planning the next one! I am sending you some of the pictures with our 206 bags! I may have to send you another email with some of the pictures they have sent me to enter in the raffle.

Have a blessed week!
Rosa Jimenez

Dear Rinda,
Trust you are well I just wanted to tell you what a wonderful trip we had on the Pilgrimage to Holy Land, Fatima, Spain, Lourdes, Paris and Lisieux | 122 |and the extension to Florence and Rome. Every aspect of it was great. I would like to sincerely thank you and your staff for all the hard work you have done to make our trip so enjoyable. We will be highly recommending 206 tours to our friends, family and acquaintances. Thank again very much and may God bless you always !

Warm regards,
Denis

Dear Ladies,
Another wonderful pilgrimage. !!! The rooms were great!! Our guide Jacek Kowalski was awesome. He was so kind,knowledgeable,and so spiritual. In our eyes he was perfect. The birthday cake and champagne on my birthday was so sweet of y’all to arrange. It made my day. The most perfect part was having mass at the Divine Mercy shrine. A simply perfect day!! Thank you so much. I can honestly say there were no bad days. Thank you again. Our luggage was delayed. But we got on the plane with the help of the airline. I fully understand why we need so much time between flights.

Thanks again for such a wonderful trip. Looking forward to another one next year!!!!
Bettie Nolin

Bika & Sandra,
Thank you for all you did to make this pilgrimage a smooth success! The five days pre-pilgrimage in Vilnius were awesome. Starting from the time Megan and I landed, picked up our luggage, and found our driver (just as you said)…. it just kept getting better! We loved staying with the Sisters of Merciful Jesus. We walked the soles of our shoes off in Vilnius and felt very connected to heartbeats of St. Faustina and Blessed Michael Sopocko. What a blessing!!!

For the next chapter of our trip, your driver picked us up and shuttled us back to the airport. It was a seamless flight to Warsaw and connection with the 206 pilgrims. 206 Tours delivered on all points of the itinerary. We saw so many sites related to St. Faustina, St. John Paul II, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and Blessed Jerzy Popieluzko – I was thrilled and now that I’m home I can really let it all sink in. Father Calloway was awesome. (I can’t wait to get the video of his sermons!) Our tour guides Olga & Bart were a great team … they showed their passion for Poland and the Catholic faith and their desire to share all of it with us. The drivers got us in the most unimaginable places….safely! We were so happy to have access to your photographer Shiraz – he gave us so many great shots. The hotels and food were top notch.

I know it’s exhausting to cram so much travel into so few days, but it was certainly worth it. I’ve been to Europe 8 times – twice with 206 Tours – and you guys are fantastic! I will definitely travel with you again.

God bless all that you do!
Mary Ellen

Hello Liz,
Thank you for your welcome home message. I have already submitted a review on the 206 Facebook page however I appreciate this opportunity to share my personal reflection as well. I truly feel that my life has been enhanced by my visit to the Holy Land. To walk, to pray, to reflect in the places where Jesus did the same is a true blessing in my life. I feel called to dedicate more time in my life to prayer and to spread the good news of the Gospel. My devotion to the Blessed Mother feels enhanced. I felt her pain as a mother, particularly after viewing a picture of her sorrowful face in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. I also feel called to spend more time in prayer specifically for peace and unity in the Holy Land. I want to share with you that I feel especially blessed to have had Giovanni as our tour guide. His knowledge is vast but even more important is his obvious devotion to our Catholic faith. He is a true man of God. I also need to say that Akrim was a fantastic driver! He made sure to be right where we needed him at every moment and his driving skills are beyond compare! I so appreciated every little extra touch that made our experience so special. Water available at all times, rosary beads, the wooded Cross as we walked the Via Dolorosa, the beautiful Cross necklace at the end all enhanced our time spent with 206 Tours. Each special, added touch made it feel like we were truly valued as more than just a number to a business but part of a greater family of Pilgrims. Thank you so much for being such wonderful hosts!

May God bless you,
Danni & Deacon Mike Tompkins

Dear Linda, Liz, Natasha and Milanka,
Thank each of you for an amazing pilgrimage to these 4 beautiful countries. This was Fr. George’s and my 20th group pilgrimage over the past 18 years and our 12th pilgrimage with 206 Tours. Visiting each of these countries was a first for all of us who traveled together on this journey.

Everyone of us returned with a full heart for the people of Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina and their deep/devout Catholic faith. Over the 13 days, our group discussed the moments that touched us. Many of us listed the evening Adoration in Medjugorje with over 9000 pilgrims sharing our love of Christ in periods of complete silence, readings and songs in at least 4 different languages all being sung as one body. The fact that we were gathered outside in the evening darkness with others from all corners of the world, including all ages from infants in strollers to elderly in wheelchairs praying together. A truly beautiful way to end two of our evenings in Medjugorje. All of our hotels were perfect for our group. Everyone loved the fact that Hotel Grace was right next door to St. James and all the activities. Our 6am walk and climb of Apparition Hill was a memorable experience as we prayed the rosary together as we approached Apparition Hill walking from our hotel and prayed another rosary as we climbed to the top. Many of our hotels were water-front hotels and all our pilgrims loved that feature as we relaxed in the evenings listening to the gentle waves as we meditated on the day’s events and prayed our evening prayers before retiring for the day. All the included meals were delicious and freshly prepared, our breakfast buffets had so many choices of beautifully prepared items that it was difficult to not over-eat at breakfast! We had welcoming staff at every hotel and I didn’t have a single complaint from any of our pilgrims about the accommodations, hotel staff, included meals or our tour escorts and local guides. Father George and I both agree you need to add this itinerary and these hotels to your general pilgrimages you offer…he and I will be happy to “work” this pilgrimage again. We both agreed, we could have started the entire pilgrimage over after our last day in Croatia and do the complete pilgrimage again before coming back home.

Ivan and Jasmina were both wonderful. We all enjoyed both of these professional tour escorts and were glad to have them participate in our Masses and on-the-bus daily rosaries and prayers. These 2 were embraced by our group as family members and we were delighted to spend time with both of them. Jasmina was delightful and so kind to all of us. She was wonderful to work with and Fr. George was touched that she would always ask him if he wanted to say something about the places we were headed before she shared her information. Keep her, she was fabulous! The Mass locations were excellent, we were bumped from St. James Cathedral in Sibenik because there were 2 weddings scheduled there so we were moved to another smaller church, I can’t remember the name of it but it was from the 16th century. In Montenegro, we were surprised to have the Bishop participate in our Mass in St. Ozana Church in Kotor – Fr. George didn’t know the “priest” was the bishop until after Mass. I’ve attached the photo of Fr. George being blessed by the Bishop after Mass and a group photo of all of us with the Bishop. The Bishop didn’t speak English, so he and Fr. George had Jasmina act as the translator for all of us after the Mass. It was a very nice surprise and he was so welcoming to all of us and thrilled to share his church with us. Our Pilgrimage closing Mass was at St. Blaise in Dubrovnik, our Mass began at 11:15 and the nun who was our “greeter/sacristan” made it clear to Fr. George and Ray Metz (Altar Server for this Mass) in the vestry that we had to have Mass finished by 12 noon because of a wedding, and that Fr. George must bless throats at the end of the Mass. It was an amazing experience as people who were not in attendance for Mass filed in for the blessing of the throats and I think Fr. George must have blessed about 200 individuals before the nun closed the church doors and didn’t allow anyone to enter. See attached photo of him blessing throats. Thank you for all your work in getting hotel rooms held for our group when we were not sure about being able to return to Orlando last Wednesday because of Hurricane Dorian. The Orlando airport didn’t open until 5pm on Wednesday, it was comforting to know that we were not going to have to sleep in the airport if we couldn’t return to Orlando.

Everything was perfect other than American Airlines flights – the aircraft was very old and in disrepair for the overseas flights. There were loose bolts in the exit door next to me and the overhead panel was ajar so I could see wires above my head. In one of the restrooms, the water didn’t work to wash your hands – there was a sticker sign stating not to try to use the water, there was a bottle of hand sanitizer and paper towels. We had delays due to mechanical issues departing from Philly on August 23 and over a 2 hour delay out of Dubrovnik on Sept 4 due to engine repairs before we boarded. We were fine, glad to have the repairs made while we were on the ground and not discovered while we were flying over the Atlantic. The delay out of Dubrovnik caused us to miss our connecting flight in Philly. By the grace of God, we were all able to get on the last flight out of Philly to Orlando that Wednesday evening so we didn’t have to stay an extra night in Philly. American had held hotel rooms for all of us too and were planning on splitting our group onto flights throughout the day on Thursday. That wasn’t the ideal solution and somehow there were enough seats on the 9:10pm flight for all of us to fly together back to MCO, arriving around midnight. Thank you again for an amazing pilgrimage, I know we will always hold these 4 countries and the people of these countries close in our hearts as they have survived so much and have such a deep Catholic faith..witnessing to all who visit these countries how to trust in God with great hope.

With Blessings,
Diana

Hi Milanka,
Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to serve as a chaplain for the recent pilgrimage to Poland, Czech Republic,Austria and Hungary. All the pilgrims got along well with each other and they all seemed to have a good time. It has been over 20 years that I have served as a chaplain with your company and have seen it grow. Obviously customer service is first priority. The hotels were a good choice, and I like the fact that in Poland we went to a local restaurant and were entertained by local dancers, the same with the Czech Republic. The pilgrims just soaked it up. Needless to say, the core of the pilgrimage is the spirituality, the places we offered Mass, prayed at,Confession, and prayers in the bus while traveling. Also, as a seasoned chaplain serving your company I always talk up other pilgrimages that I have done, so as to wet the appetites of the pilgrims who have not yet gone on those pilgrimages. Every pilgrimage is special to me. I come back home spiritually uplifted. Also, on each pilgrimage I see faith engending faith. When we sit down and share with each other’s, some people’s stories are remarkable. Again thank you very much for allowing me to serve your company as a chaplain. If you want I will be willing to serve again the pilgrimage for the Shrines of Italy. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Pax et bonum,
Fr. Carlos

Dear Rinda & Diane,
Greetings from Rome. Thank you for opportunity of serving again as a Spiritual Director with 206 on the recently concluded pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It was a wonderful experience filled with grace and growth and new friendships. I believe all the pilgrims were pleased. Our guide in Israel was especially good as were all the accommodations and arrangements. You have a wonderful ministry. I’m grateful and will continue to pray for 206 and all of you,

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Kevin

Series Tour team,
I organised my tour from Australia through Breda at Travel Focus Group. She did a marvellous job and organised everything required for me. From the outset the tour exceeded my expectations. The hotels were first class, the food abundant, the coach was a cool and comfortable refuge from the heat outside and Adel was always where we needed him to be. Maps explaining the Holy Land and trinkets to become third class relics were unexpected and excitedly received. Big shout out to our tour guide Shafiq who was outstanding. Local knowledge, a passion for his job and his faith, and his get things done attitude made the trip unforgettable. From day one Shafiq called touring the Holy Land the fifth Gospel. He made the stories in both Old and New Testaments come alive and all lead back to the fulfilment of the Old with the New. Our spiritual director was Father Stephen. It was a privilege and an honour to have Father with us. Everyone one of us were amazed at how powerful and passionate his sermons were. He prayed the Rosary daily with us. Further Father had all his meals with us and answered clearly and wisely everything we could throw at him regardless of the sensitivity of the issue. Finally my fellow pilgrims were all such beautiful people. Although I was travelling solo I never felt left out in any way. We all learned something from each other. It seems an unbreakable bond has been forged with everyone involved and everyone intends to keep in touch. Thank you 206 tours for an outstanding pilgrimage. I cannot rate my experience highly enough and would recommend whole heartedly anyone to attend.

