Pilgrimages from USA and Europe

Few Places left book now to visit and stay in the Sanctuary of Saint Philomena in Italy and pray at the Altar of her Sacred Body

On Pilgrimage with Saint Philomena

“Pray to Saint Philomena, whatever you ask from her, she will obtain for you.”
—Pope Gregory XVI (1831-1846)

Dear Family of Saint Philomena

It is with great joy that I invite you to come pray with me at the Sacred Altar of Saint Philomena.

Three pilgrimages are planned; one from the USA, one from Scotland/England and one from Ireland. They all lead to a stay within the Sanctuary of Saint Philomena where the Sacred body of Saint Philomena rests. The accommodation is in the Pilgrim’s Center which is attached to the Sanctuary. This means that when the church doors are closed to the public it will be open for you to pray at the Sacred Altar in the presence of our saint. Please follow this link to see photos of the Pilgrim’s Center.

The USA pilgrimage has been organized by Louis Falconeri of Fratelli & Company Group Travel in conjunction with the Archconfraternity of Saint Philomena. The Scotland and Ireland pilgrimages are organized by the Archconfraternity of Saint Philomena. Each of these groups will be directly supporting the