Mark J. Egan
Principal

Thank you for the incredible gift of our visit to Fatima, and leading the English part of the evening rosary! So beautiful!

God bless,

Colleen & Bill

Dear Lady Milanka,
The Lord give you peace! Thank you for your interest and support for the mission of the Latin Patriarchate for our brothers and sister in Christ in the Holy Land. I acknowledge receipt of your recent personal donation. I express my appreciation for your pilgrimage ministry and the 206 Tours mission of bringing and accompanying pilgrims to the Holy Land. I remember having the opportunity of personally meeting you and your pilgrims on several occasions. The presence of pilgrims is very important for our local Christians, as sign of solidarity that you all stand with us in the many challenges we face every day. May the Lord bless you, your family and your staff!

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Pierbattista Pizzaballa
Apostolic Administrator

Hi Milanka,
I wanted to send you a personal thank you related to our family’s wonderful Holy Land trip. Shifaq, Fr. Stephen, and Adel were all “professional”, as well as very kind and generous. You have a real find in Shifaq, which I am sure you know. Please pass along our thank you to the rest of your team as well. They were always responsive and considerate. I commend you for your very successful business, that is also spreading the word of God. It can’t get much better than that! I include the photo and email that I sent to about 40 of my family and friends. I am already receiving inquiries about the trip/tour, so you may very well receive some inquiries from some of them soon. We celebrated mass in Christ’s tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem (see attached). I have been keeping you and your family in my prayers.

Regards,
Dan

Ave Maria!
Dear all at 206 Tours,
I wish to express to you once again, my heartfelt gratitude for providing me with the opportunity to serve as a spiritual director for one of your pilgrimages to the Holy Land. We just returned and all had a great time and were continually remarking on how exceptional the accommodations and organization of the tour was. In particular, I would like to compliment our guide, Majd Barham. This is my second time being guided by him on pilgrimage and hopefully not the last. He is exceptionally well versed in the biblical, archaeological and historical material of each site, as well as kind and helpful in all the practical ways going above and beyond in accommodating our pilgrims.I look forward to many future collaborations with 206, God willing. Thank you again!

In Iesu et Maria,
Fr. Sean

All the best,
Fran Connolly

Sincerely in Christ,
Rick and Elsie Pilarski

In Christ,
Taylor

Sandra,

Often people write to complain, but I believe in writing to thank for excellent service. My husband and I are going on a 206 tour to the Holy Land with Father Grady. I have been working with Alexandra BarDales and I would like to let you know what a wonderful job she has done. We had some special needs and wanted to modify the trip home. She couldn’t have been more kind, helpful and patient. I had been given some information from our leader back here and it took Alex and I a bit to sort out and I just admired her professionalism and kindness. As a retired Quality Manager I truly appreciate people who go above and beyond and have the professionalism and empathy which Alex gave us. You have a wonderful representative for your company in her.

God Bless,
Cassandra Campbell

Hi All,
We recently returned from our 14-day “All Italian Shrines “pilgrimage (June 17-30, 2019). This pilgrimage, like the last five other 206 Tours pilgrimages that we have participated, was well planned and organized. The timing of the itineraries for the various holy sites we visited was all spot-on, as usual. Our hats go off to the 206 Tours staff! An added bonus to this pilgrimage was the presence of our Augustinian Spiritual Director, Rev. Gregory Heidenblut, who officiated our daily Masses and kept us from going astray as he continuously provided spiritual guidance. We will be remissed if we do not give a loud shout-out to our resourceful and knowledgeable Tour Guide, Vanessa; the local Tour Guides; and last but not the least, Massimo, our able Tour Bus Operator. Well done!!!

Highlights: The Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Square was truly amazing! Thanks to Vanessa for having us sit strategically in a location that enabled us to view and take photos/videos of Pope Francis up close during his motorcade. It was an awesome feeling seeing the Pope again that close! Our extensive tours of the Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel, Cathedral/Basilica of St. John the Lateran, Basilica of St. Mary Major, and Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls were equally uplifting. And who can forget the true sacrifice and humbling experience of climbing – on our knees – the 28 steps of The Scala Santa (Holy Stairs) in memory of Christ’s agonizing passion and sufferings? This was my 7th visit to the Eternal City; but each visit has brought me a different perspective and an unparalleled experience!

While en route to San Giovanni Rotondo, we enjoyed the scenic views approaching The Abbey of Monte Cassino, the major monastery of the Benedictine Order, founded by St. Benedict around 530 AD. And finally visiting the incorrupt body of St. Padre Pio was a surreal experience! It was like visiting the wake of someone who has just died.

On to Umbria and visiting Assisi again, provided me another opportunity to truly appreciate the life of St. Francis as we walked extensively through this picturesque town, as well as the medieval towns of Gubbio, where Francis had an encounter with the wolf…and La Verna, where Francis received the stigmata.

On to Tuscany…where we visited the medieval city of Siena to venerate St. Catherine’s incorrupt head before arriving in Firenze, the Renaissance City! Florence, just like Rome, is one place I keep coming back…to fully appreciate its incomparable display of the masterpieces of Renaissance art and culture. Notably, the Basilica of Santa Croce is full of architecture and history, where Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, etc. are buried. We viewed Michelangelo’s original “David” at the Galleria dell’Accademia, among other works of art. Also, the iconic Duomo was a sight to behold! And thanks to 206 Tours for a sumptuous full course classic Italian dinner as we bade farewell to Firenze.

Continuing to Padua, we had a walking tour of this Italian city that honors St. Anthony, “Patron of Lost Things and Causes.” At the Basilica of St. Anthony, we venerated St. Anthony’s tomb and relics, especially his incorrupt tongue. Our last day was spent in magical Venice starting with early Mass at the famous Basilica of St. Mark. The whole afternoon was free time. And following my own mantra: A visit to Venice is not complete without a Gondola ride! Indeed, Jerry and I enjoyed our 3rd Gondola ride in the magnificent and alluring city of Venice.

We accomplished all the activities included in the pilgrimage itinerary and still found time to do some “touristy stuff”: throwing coins at the Trevi, feeding the pigeons at St. Mark’s Square, shopping, eating gelato…and more gelatos! Our nightly dinner together provided an excellent opportunity to share nurturing reflections on the day’s activities. At times, it was unbearably hot for walking tours but a pilgrimage would not be spiritually rewarding without a little suffering. And strangely enough, no serious complaint was heard!

Ammie Laguilles

Feedback over the phone:
Rich experience, educationally & spiritually. Tour guide – Federica – exceptional and informative on sites, great soul and fruitful witness to the Lord above and beyond and exceeding all expectations, each member was satisfied. Fr. Dawid is a gift to the church, boldness, and speak the truth from a place of love.

Nicole Marie Arena

Dear Milanka and Staff!
Our pilgrimage to All Italian Shrines was our fifth with 206 Tours. All have been very inspirational and have enabled us to grow in our Catholic faith. Our guide, Vanessa, was exceptional in her ability to connect with everyone and in her vast knowledge of all the shrines. Father Heidenblut was everything you desire in a priest. His homilies were powerful and his teachings on the bus were enlightening. Thank you for organizing this pilgrimage! God bless you!!

Sincerely,
Jack and Felice Stein

Dear Liz,
I had a TRULY marvelous time on your Tour 111 of the Holy Land during June 17-25, 2019…. finding it to be much “more” in every way….(more meaningful, more carefully thought-out, more all-inclusive) than I’d originally supposed it would be.

We came into this tour as a family party of nine, and all of us thoroughly loved this trip!

Our tour guide, Rizek Nazi, was truly superb. I initially thought we might have some trouble understanding his accent, but that was NO problem at all. He is exceedingly knowledgeable, interesting, charismatic, thorough, and also very helpful in so many ways. I would definitely go on another tour with this guide. He is truly excellent.

206 Tours does a fantastic job on pulling everything together into a wonderful experience for their travelers! Five stars in every way!!!

Gratefully,
Jane Susan MacCarter
Livingston, Montana

Dear Liz,
I just want to express gratitude for our guide Vanessa and our driver Mossimo!!! They were Outstanding. Vanessa was so kind and compassionate and really took care of the older pilgrims. You are so blessed to have her on your staff. We had an awesome group of pilgrims that will be forever in my heart. All our needs were anticipated and taken care of to allow us more time on concentrating on the spiritual aspects of our pilgrimage.

From,
Michele Munoz

Dear Liz,
The Holy Land Pilgrimage was unique and unforgettable experience to me. The spiritual aspect; I felt so, even though, I heard, Fr Brendan Lally has been in Holy Land many many times, his enthusiasm and Love of the Lord makes me fell he was showing us for the first time. He was amazing, generous and pious. Also, the other three priests, they all help celebrate the Eucharist. I particularly like small group, we all bonded in a short time and we enjoyed each other’s company. I appreciate the 206Tours well organized itinerary including: everything in the blue folder prayer and backpack An excellent driver that kept us safe and the supply of water bottles. Definitely, I’ll share my pilgrimage experience to family and friends.

Blessings,
Cita

Dear Diane,
I’m presently at Ben Gurion Airport on my way to Toronto. I just want to say thanks to you and 206 Tours for another extraordinary trip that was spiritually enriching for all of us. It appears that 206 Tours has “perfected” their Jordan/Israel pilgrimage as I have done this same pilgrimage in the past with 206 Tours. I am sure you will hear from the pilgrims themselves. As a spiritual director I have been truly blessed. When we discussed the highlights of our pilgrimage, it seems almost unanimous the Mass in the Holy Tomb in Jerusalem was the most intense moment for the pilgrims. Thank you for making this possible for all of us. I am sure the pilgrims will send you some photos. I have been promoting the 206 Tour from Poland to Hungary #172 which I have done in the past. I am hoping to make this tour as spiritual director for June 2021 as numerous pilgrims on the Israel pilgrimage were interested in travelling with 206 Tours in the future. You will certainly hear from me/them in regards to Tour #172. Once my poetry book is published I will send Milanka a copy. On behalf of the pilgrims, thank you so much, to you, Milanka, and the 206 Tours team.

God bless you,
Father David Bellusci, O.P.

Hello Linda!
There really are no words to express how magnificent this pilgrimage to the Holy Land was! Our guide, Rami, and our driver, Omar were simply amazing. The group was over the moon about everything!

Blessings,
Fr. John

To Everyone at 206 Tours – Series Tours,
It is my honor to thank you from the bottom of my heart for such a wonderful pilgrimage I experienced with 206 Tours. I am very pleased to inform you my entire trip with you guys was Excellent and great service I received in both countries, Rome and Spain . This tour has really brought back a spiritual memory in my heart that will be there forever. I am very pleased to also inform you I do plan to do another Pilgrimage with 206 Tours in the near future again and my heart is certain I will. I honestly feel 206 Tours is the safest way to travel.

Thank you once again to all who helped make my trip safe and wonderful.
Lydia M. Rivas

Dear Cara,
Please accept an overdue “THANK YOU” for organizing our Association of the Miraculous Medal pilgrimage to Paris, Lisieux, the Normandy Invasion sites, Rouen and Lourdes. Our group of pilgrims from throughout the USA and Canada came together wonderfully and much of the credit must be attributed to Cristina, our excellent pilgrimage escort. She kept reminding us that we were a family. As any family does, we encountered a couple of unfortunate events (delayed flights for a few pilgrims and one accident requiring medical attention) but we enjoyed many, many more inspiring and delightful experiences. I deeply appreciated Cristina’s care for Jacque Willburn after her accident and for all of us. Her attentiveness went beyond my expectations.

Cristina anticipated our needs and considered what was next on our agenda to insure everything went well. With little advance notice, she arranged a stop at the Abbey of Saint-Etienne in Caen so that we could visit the tomb of William the Conqueror. She also found a local guide to give a short, but lovely tour of St. Peter’s Church and the Citadel of Caen. She asked our permission to add these visits, which we gladly granted. Sandy Paulus and I expected to pay something extra for these added tours—minimally a stipend for the guide. Cristina told us she had received permission from the company to add the tours with no extra cost. The thoughtful organization of the pilgrimage exceeded my expectations. The hotels were superior, the meals provided a variety and were tasty, the local guides were engaging, and the coach drivers were good. I was impressed with Pedro, our Normandy driver, who was careful and considerate.

As a priest, I was very grateful for the thoughtful selection of churches and chapels where we celebrated Mass. As a Vincentian and Spiritual Director of the Association of the Miraculous Medal, it is always a privilege to celebrate Mass in the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal at the Motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity. The Daughters are part of our Vincentian Family and were co-founded with St. Louise de Marillac by our founder, St. Vincent de Paul. At both Sainte Marie du Mont and Ste. Mere-Eglise we were welcomed by the pastor, some of the parishioners and an American sister who was present at these parishes to welcome English-speaking visitors during the D-Day 75th Anniversary Observances. Celebrating Mass in the Chapel of the American Cemetery of Normandy was a deeply moving experience for all of us.

Both our group Masses in Lourdes and the International English Mass at the Grotto where Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette were times of spiritual enrichment. Spending almost three full days in Lourdes and being lodged at the Grand Hotel Moderne, so close to the Sanctuary, allowed us to join the candlelight Rosary procession and Eucharistic Adoration service multiple times. Christine, our local guide, was delightful. We had opportunities individually or in small groups to visit various churches and chapels, undertake one or both of the Stations of the Cross, be immersed in the baths, receive the Sacrament of Penance, light votive candles and pray, pray, pray. As you are aware, witnessing the care shown to the sick and elderly at Lourdes is humbling and challenging. We befriended a group of nurses who had recently completed their nursing program at Loyola University of Chicago who were staying at the same hotel. Many young people had accompanied the pilgrims from the diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois in Ireland. They cared for those in wheelchairs or who needed assistance. Bishop Francis Duffy of Ardagh, who presided over the Mass we celebrated at the Grotto, thanked the young people and recognized their gift of service.

I know that we encountered the presence of Our Lady and her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ during our time in France. We gained a deeper appreciation of St. Catherine Laboure and St. Vincent de Paul, of St. Therese of Lisieux and her sainted parents, of St. Joan of Arc, and of St. Bernadette and her parents, We asked Mary to intercede for ourselves, our loved ones, our nations, the members of the Association who joined us in spirit, and all the people of the world. In Normandy we prayed for all of the men and women who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of France and Europe and the world, we prayed for the men and women who protect our freedom today, and we prayed to Our Lady and all the saints to bring peace to our world.

Again, Thank You for your part in organizing our pilgrimage. Based on this first experience with 206 Tours, I am very much looking forward to our next pilgrimage in December visiting the Christmas Markets along the Danube and in Prague.

May God Bless you and all of the good people of 206 Tours.
May our Lady of the Miraculous Medal intercede for you and bring you closer to her Son!

Kevin McCracken, CM

Hello 206,
As always, this pilgrimage with 206 tours and Father Calloway was absolutely amazing! Javier was absolutely wonderful and the local guides were so informative and helpful that I have only praise for all of them. I like the way that it in the beginning we sit down and the tour leader explains exactly what is expected of us. The accommodations were wonderful. The food was absolutely delicious. I learned so very much about Malta that I had no idea of. Everyone goes out of their way to make sure that we are happy. In the last few days of the pilgrimage, I got a text from one of the girls from church back home. She wanted a particular pendant which she had bought back in 2009 when she was at the Vatican. This pendant had been stolen from her and she wanted me to get another one for her. I asked Javier because I was at a total loss as to where to begin to look and there wasn’t a whole lot of time left to try. He suggested a few shops and the main one he suggested had the very pendant she wanted. I bought it for her and it was the very last one they had. Thank you so much for always giving your clients your best. I am looking forward to the next trip and telling anyone who asks and some who don’t about 206 tours.

Sincerely,
Jocelyn

Was great beyond my expectation. The Holy Land was exceptional changed our lives. Took pictures but one has to do the trip to appreciate the experience. Majd was great, best tour guide ever.

George Tokodi

My name is Mary Smith. I was on the 206 Tours, Pilgrimage to Ireland last month May. During the trip I became very ill. I was transported to the hospital from Tour Bus. I want to compliment Stephan our tour guide for trip. He was amazing. He stopped the bus two times to help me get to a bathroom before contacting the ambulance. He was so kind, and helpful. He arranged for a hotel room upon my discharge from hospital. We were so grateful for his help and guidance. I hope someone could forward this communication to Stephan’s boss. We were impressed with Stephan throughout the entire trip. His knowledge, and ability to present the subject matter clearly, and with great detail. He was funny, caring, and so smart. I would recommend Stephan to anyone traveling to Ireland. Notwithstanding my illness, Stephan was the reason it was fantastic Pilgrimage. So, in closing, please send this communication to the person in charge.

Thank you!
Mary Smith

Dear Cara,
Thank you all for your generosity to me during the recent Medjugorje pilgrimage. I have been to Medjugorje in the past , once when it was Yugoslavia with Fr Benedict then a few times with St Davids mission trip. This was really a prayerful amazing experience, in fact, I have never been on a trip where no one complained and were as docile to the unexpected things that happen on pilgrimages, they really went with the flow. I think that it was a miracle and a grace of Medjugorje.

I also had the opportunity to meet up with a fellow priests That I have met before and celebrate mass with them (one of which was Archbishop Charlie Brown who is now the apostolic nuncio to Albania). I also had the opportunity to meet a new community of Italians, who provide the Music at the Mass, we celebrated a late Pentecost evening together and it was really great. Once again thank you for a great experience.

In Christ,
Fr Michael Kmiotek CFR
Veni Sancte Spiritus
Veni per Mariam

Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections. Saint Francis de Sales

I have recently returned from Tour 158, Jordan and The Holy Land from May 2- 14 2019. It was the most oustanding experience I have ever been involved in. The itinerary as well as the food and accomadations were first rate. The Pilgramage was truly a life changing experience due to the woderful Spiritual Director Fr. Piotr Paciorek, he was also a historian and a true theologian. His historical presentations as well as his religious direction were inspirational. Our guides ,Youseph in Jordan and Majd in Israel ,were absolutely outstanding, they both were a wealth of knowlerge and very professional. The hotel accomodations were also excellent. I would highly recommend your tour company to anyone interested in this experience. I don’t believe you can improve perfection, don’t change a thing.

God bless you in your wonderful work,
John Bienkowski

I just want to thank 206 tours for being the BEST Catholic Tour Company there is. I have organized many Pilgrimages over the years, and have used various tour companies but I never have experienced a more professional company as 206 tours. You are all professionals and the best at what you all do. All of the feedback I receive from all of the trips I lead are how great 206 tours is. The great support you give to all those who call your offices as well as your tour guides and bus drivers are nothing but stellar. Keep up the great work. 206 Tours is the ONLY tour company I will ever use in the future. Keeping you all in my prayers. Thank you.

In Christ,
Deacon John C. Hunt Jr. KHS

Cara,

Thanks to you and your team for a fantastic pilgrimage and a wonderful experience with 206 Tours. I have just a few comments to add:

• The trip was very well planned with just enough free time for pilgrims to explore on their own. It didn’t feel rushed and I appreciated arriving at the hotel with adequate time to retreat to my room and relax, prepare for the next day and freshen up for dinner.
• We had good experiences at each hotel with great food. These are 2 things that have been lacking in our trips and a source of frustration. Thank you for taking special care of us.
• Having a smaller group allowed our pilgrims to bond with one another in a way they would not have been able to do with more people. I received several comments about this. Many said they would go on another pilgrimage with us if we kept it about the same size. No one was interested in a large group of over 25 people so that is something we need to consider.
• Two other things that impressed me greatly were that you took care of us when we wanted to add the tour in Caen and when some of our pilgrims wanted a little extra ice cream after dinner one evening. We fully intended to pay the additional tour guide and pay for the extra ice cream but were told that 206 took care of it.
• I would summarize my entire trip this way: 206 Tours took care of us!

I will not be going on the Christmas Markets cruise later this year but I know Don and Fr. Kevin will be in good hands.
I believe the one thing we may want to discuss is the situation where Mary and I almost didn’t make our flight. I’m not sure that there is anything we can do as I understand the airlines over book but I was surprised that they would take 2 people traveling with a group and not give them a seat assignment. We did not check in for our flight the day prior as the book indicated to check in at the airport. Should we have checked in online the day prior? The direct flight made a tremendous difference in our travel experience.

Thank you again for your help in preparing this pilgrimage and I’m looking forward to working with you and your team in the future.
Sandy Paulus
Executive Assistant
Association of the Miraculous Medal

Cara,

Thank you for your email. I wanted to let you know how pleased I was with our 206 Tours experience. Here are six points where your team excelled.

1) Our tour guide. Christina not only did a great job but she excelled when one of our pilgrims needed medical attention. She was well organized, thoughtful and experienced……. she represented 206 Tours very well and we were very happy with her outstanding service. Just a great lady.
2) Food. It was really good. I was impressed that you all not only found some great places for us to eat but also authentic cuisine our pilgrims could experience in a friendly place. There is nothing better after a long day of adventure than to sit down with good food and enjoy time with friends – Thank you, the food was beyond my expectations.
3) Hotels. All comfortable. All clean. All high rated on TripAdvisor. Great work but let me add something else. Thank you for taking care of Sandy, Fr. Kevin and myself. Everyone at the hotels recognized our role in this pilgrimage and treated us to some simple pleasures and extras that made our stay both comfortable and memorable. I am grateful for this and appreciate you truly taking care of us!
4) Sites. The places we visited were all solid choices and provided us with insight into the history and culture of each region. Nicely done!
5) Airlines. Direct flights make a big difference, and being a taller than normal person, I really appreciate you making arrangements to accommodate my extra leg room needs. It was nice to arrive refreshed and ready to go. Super happy with this!!
6) Customer Care. Our members are important to us, and when they called 206 Tours, you all were very professional and polite to the many needs they had. I can’t thank you enough for your kindness and support. This goes a long way.

Thank you again for all of your hard work on this Pilgrimage.
Don Fulford
President/CEO
Association of the Miraculous Medal

Dear Cara,

I hope this note finds you well. I write to offer my sincere thanks for a wonderful experience with the AMM pilgrimage to France. I’ve not been on a group tour for many years so I readied myself for the “group experience” in all its good and difficult moments. I’m glad to report that the experience was a very beautiful and enjoyable one from start to finish. Everything went well: our tour guide, individual guides, places where we visited and stayed, and bus rides were top form. I’m glad I went on this pilgrimage. I also want to express my sincere appreciation for your courtesy in providing transportation from Rouen to CDG on the morning of my flight back. It save me a good deal of time, stress, (and funds!) In closing, one of my Vincentian confreres who had been on a recent 206 Tours pilgrimage told me it the best he’d ever been on. I can see why after my experience!

Best Wishes,

Fr. John Maher, C.M.

I’m sorry in the delay in sending this letter. We want to acknowledge your generosity of providing your pilgrims peace of mind and reassurance when our flight was delayed for a day. We were on your tour to Israel starting March 6, 2019. We had the most beautiful, holy experience we could ever imagine. This was our first trip abroad and it was unforgettable. Thank you! You really stepped up to the plate when our flight home was delayed for a day. You provided our group with a hotel room, dinner, and transportation. You never left us! We felt protected and safe. Many people in our group who were seasoned travelers were amazed of your concern and that you never abandoned us. It meant more than you know!! We have nothing but good to say bout our experience with you. Our guide, Sa’id M (Green Bus) was the best! We learned so much from hi, about beautiful Israel. He is a mountain of knowledge. We wan to go back and do it again. Our next trip with you is Medjugorje! Thank you again.

Love in Jesus,
Michael & Susan Hillhouse.

We are happy for you to share how we feel about your excellent ‘Tour Guiding’ and 206 Tour’s fabulous Holy Land Pilgrimage!!!⭐ Thank you very much, Sister Magdalit !!! Once again, Marty and I are still in awe of your expertise and knowledge of everything about the Holy Land!!! We are forever grateful that you were our Tour Guide. We have bragged about you to all our family and friends. So please let us know the next time 206 Tours asks you to be their Holy Land Tour Guide so we can let them know to sign up. We are now saying the Rosary, going to Mass and reading Scriptures in a more enlightened way!!! What a Blessing it was to be in the Holy Land!!!

Chaty-Marty, Sky Blue Bus group

Dear Milanka,

My husband and I just returned from Tour 103, (April 27-May 12), All Italian Shrines, with 3 – Pre stay days in Rome. What an amazing pilgrimage visiting so many saints and sacred sights. This was our 2nd tour and we have two future bookings with 206. We are deeply grateful to Federica, our guide and Mauro, our driver. They both portrayed how much they care and enjoy what they do. Out tour was successful and enjoyable because of their attention to detail and joyful attitude maintained throughout our tour. One of the many highlights was the Candlelight Procession – at the Sanctuary of St. Pio. It had rained all day, and Federica shared the rosary would be held inside if it continued… Needless to say the rain stopped in time for the Candlelight Procession and rosary outside! All of the towns and cities visited offer wonderful sights and accommodations, meals and expert tour guides. But, we enjoyed and liked Assisi the best! Meeting so many nice folks along the way and sharing our faith is a wonderful experience. Thank you 206 Tours and we look forward to our next Pilgrimage with you!

Sincerely,
Al and Anita Karle

Hi Katherine,

I just want to offer you a little feedback on our latest Pilgrimage to Ireland.First, our guide and driver were superb. Stefan (Guide) who took over our tour was excellent. His in-depth knowledge of Dublin and of Ireland in general provided an informative and comforting presence throughout our journey. He handled an unexpected illness with one of our pilgrims very professionally while still maintaining the momentum for the rest of the group. He was very adept at interacting with all of the local guides and sites we were visiting, sometimes rearranging our schedule on-the-fly to better serve our needs. Our driver, Hugo, was also excellent. Both cheerful and accommodating, he very deftly maneuvered our bus through some of the tightest and challenging roads that I’ve seen on any trip. He drove conservatively and safely for all concerned – both us as passengers as well as others on the road. We had great confidence in his ability and skill to get us where we needed to go safely and on-time.The trip really exceeded my many expectations of what Ireland was like — beautiful, mysterious and inviting. The people we encountered along the way were so very welcoming of us as guests. The food was excellent. The hotels were very comfortable, clean and neat. Our liturgies in the wide variety of churches we prayed in were very moving experiences. I think I walked away from this trip with a much deeper appreciation of Irish history and the Celtic spirituality that surrounded us along the way. The lives of the Saints — Patrick, Brigid, Ciaran, Kevin, Columbcille and others shined through the various places we travelled. It was a very enriching experience for me personally. The tours of the Jameson distillery and the Guiness brewery were pleasant – that helped round-out our “cultural experience” of Ireland.The only moment that I would have suggested doing differently would have been the visit to Knock and the Shrine. We arrived very close to our Mass time, with no opportunity to really get a sense of what the place had to offer. We enjoyed a very nice Mass there, which ended up being attended by many other pilgrims and visitors from all over Ireland — a bonus in our view! Some of our pilgrims wanted to go to confession or attend adoration, but we missed these opportunities as time did not permit.One final thought that I would like to offer is whether it would ever be possible for a pilgrimage group in Ireland to celebrate Mass on-site in some of the places that we visited? For example, would it ever be possible or permissible to celebrate Mass in the ruins of Rock of Cashel, the Gallarus Oratory, Kylemore Abbey (in the Gothic church?), Clonmacnoise (on the Papal Altar used by St. Pope John Paul II, perhaps?) or in the ruins of Glendalough? While it may not be allowed in all of these sites, if there would be an opportunity to have a Mass on-site in even one of these locations, it would be a hugely-memorable moment. The only caveat would be the need for the priest to bring a few extra items with him — chalice, paten, hosts, wine, missal, altar linens, etc…, which would need to be brought from home. I had this opportunity while on a past pilgrimage through Greece and Turkey, celebrating Mass in the archeological ruins of Corinth and at Philippi and these were deeply moving experiences for me as well as our group. So I think it would be worth exploring if possible.So, all in all, this pilgrimage was a wonderful and deeply moving experience! I highly recommend 206 and Ireland! Many thanks for all that you do to make these experiences so enriching and enjoyable.

Best wishes,
Fr. Timothy Harrison

Everything went perfect on our pilgrimage!! The flights, accommodations, food, and, our 206 Tour Guide, Ivanka Petrovic is the “BEST OF THE BEST”…. that I have ever experienced! 206 Tours is the best tour company I have ever experienced in 26 years of traveling overseas. The level of service is far superior to any other tour organizer. Thank you for making our pilgrimage such a great success!

God bless,

Diane Krolo

Dear Rinda, My name is Mrs Thi Ly NGUYEN, from Paris, FRANCE. I was , for the first time, part of your group and I would like to thank you all dearly, you and your team, for making this pilgrimage wonderful and exceptional .

It’s been a unique occasion for me to reinforce my faith in Jesus Christ. I remember every single moment shared with your group PILGRIMAGES 206 in Jordan and Holy Land.

And thank you to Father Piotr PACIOREK, our outstanding spiritual guide in his mission in leading our group 206.
We lived so many unforgettable and reverential instants. Father P. PACIOREK accompanied us with profound prayers along Jesus Christ’s path, daily prayers, rosaries on the bus rides, renewal of our Sacraments such as baptism, marriage, Sacrament for the ill, and above all, the scapulars ( it’s always so moving to take part in it ) , spreading the holy word of God during Eucharistic celebrations and excellent and fulfilling homilies. And the most important, at every step of the way, the prayers from the 4 Evangelists and the very detailed accounts in every holy place where Jesus had been.
Thanks to these sacred moments which give us even more strength and light to move forward in our Christian’s life , Father Piotr PACIOREK achieved his mission perfectly , and even beyond our expectations . God bless you always in your holy mission ! Thank you father , we need you to preach the Gospel.

Thank you also to our guides Yousef in Jordan and Majd in Israel who made us discover Jordan and the Holy Land with a great deal of knowledge, competence and expertise in their domains. We spent rewarding days with them both. Our drivers were quite good and fully efficient as well, they did an excellent work, were quite friendly, skilled, patient and conscientious.

As for our group, they were quite pleasant and nice to be with, and fraternal, it’s been like being with family . The organization of the tour but also the quality of the different services provided were amazing : the fancy hotels, especially the 9.7 given by me attributed to the NOTRE DAME Hotel in Jerusalem. It’s an extraordinary place, with its spacious rooms, generous gourmet buffet, it was perfect ! Keep it up ! Way to go ! I’ll definitely recommand the tour to my friends for vacation or for the pilgrimage in Holy Land.

Thank you again to the whole team 206 Pilgrimages , we wish you the best ! So many great and warm memories , it makes me feel like going back ! Magnificent and unique holy places , prayers and contemplation. I came back with my heart filled with joy, and peace, I’m most happy for my spiritual and cultural discoveries. Let us thank the Lord and Mary for this marvellous moment of sharing, for the Grace received and to come.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST:

My dear Rinda, I’d like to thank you especially and personally from the bottom of my heart for my breathtaking cake on my 74th Birthday last May 13th, 2019, celebrated at Notre Dame Hotel at 7.30 pm. What an amazing and incredibly stunning surprise birthday cake ! I will remember this wonderful moment all my life ! God bless you and the 206 Pilgrimages agency forever ! I’m sending you a few pictures . NB: My dear Rinda, I’m also sending you this letter translated into two languages – English and French – so that more people can understand how important it is to visit the Holy Land with your 206 PILGRIMAGES AGENCY

Mrs Thi Ly Nguyen

Kudos to 206 Tours! You are the best! You have exceeded our expectations. Our group just got back from an 18-day trip. Each and every member of the group is very pleased with the services you provided: the hotels, food, and especially the tour guides, Sa’id from Jerusalem and Ivan from Croatia, as well as our drivers, Abraham and Mel. Both guides were not only extremely knowledgeable on their respective areas and on the major sites, but also very accommodating to our needs and requests. Sa’id made it even possible for us to avoid long lines in most of the salient sites such as the Holy Sepulcher. I don’t know how he does it but he did. The restaurants and food he chose for our lunches in Israel were all amazing and were all ready/waiting for us. He planned it so well that we did not have to wait and did not have to struggle with the crowd. Excellent guide! The daily Mass with Fr. Joseph Nguyen was the “icing on the cake.” Six of us have traveled to Holy Land before and four have gone to Fatima, Spain, and Lourdes previously. Your entire staff (including Danielle and Alexandra), their organizational skills, attention to details, and immediate responses to our queries and needs are commendable. Thanks again for providing us a very spiritual and outstanding trip.

Luz Garcia
St. Paul the Apostle Church
Corpus Christi, TX

The Pilgrimage trip exceeded our expectations. It was a great religious experience. Father Carroll was an excellent spiritual leader. We could not have asked for more. He’s always at his best. Everything was so well-organized and simply the best from our flight to our hotels, meals and the bus ride. Our tour guide Alessandro was excellent and very impressive because he did everything for the group and even went beyond expectations. Our bus driver, Mario, kept us safe with his excellent driving skills. Definitely, this Pilgrimage has brought us closer to the Lord both spiritually and emotionally. We look forward in joining another 206 Pilgrimage tour in the future. We have already recommended 206 Tours to our family and friends. Thank you very much, Chris, for everything and for a great job in coordinating the trip with Father Carroll and our parish!

God bless,
Arturo and Maria Theresa Franco

This trip was the trip of a lifetime – inspiring, challenging, deepening.Daily Mass in tiny churches in the villages with our strong, tough, magnificent priest, Father Pierre Degla, was extraordinary. Because of the size of our group (12), we placed our backpacks around the altar and, for the most part, were able to sit in chairs or on benches on either side of the altar. The intimacy and sense of singular holy pursuit was palpable. It formed us for the rest of our (often grueling) days. Father was really very special – at 77 years of age, he was among our best walkers/adventurers. Woe to those of us who tried to keep up with him! His sense of humor lifted us. He was a compelling personality and his realization at the end of our trip was lovely – he realized he was NOT over the hill and still had significant contributions to make. He was a shining example of consistency and strength.Our tour guide was perhaps the greatest tour guide I have ever experienced, and I am no stranger to group tours. Jorge Martin Almeida was the epitome of charm, knowledge, wisdom, and supreme caring for each and every person in his charge. He was a font of knowledge of history, religion, politics, art, architecture, music, film, etc… He kept us mesmerized and wanting to know more. He engaged with each person and made everyone feel important. His sense of humor and clean fun had us screaming with laughter. My hope for him and 206 is that he will be considered a permanent fixture for your journeys. He is the personification of a devout Catholic who inspires others to embrace and celebrate their faith. His energy kept everyone going – and I think is the reason that none of us ever needed to “get on the bus” – that includes two individuals in their seventies (Father and Rainy, at 77) , several of us in our 60’s, and another bunch in their late 50’s.From start to finish, this journey was of epic proportions, and I would not change a thing – that includes my friend Brenda and myself being delayed and redirected to London on our way to Madrid, to missing luggage that did not arrive until Tuesday night, to a missing priest delayed out of Los Angeles and his luggage delayed even longer. PERFECT! Angels were with us all along the way to help us. WOW!Thank you so much and I’m already looking forward to Israel, Fatima and Lourdes, etc…

Gratefully always,
Linda Cirulli-Burton

I want to let you know that this pilgrimage you organized for us was well organized as to compare from previous pilgrimage I had attended before with other group. I was very much moved and touched the spiritual places we have been. I enjoyed also all other areas we went. I appreciate very much the service of our tour guide who is very knowledgeable and concern about everybodys personal needs like guiding us to best places to have lunches, and to have toilet breaks which was very important to our group. He is never boring for sure. The schedule was very intense but I understand because of so much places we had to go. Over all I enjoyed the tour and spiritual that will be in my memory for life.

Thanks,
Carrie

Dear Chris,

Thank you so much for your grace filled email. Sorry for the delayed response, got a flu right upon arrival. Getting better. Chris, I have been promoting 206 Tours since I joined the France pilgrimage of Fr. Carroll. I have been impressed by the customized itinerary you have allowed Fr. Carroll which we as pilgrims were the recipients. The holy places visited were most meaningful to me especially Lucerne and Mt. Pilatus. It gave me an opportunity to revisit and reminisce my Switzerland trip with my late husband many years ago. The hours spent at Mt Pilatus, was a miraculous journey with rain, hail and snow while taking the funicular to the last stop of the mountain. The conversations during the ride were eye openings and opened doors for a personal relationship with a couple I hardly know. What a blessing. As a Marian devotee, visiting a number of Marian Shrines were so spiritually enriching especially Our Lady of Altotting, Our Lady of Oropa and Our Lady of Mary Plain all new to me. Been sharing them with friends who are doing pilgrimages. This pilgrimage had increased the number of Marian Shrines I have visited since I started doing pilgrimages in the 1970 and I am very grateful. My pilgrimages has been a personal retreat for me and always has deepened and strengthened my devotion to the Blessed Mother. Chris, the monasteries we visited were just exemplary. Thank you so much and you all did a superb job. I was in Turin last year and did not know that Mt. St. Michele is just around the corner. Chris, I am very grateful for making my seat assignments request possible. Thank you, thank you so much.

Much blessings to you and the 206 Tours, Peace and God bless,
Emilie

Thank you for reaching out to me for feedback on this incredible trip. First let me say, I have never gone on a vacation that was arranged by a tour group so I really didn’t have anything to compare it to. I have lived overseas in Argentina and have had multiple trips to various countries internationally but never to Spain. This trip on many levels was much more than I had anticipated. My initial challenge on getting to Spain was a delay in my flight and subsequent loss of my luggage. This, of course, was unexpected but from the very beginning of my arrival 206 Tours, particularly Jorge Almeida (tour guide) made me feel very welcome. I honestly can not imagine a more knowledgeable, entertaining, caring and competent leader than Jorge. Thank you for hiring the BEST!! Also, the loving contribution of the other members of my group also made for an easier situation.

Raul, our bus driver, was a lovely addition to our group in that at each meeting spot his smile and attention to our welfare was felt by everyone. Also, from an individual who does not like heights, I honestly felt very secure in his capable and safe driving. Each day Father Pierre Deglaire led our group in mass, prayers and acknowledgements/guidance. I was the only non Catholic in our group and had a one on one conversation with Father regarding some reservations I had. He made me feel welcome and comfortable to join in with the rest of the pilgrims and for this I am most grateful.

Now, onward to how the trip transpired. I feel like it was extremely professional in all areas, even in the cautions regarding the difficulties inherent with our walk. The accommodations were excellent; clean and spacious. The hotel locations were central to our trip and convenient in all ways. And I actually thought I would come home with several extra kilos as the food was plentiful, healthy and varied. No complaints and no I did not gain weight after all the walking!!

All this to say, this was a trip of a lifetime. I would heartily recommend this to all who could physically manage the trip. I am a better person because of it. The enrichment of the experience will be with me forever, I am certain. Gratitude to your company and the people you employed to make this one of the top experiences one could hope for or imagine. Thank you and may we cross paths again!

Much love Namaste,
Brenda Montgomery

We just arrived in Paris for our final day of the Best Shrines in France-Tour 5. This has been an incredible pilgrimage. Wonderful in so many ways. Vanessa is an extraordinary tour guide and Fr. Kevin White is a fantastic spiritual director. We would travel with them again; any time or place.We would recommend 206 Tours to our friends without any reservation.

Thank you and God bless,
Dick and Lonnie Veik

Dear Milanka and 206 Tours,

I want to thank you for all that you do! This has been an amazing trip, a piece of heaven on earth, the love and peace is felt throughout. The detail and care you put into the pilgrimage, you think about the smallest detail. Ivanka is a faithful and spiritual woman and the perfect guide. Ivan has served us in such a humble and loving way. Thank you Milanka!

God bless you and 206 Tours staff!
Sandra Koceja

Hi,

I just returned from the Jordan/Holy Land tour and wanted to let you know how great Madj (our tour guide in Israel) and Father Piotr were on our trip. They truly made the difference from taking the pilgrimage from great to amazing!

Thank you,
Sara Seeley

Thank you for your follow-up to my wonderful and blessed visit to Poland. I chose to visit Poland because my grandparents were born in the country (then Poland, Hungary, Austria and Ukraine). It was important to me to better understand the land they left as early teens because of the dangers impacting them at the time. All of my grandparents and my parents, too, were very religious and now I have a much better understanding of their dedication and love for their Country, Our Lord, Our Lady and the saints. What I saw and learned from the guides exceeded my expectations! Karolina was exceptional as our guide. She handled about 30 pilgrims with extreme professionalism, patience and grace. Olga covered for one day which was approved and pre-arranged, and she was excellent as well. I don’t believe there was one misstep in the program! Each day was delightful and Karolina was extraordinary. We covered so much territory and learned so much about the history of Poland. It was a good group of pilgrims, too, which made the tour even more enjoyable. This is my second trip with 206, and I hope to make more pilgrimages in the months ahead. Note: One of the pilgrims on the tour said she received a coupon for the trip. If there are discount coupons for future trips, would you also please include me on that distribution list?

Thank you again!
Jane

Dear 206 Tours,

I just want to give a thank you and commendation to Vanessa for all her work and care for our pilgrimage to Italy. She was excellent in translating for us; helping us with difficulties; and generally making sure everyone was taken care of. Her ability with languages was more than excellent–And, I particularly appreciated her explanations of Catholic places and her participation in all our Masses and the entire tour with us. She had excellent suggestions and explanations of churches and shrines to visit (along with restaurants, etc) She was able to help when my husband became ill in Rome by finding Gatorade and offering help if serious medical attention was needed. She was a great comfort to help deal with sickness in a country where one does not speak the language. Thank you for providing us with a wonderful and knowledgeable tour guide. We very much want to thank Vanessa for her graciousness and help in Italy. Thank you 206 tours.

God Bless,
Christy Eiva

206 Tours did a fantastic job of organizing our walk of the El Camino to St. James from May 4-14, 2019. The guide, Jorge, was very knowledgeable of the history of the El Camino, had a vast understanding of Europe, and was always helpful to answer our questions, made sure that we knew where to be at and at what time, and always counted us pilgrims to see if we were all present. He is a top notch tour guide that 206 Tours should be grateful to have. The bus driver, Raoul, was friendly and a professional, safe driver who was willing to help us with our luggage and was waiting with the bus in the locations he needed to be at to pick up us pilgrims. Our spiritual director, Fr. Pierre Deglaire, led us in daily mass, made it a point to pray the rosary with our group each day, and was present for confessions as well. This was an amazing pilgrimage led by a very competent and caring team of exceptional people.

Sincerely,
Dewey Reinert

Dear 206 Tours,

I do not have facebook so I am sending you this email to say what a life changing experience I had in The Holy Land. This is my first Pilgrimage. I told my family and friends about you. Our guide Reisik and the driver were incredible THE BEST!!! Father Ed Serena was so caring and giving of his time. I love the Jesus Rosary on the bus and Mass being said everyday. I will go on another 206 Tour pilgrimage!!! Thank you SO MUCH for this life changing experience!!!

May God Bless 206 Tours,
Denise Diorio

Final thoughts on our trip to the Holy Land….

This trip is not for tourists. It was a pilgrimage where you learned about the earliest roots of our faith be it Catholic (which was the primary emphasis), Protestant, Jewish or Muslim. All were welcome on this pilgrimage, but it was the Catholic faith that was the purpose of the pilgrimage. The trip was the best I have ever experienced and there were several times that I was brought to my knees when brought to understand the biblical and historical significance of what we were seeing…Gethsemane, the scene of the Nativity, the Via Dolorosa, Golgotha, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre immediately come to mind. 206 tours did an outstanding job of thinking through every detail for a very large group of some 240 people. Milanka Lachman, the tour group founder, has created a tour experience that is second to none. Here are some examples… The Airline flights…pre-arranged and spot on. They even walked us through the complexity of the return flights getting us in the proper place for boarding.. The Hotel accommodations…first class. The David Citadel was the perfect location. Rooms were wonderful and the staff was very thoughtful. The food…very Mediterranean. Never ate so many vegetables, watermelon and cantaloupe in my life. But it was all delicious. The Priests…they were a total kick. Very spiritual and yet hilariously funny and full of life. We simply got the cream of the crop. Father John…I will remember you forever…and remember…you are loved. The Tour Guides…extremely knowledgeable. So much information in such a short time span. They were an absolute delight. Thanks, Alex! The Bus Drivers…oh, my goodness. I still cannot comprehend how they were able to navigate those huge buses through such tight spaces. The sites…they could not have selected more meaningful sites for us to visit. Jim Cavaziel…well, what can I say. His talks were totally inspiring. Overall organization…absolutely outstanding. Pre-flight they send you a backpack and tour wallet filled with books and information necessary to make your trip more meaningful. The timing was immaculate each and every day and they provided us with special gifts along the way. Every detail was completely pre-planned and executed to perfection. The guests…l made so many new friends and was delighted to see that everyone was thoughtful and delightful. Think I am a Fan? You bet. Thanks to Milanka and the entire 206 tours staff for an event I will remember for the rest of my life. #206tours.

Bill & Janie Spann

Cara,

They had a really great time. We have a meeting set for Thursday, May 23rd for the groups to talk to the parish about their experiences in Medjugorje. Richard told me it was the best accommodation he had stayed in whilst he was over there, and the best food. All loved the tour guides, and were very grateful for having been able to go to Ivan’s house for the apparition.

Thanks so much again,

God Bless,

Jane

My recent Pilgrimage to Mexico – Our Lady of Guadalupe exceeded my expectations. Location of Galeria Hotel was safe and nice, driver was friendly, Fr. Matt Maurielo provided spiritual guidance in our daily masses and Javier our tour escort was very knowledgeable. My sincere gratitude to the 206tours for making our trip pleasant and smooth.

Cesar Gentallan

Dear Natasha,

Truly grateful to you and 206 Tours for the best experience of the pilgrimage in the Jordan and Holy Land. Everything went perfectly well beyond our expectations. I will remember what 206 Tours has done for our whole group to make us feel safe and hospitable in every place we stayed. Praising God for you and 206 Tours how professional you have planned our pilgrimage to meet our needs, we were amazed and so pleased. May God send his many blessings upon you.

Happy Mother’s Day,
Rev. That Son Nguyen

Warm Regards,

William Northern

Dear Natasha,

This pilgrimage was wonderful. I learned *so* much. Please tell Milanka that Habib was an excellent guide and I’m very glad I was on his bus. I interacted with Fr. Peter, Fr. Lou, and Fr. Philip and they were all helpful and very kind. The people on this pilgrimage were Christlike and the experience definitely strengthened my faith. I look forward to going on another pilgrimage with 206 Tours; I’m not sure which one yet but I know it will be good. I am so impressed with your company, believe me. I’ve never seen such quality, good customer service, and accommodating kindness. Milanka and her husband were kind and genuinely interested in us as pilgrims. It does feel like a family to me. Milanka blesses so many people through this company. I have no complaints whatsoever, just very good recommendations and thanks for everything. This was the trip of a lifetime for me. It really felt like heaven on earth. Thank you for all you did as well to make this work.

God bless you!

Linda Hotton

Dear Milanka,

Just a note to thank you very much for letting me serve as the spiritual director on your 206 pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Once again it was a great treat for me, a great experience, especially when we were permitted to celebrate holy Mass in the tomb of our Lord Jesus. Cannot thank you enough! You’ve always been very generous and very thoughtful in my regard! Know that you will be in my prayers and please keep me in yours.

Know that you will be in my prayers and please keep me in yours.

Your friend always,

Father Ed Serena

Dear Natasha,

Good morning!

My husband and I have now completed two 206 Tours (Fatima/Lourdes) (Jordan/Holy Land) pilgrimages and we hope to join others in the future with Jackie. We are eternally grateful to Fr That Son, Jackie Nguyen and 206 Tours for a wonderful pilgrimage. A special heartfelt thank you to Fr That Son for making this pilgrimage come to fruition for all of us. He is a dedicated good shepherd of God’s flock. We treasure his presence, and are truly blessed by his friendship. There were so many great moments, thoughtfully planned, it is difficult to choose one. Our driver, Amman (I hope I spelled it correctly) and guide, Solomon, Jordan were delightful, and took very good care of us. We appreciated Solomon’s warm and welcoming disposition. Our driver, Hussein and guide, Rami, Israel were fun, talented and gave us a beautiful picture of Israel and all the Holy Land sights. We learned a lot from Rami. This was a pilgrimage trip I had long awaited, and it well exceeded my expectations. And most importantly we celebrated Masses at relevant, and memorable sites where Jesus walked and ministered. Most especially memorable was Mass in the Tomb of Jesus in the Holy Sepulchre. Beautiful on many levels. Our scripture reading and attendance at Mass will never be the same. Extraordinary moments of grace were the baptisms and renewal of wedding vows. I realize there was a lot of careful planning involved, and we are very appreciative of this. It was a beautiful, spirit and grace-filled pilgrimage. We gathered as strangers, and left as friends. Co-sojourners on an awesome and inspirational journey to God. We are changed in a very positive, and spiritual way.

Thank you Fr That Son, Jackie and Natasha.

God bless you all,

Drew and Diane Haaser

Thank you to everyone at 206 Tours for a beautiful and spiritual pilgrimage to Italy. Magnifico! Thank you for all the time and hard work that went into planning it. So much thought went into this to make it so special. A big thank you to you, Linda, for customizing our pilgrimage to make it one we will never forget.

Thank you for answering all the many questions I had for the last year while planning this. Your caring and thoughtfulness was very evident throughout it all. The hotels were excellent. The locations, the courteous staff, the comforts of home were characteristic of all three. Hotel della Conciliaizone was a very convenient walk to the Vatican. The chef there made sure we were all pleased and the food was excellent. Then the Hotel Gran Paradiso with a breathtaking view!!! It was a little piece of heaven! The wait staff greeted us with big smiles and humor. Finally, Hotel del Moro in Assisi was a very comfortable and welcoming hotel. Food there was also delicious.

Two of the nights in Rome that you reserved restaurants for us was a beautiful way for us to experience the Italian culture. Taverna Angelica is a very warm family owned restaurant . The owners welcomed us and was so attentive to us. We had many laughs with them. The food was beyond words! I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone going to Rome! Vanessa- our tour guide — was the best! It was like she was part of our family immediately. She was caring, informative, warm, and a delight to be with! She made sure that when one of the pilgrims did not feel well, that they had what they needed. It was bittersweet to s ay arrivederci to her.

What a surprise when we saw who our bus driver was–Mario! John & I and Fr Ray had him 5 years ago so it was like we were with family again!!! He kept us safe and when he is driving there are no worries! The local tour guides were excellent. Tiziana was also our guide 5 years ago and that was another nice surprise. Our visit to the Vatican, Papal audience and having Mass in St John Paul II Chapel left us in awe. We were blessed to be able to go up the Holy Stairs on our knees on the marble that Our Lord was on! Incredible!

Our visit to Orvieto and the Eucharistic miracle was once in a lifetime event. In fact the local tour guide said that the doors to the Eucharistic miracle is only open a couple of times a year so we probably wouldn’t see it. Guess what? The doors were open that day! This is how the pilgrimage went–so many blessings–so many kisses from God. The visit to Madonna della Latte vineyard is hard to put into words. Leon was a perfect host. It was informative and so much fun. The meats, cheeses and veggies paired with the wines were fantastico! This was a very nice addition to our pilgrimage.

And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better we had the cooking class in Cortona. All the pilgrims had a chance to cook and taste! We made a 4 course meal that I am still thinking about! They even gave us the recipes so we could make them at home. It was a beautiful villa and only made more beautiful with the three generations of this Italian family that lived there. This was a very special visit for all of us–thank you for including this.

Our pilgrims were very appreciative. I have encouraged them to write their thoughts to you. One wrote us a thank you note and I want to share part of it with you “..The planning exquisite! The tour guides terrific! The scenery breathtaking but the people and faith-filled journey beyond superior–God’s best of everything to you two and 206. tours!….”
Thank you again for all you have done for us. We are so grateful and appreciative. We will keep you all in our prayers. We are looking forward to the Holy Land next year April 2020!

God bless,

Valerie & John Sistare

206 Tours,

I am writing on behalf of Gwen Melancon and myself. We have recently returned from a trip to Jordan and The Holy Land (April 4 – 16, 2019). We really can not put into words the affects of this trip and how it has touched our lives. Our tour guide, Riseck, was very knowledgeable about Israel and the Holy Land. Our Chaplain, Fr. Wilfred DeCal, who is actually our parish priest, really made our trip extra special. I would recommend this trip to anyone. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have had both Riseck and Fr. DeCal as part of our trip.

May God continue to Bless 206 Tours!

Sincerely,
Maureen Alfred

Good morning,

We had the most highest blessing to go on this pilgrimage during Lent, most specifically for Palm Sunday and leading into Holy Week. We have since celebrated Easter and have had time to reflect on our pilgrimage. We are most appreciative about how every detail of this trip was handled; from our spiritual director, Father Brian Smail, our tour guide, Majd, to our bus driver Hassan and 206 Tours. The Holy Spirit led us to take this trip and was with us each step of the way. We were very blessed by the spirituality shared by Father Brian, Majd and our whole group of pilgrims. Father Brian was very reverent in each of our masses.and giving of himself. Majd was very passionate in sharing his knowledge and connecting the Old & New Testaments. He was also very attentive to detail. Our experience far exceeded our expectations and we highly recommend this tour to others. Thank you for all the work and efforts made by the 206 organization.

God bless,

Debbie & Peter Adornetto

206 Tours,

I can only second what my Sister Patti has expressed. We loved every minute and would never hesitate to recommend 206 tours and to take another pilgrimage with you. Majd was terrific and made our pilgrimage so rich. Hassan got us through many complicated routes with ease and competence. We are so grateful.

In the Heart of Christ,

Sister Marie Caritas, O.P.

“So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13, verse 13)

206 Tours,

My sisters and I returned last week from an amazing trip in the Hoy Land lead in faith by Father Brian Smail. We were guided to this trip by the Holy Spirit and thanks to our wonderful guide, Majd, were able to experience Jesus’s life in a deeply meaningful way. With his incredible knowledge of Old and New Testaments, Majd provided insightful context that increased the depth of our spiritual journey. Throughout our trip, Father Smail led us in faithful prayer and celebrated mass reverently and joyfully. Through this journey, I experienced a renewal of faith for which I will be forever grateful. Our group was so very cohesive and bonded into a little “family”. We felt safe and cared for at all times (thank you Majd, Hassan, our amazing tour driver, Father Smail and 206Tours). We wish everyone who shared this pilgrimage with us the blessings of our Lord and a life of happiness and health. My sisters and I will always cherish our memories of this trip and highly recommend it to others. It is truly inspiring. Thank you Father Smail, Majd, and Hassan, our tour driver, for this incredible experience.

God Bless & Happy Easter to all.

Patti Palmer

Dear 206 Tours,

I am very glad that I joined this tour my only regrets is that I should done this 15 yeas ago, but any way there is always a saying never too late than never to do want you want to do. The tour was excellent and re enforce my spiritual belief . Rudy (Jordan ) tour escort is good, Rizek (Israel) tour escort is excellent I will highly recommend him if I have a friends that will go for this tour as a tour escort, Fr. Wilfredo Decal is very spiritually will informed and opened to our spiritual questions as well as guidance and of course our Bus driver they make us safe in our journey. GOD BLESS THEM ALL.

Sincerely yours,

Rosalina Roldan

God Bless,

Joyce Nichols

Good Morning,

I thank the Lord for guiding my sister Angie to choose 206 tours as our official travel to lead us to these two great destinations. My sister & I have been to Israel year 2000 with Fr. Stephen Doyle (God Rest His Soul). The experience we had was different. It was great the first time, but this was extra ordinary. It was really excellent. With our tour guide (Rizek) who is very knowledgeable, kind & compassionate. I will definitely recommend him to all of our family & friends that will go to Israel. I would also like to thank our priest on board (Fr. Wilfredo Decal) who is just so great. His sermons will touch your heart & ending up with tears in your eyes. I won’t mind to have him again in all my travels with the 206 tours. Thanks to our great driver (sorry for not remembering his name) for driving us to safety. Overall this pilgrimage was the highlight of all the travels I did. Thanks so much from the bottom of my heart to the 206 tours that made my trip and everyone very memorable & very special.

God Bless & Happy Easter to all.

Angelina R. Ansus

Dear Rinda,

Just returned from the Holy Land trip with the 206 Tours group. All I can say is that it was WONDERFUL! It was a delightful group of people, and our guide Majd was superb. We worked very well together. Let’s do another Holy Land trip next spring.

Easter blessings to you!

Fr. Brian Smail, OFM

Hi Milanka,

Of course, you can use my feedback in any way you choose!!! Peter and I love your company and are very grateful for the quality of tours you create and offer. We always do our best to encourage others to go with 206 when planning a pilgrimage. And through you and 206 Tours we have the friendship of our most dear Slava. In our minds, that friendship was orchestrated by Our Lady so you can take credit for allowing Our Lady to use you, too, in getting that going Youth Fest 2012, our first 206 Tour. Now through Slava, we know Slavenka, and are so grateful for that amazing duo in our lives. They enrich our lives boundlessly, and with such ongoing laughter, too. Together, they add new meaning to a joy-filled time! God willing, we will have many more adventures together. Interestingly, I will tell you that I feel like I also know you, too. Why? …because both Slava and Slavenka always speak so highly and warmly of YOU whenever something about 206 Tours comes up in conversation. To enjoy their praise is the highest of all compliments, as I see it! They are always so grateful for your generosity and concern, it is beautiful! I hope they don’t mind that I share that with you, but I do think it is a nice thing for you to know. Have a very blessed and happy Easter! And yes, let’s continue to pray for each other!

Many blessings and much gratitude to you,

Donna

Dear Billy,

Good morning we are back from our wonderful trip to Jordan & Israel. Since you are the last person I have contact with I thought of sending you this email. Please let everyone knows who helped me & my group prepare for this amazing trip from the bottom of my/ our hearts thank you so much. My sister & I was so glad we went again. Although we had a nice time too in year 2000 this time it was so different. Every single person was raving about 206 tours & all you will hear is that ” this tops all the tours I had, we will go again with 206 Tours”. To top is off we had the best tour guide he is excellent his name is Rizek the mere fact that he studied theology he was not only able to tell us the biblical side of it but the history of Israel as well. We are just amazed & thankful for him. We also had a great Spiritual director who gave excellent homily that touches our hearts & made us cry his name is Fr. Wilfredo Decal. What more can you ask. Thank you all for your patience in dealing with me. I have told my group & even our group as a whole that the staff of 206 your are so accommodating & courteous. Rest assured that we will be using 206 tours again for any pilgrimages in the future. If ever I go back to Israel God willing I wish to have only if possible Rizek as the tour guide & Fr. Decal as the spiritual director again. Lastly if you can give me the name of the owner of 206 Tours to thank her personally cause our group would like to extend their appreciation. I remember when I was first inquiring via email it was the owner who answered me I just forgot her name & we all got an invite on fb but we were not sure if that was her so we all ignore it.

Thank you again & God Bless.

Angie Rodriguez

206 Tours,

Thank you for your work on our recent pilgrimage to Italy. The pilgrimage, for me, was a wonderful experience. It started with the group of people who put their time and money into our pilgrimage, when another type of trip would be readily accessible. Our daily liturgy gave us time to be together in a prayerful, reflective way. There was much support and sharing among us, at Mass and throughout the trip. The spirituality of our guide, Vanessa, was most evident, as was her competence and maturity. I understood more clearly the growth of the church, as guides spoke to us about the history of each place: how waves of people came and settled and brought with them their religion and culture. As a New Yorker, I am very aware of the Italian culture that has been brought here along with the Catholic faith. I am grateful for the opportunity to appreciate the universality of the Catholic faith, woven as it is in places and times and cultures. Again, I am most grateful for this opportunity.

Thank you.

Sister Cathy Stare

Thanks.

J.D. Hanks

Hi 206 Tours,
My husband and I had a wonderful pilgrimage with Father Donald Calloway. I can’t say enough good about it! The tour guide, Patrick and Shamus, the bus driver were excellent! The people and the food were the best! We hope to go on another pilgrimage with your tour company in the future.

Everything was excellent!
Patty and Joe Janiak

Dear 206 Tours,
I never thought, that I would ever go on a pilgrimage. For a very long time I wanted to visit Jordan and Israel. I was just looking for a tour to feel safe. My parish priest told me about the 206 Tour. I will be forever thankful for his recommendation. This trip was an unforgettable life changing experience. Our trip started out as a small group of just 12 in Jordan. Instantly we became friends. Many thanks to our tour guide Sam and his driver. Sam was not only very knowledgeable, he made the trip also fun. Seeing the incredible site of Petra, standing on the Jordan River and Mount Nebo and looking over to Israel made a big impression on me. What a treat the OLD VILLAGE RESORT HOTEL in Petra was. I still miss the buffet for breakfast and dinner. Sadly after 3 days we had to depart from Jordan. We felt very safe. In Israel our “small family” became an extended family. There we have been blessed with having Majd as our tour guide and Osama as our driver. They both did an incredible job and have been a true asset on the trip. Visiting all the holy sites and walking in the footsteps of Jesus was an experience, hard to describe. The highlight was for sure, when Fr. Ethel celebrated Mass at the Holy Sepulchre church. For me it was such a delight, watching Fr. Ethel celebrating Mass every day. Every time I thought, if we would have more priests like him the church would be in much better shape. He is also a very, very happy priest. What a great experience! Not having a TV in NOTRE DAME was a blessing – so peaceful! I will highly recommend 206 Tours!

Thank you very much.

Eva Altmann

* P.S. I still miss the buffet style dinner and breakfast selection.

Hello Danielle,
I thought I would send along a few of my observations and experiences from our Holy Land trip, March 3 – March 12 with Father Carson. Overall, I would definitely recommend 206 Pilgrimages to my friends. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and personable. Our days were well planned and managed, the hotels excellent. The historical sites we visited were astonishing – seeing the Sea of Galilee, for example, and taking a boat ride across it were very special. And the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was the highlight of our trip, in my opinion. You could not help but be deeply moved by the many unforgettable holy sites we visited. The memories of of the Holy Land will be with me forever. My time in the Holy Land was very spiritually rewarding. Thank you for providing this opportunity.

Lisa Boyd

Hi Alex,
Thanks again for doing all you did to make this pilgrimage happen for us – and so at the last minute. It was definitely a trip of a lifetime and an incredible experience and opportunity. The small size of 18 of us was ideal – we all go to know each other and moved around very easily. Iksander’s great personality and DEPTH of knowledge but historical and religious was amazing. Too much info to truly absorb! The accommodations (bus and hotels) were very nice: as well as the food overall. The St Patrick’s Day touch was very appreciated and fun! The pace of the tour was intense but necessary in order to see all that we did. I know it was mentioned that we would have an opportunity for the sacrament of reconciliation but we were not made aware of any chances.Honestly, that is the only thing I can think of that I would have liked to have had but didn’t. This was fantastic – the organization and attention to details proves to me that your company really knows what they are doing and very well experienced. I will definitely recommend you to all my friends as well as hopefully return on another pilgrimage in the future.

All the best and God Bless!

Bill Weismann

Dear Cara,
Father John was a delight. We were happy to share this pilgrimage with him. And was a pleasure it was to share the trip with you also. This was truly the best experience we have ever had. Thank you and your team!

Blessings in Christ,

Susan & Mike

I would like to thank you for a FANTASTIC pilgrimage! It was a beautiful experience with flawless logistics. I have sung your praise since returning home and I am looking forward to my next trip with your organization in May 2020 to Poland. I would also like to praise my tour guide, Said. He made the trip memorable with his insight and caring. I can not heap enough praise for his knowledge and wit. At one point when we were to go to Mt. Tabor, I had no jacket and he loaned me his for the day! This is true care! He is a GREAT tour guide answering all our questions, concerned with every detail of the trip, making you feel like he was a big brother.

Thanks once again,

Mary Charlene Cooney

Dear 206 Tours,
We had a wonderful pilgrimage to the Holy Land with 206 Tours. Our guide Rizek was wonderful! He was so knowledgeable, and he shared our faith with such enthusiasm. He really helped us to walk in Jesus’ footsteps, with great insight into the historical context of the times. We had wonderful Masses every day, which made our spiritual pilgrimage complete. Thank you Rizek for a life changing pilgrimage!

God bless,

Dave and Teresa Santoleri

Thanks again so much for everything! 206 is amazing – I was very impressed with how well run the whole operation was. It felt effortless, which I know is due to tons of detail work behind the scenes.

God bless you,

Fr. John

Dear Dr. Scott Hahn and Milanka, Peace of Christ. Gratitude. That is the feeling I would like to express to the both of you for having given me this life-giving and life-changing pilgrimage opportunity to the land of Jesus, the land of the fifth Gospel. Dr. Scott Hahn, I am very thankful for our friendship. What I have learned from you over the years and on this trip will forever remain a part of who and how I am, especially for the people of God. Your passion for the truth is contagious. Thank you for tirelessly pouring yourself out for the sake of the kingdom. And thank you for having extended an invitation for me to join you. Milanka, though we have not met, I feel like I know you. Your generosity and love for Jesus are very evident in your work and in the few emails that we have exchanged. 206Tours is incredible. Your staff and the guides that you have chosen are absolutely amazing and professional. The ability to plan ahead and make back up plans made the trip go very smoothly. Thank you for this wonderful trip that has enriched my heart and my priesthood more than you can imagine. This experience is so good that I would like every Christian (why not, every person?) to make it, especially priests. Again, thank you to both of you. May the Holy Spirit fill you. I will offer one Mass for each of you and your families.

God bless you!

Fr. Louis

Hi 206 tours,

I just got back home from one of the most wonderful experience of my life. I want to commend your company for the excellent job in the planning of this trip. My flight was delayed due to inclement weather in New York but upon arriving in Tel Aviv I was warmly greeted by Majd the tour guide. I was so very fortunate to have Majd as my tour guide as his knowledge and enthusiasm are outstanding. His explanations at the sites were educational, enlightening and delivered in a fashion that I could actually picture myself in the scenes he recreated. He took the entire group under his wing and was very protective and caring through the entire journey. You have a very valuable employee in Majd. I also, want ro take the opportunity for the bus driver, Osama. His driving skills are exceptional and his concern for the groups comfort even more prevalent. Thank you again for providing me and the group the best experience of the Holy Land.

With sincerest appreciation,

Ada Gonzalez

Dear Cara,

Thank You Cara, we had a great time, loved our Tour guide and bus driver! Great guys! Tour was great very well thought out, thank you! Will recommend you to everyone at church and beyond.

Patti

To whom it may concern,I regret this note is long overdue, but its sentiments are no less diminished. On November 7, 2018, I was fortunate to have taken a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with your company and Maria Regina Parish with Father Frank Nelson as our Spiritual Director. It was the trip of a lifetime.From the moment the trip was booked, I couldn’t have been more pleased with 206 Tours. Any time we had a question, your staff was always so helpful answering our questions or finding a solution. The meeting just before our trip was extremely helpful as well. I would also like to comment on the package that was sent to our homes prior to our departure. The backpack I received was the highest quality and came in handy during the trip. In addition, the small bag inside with the travel documents was so useful and contained everything we needed for a prayerful pilgrimage. The nametags also were great for learning each other’s names and for identifying who was in our group. Once we arrived in Israel, we were met by Sa’id, our wonderful guide. He was kind and caring and so knowledgeable. He was passionate about his job and truly wanted to make our experience the best it could be – and he succeeded. He so exceeded our expectations. He adapted things to meet our needs, bought local foods so we could taste them, and did whatever he could do to please us. He truly is an asset to your company. I have taken many pilgrimages and I can honestly say that I think he was the best guide I have ever had! I would also like to compliment our bus driver whose name regrettably escapes me, who so masterfully and capably drove us around Israel. He maneuvered that huge bus into some of the most amazingly tight spots and kept us safe on our journey. Kudos to him!In Israel, I also appreciated all the special touches provided by 206 Tours – the maps, the hat, the Rosary beads, the wooden cross and the bottled water on the bus. All these helped set your agency above the others.I was so thrilled with my 206 experience that I look forward to many more 206 pilgrimages in the future. Please pass my compliments on to Sa’id and our bus driver.

Sincerely,

Patricia A. Regan

Dear Natasha and Liz,

I just want to thank you and all who helped our pilgrimage take flight and have an awe-inspiring trip. It was amazing as all of you are. The tireless hours you put into the success of this pilgrimage is greatly appreciated. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

God be with you,
Glenda and Matthew

In Sept 2018 my wife and I (Leticia & David) took the Holy Land and Jordan tour. I think it was tour 158. Our tour guide in Israel was Razik Nazi. What an awesome guy. Razik is fluent in 4 languages English, Hebrew, Arab, and Aramaic and is Aramaic by birth. He has extensively studied & knows the 1st Century history of the Holy Land. Where ever we visited Razik would put our settings into 1st century historical understanding to include customs, religious practices, local events. This made our experience vastly more interesting and enriching.

Razik is a treasure like a fine aged wine.
Dave & Leticia

Hi Alexandra,
I just wanted you to know that our pilgrimage to the Holy Land was such a special experience, and our Tour Guide, Jack, made it so amazing. We learned so much and are so grateful!

Our Thanks,
Tony and Mary Stallone

Dearest Bika,
I can’t begin to tell you or find the words to accurately convey what this pilgrimage has done for me. I came home full of renewed faith and energized! I can tell you I so needed those Graces! For me, like many pilgrims, I usually wait until a sign comes to let me know where I should pilgrim next and even though I had thought of going to our Lady of Guadalupe several times in the last 4 years, I know now that I could not have journeyed with a more Catholic group of pilgrims. What a gift this has been! ? I have been traveling on pilgrimages since 2011, which isn’t that long, but I have to share with you that it was such a blessing to go back home knowing that I had experienced everything 206 tours placed on our itinerary; I have never experienced that before. On most of my other journeys, there was a sense of chaos going from one place to another because too much time was as alloted for shopping or non Catholic events. I can only speak for myself, but from my sincerest heart, I thank you for the most organized, Catholic, spiritual journey I have experienced to date.

You have sold me on 206 Tours. I am even looking into a few in the near future. I have gained so much from this pilgrimage. Not only have I made new friends whom I shall cherish to the end of my days, but meeting Fr Calloway and sharing Mass each day with him and the other pilgrims was an absolute blessing! I am not privy to that here as our area is so short on clergy. I have drawn so much closer to our Lady in a way I never thought possible. I felt so much Grace on this journey. I learned so much about the history of the Mexican people; their persecutions and triumphs. I have an even deeper love of the rosary as I spent more time reading Fr Calliways books which I brought with me from Canada as well as his new book, “The 10 Wonders of the Rosary” As the only Canadian in the group I was a little anxious at first not knowing anyone, but immediately I felt right at home and accepted and learned so much and shared so much with my fellow pilgrims. The accommodations, food and tour guide were second to none for me. There were no hiccups on this journey and I can honestly say I will be sharing my experience with my Canadian brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank you so much for such a beautiful pilgrimage. I wish I had endless funds lol ? because 206 Tours would be seeing my name on pilgrimage registation forms frequently! I will be looking forward to my next journey with you. Thank you so much for making a small town Canadian feel very welcomed and blessed among a very Holy young priest and a beautiful group of pilgrims.

May Christ continue to bless 206 Tours and all your staff and all that you do.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth

Dear 206 Tours,
Definitely this trip impacted our lives (my wife Patricia and myself). It was wonderful to walk and learned more through the holy land about Jesus, where he was born, walk, healed, teach us the New Testament, take the demons out and also die for us. The experience was incredible, all the places we visited, but most of all the spiritual guidance of father Terry O’Connell and the spiritual tour escort Majd. Both of them are an Incredible team. The homilies of father Terry were so inspiring and full of peace, love and learnings, Majd knowledge of the Bible and the land was outstanding. In other words if we do a tour again (hopefully we will with 206), we would love to have the same priest, the same tour escort and the same driver Osama!. I think that this say it all. In our trip there is nothing to improve, it was the greatest and most beautiful experience of our lives. God put people together we were blessed with the extraordinary people that shared with us the same tour. We have become all of friends in Christ. This is another miracle of this trip. We are involved in the Catholic Church as ministries of Eucharistic and this trip will definitely help us to want to serve and be closer to our lord Jesus Christ. Thank you 206 for this amazing, unique, special, great and blessed tour! You are the best. God bless you all.

Sincerely,
Felix & Patricia Stanziola

I am so grateful that God provided me with the opportunity to be the spiritual guide for our pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico from January 3rd to January 8th, 2019. It was great to start the New Year 2019, by traveling with pilgrims to a place filled with the presence of Our Lady. During this blessed time, I prayed for the intentions of Corpus Christi Church in Buffalo, the Order of St. Paul the First Hermit, to which I belong, and for my family and friends. I had a wonderful time on this pilgrimage and I hope that I will always have fond memories of the trip. I would like to extend my gratitude to the pilgrims for the time we spent together praying, sharing meals, and building memories and to the organizers who took care of us every step of the way. I would also like to extend my thanks to our tour guide Javier for his professionalism, care, and knowledge, which he showed our entire group. In closing, I would like to encourage all priests, religious, and lay people who have not yet been to this holy place to visit as soon as possible.

Fr. Michal Czyzewski (Order of Saint Paul The First Hermit)

Bula Ms Guttilla,
Happy New Year and may this year bring you more glad tidings.

Sincerely,
Genevieve, Joseph, Tevite & Jeremy Konrote

Jon,

Wanted to share that my clients were very satisfied with their Lady of Guadalupe Tour. They especially liked their accommodations and the guide and bus driver. Said the entire experience was excellent. Thanks for everything and I will certainly keep 206 Tours in mind for future Catholic Pilgrimage tours.

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In Christ, –> Bob Kemmerer

Hello Danielle,

We are back from our Holy Land Pilgrimage (Rob & Michelle Jefferys). I just wanted to send you a very short note to inform you that it was an incredible experience and beyond words. Everything went Perfectly and timed to the minute – 206 did a fantastic job. And especially YOU, with your constant updates and responding to my numerous emails. I will be recommending 206 to anyone thinking of a pilgrimage. Because of this experience, I will probably be going on the 2020 Poland trip with this same priest.

Thanks again and I will be following up with a far greater detail on my experience and what aspects went over well with the group as well as any additional things that could be improved upon!!!

In Christ,
Rob & Michelle Jefferys

Hi Cara, Thank you for our AMAZING trip. So many blessings I can’t begin to list them. Our driver and translator were WONDERFUL!! Everything went SO smoothly. Flights were great, our hotel was perfect and all the tours and sights were unforgettable. Thank you SO much for coordinating all of it and on such short notice. It was truly God’s Will that we go in that it all came together so well. I have included a picture of Molly and I retrieving the relic and a picture of why it has taken me so long to get back to you since as soon as we got back we prepared to take Molly to Ky to enter the Franciscan Daughters of Mary. The trip was a great opportunity for Molly and I to do one last thing before her entrance. And what a last thing. So many great memories for me to cherish of my oldest baby as we enter into a new phase of our lives. Thank you again and God bless all you do!

In Christ,

Debbie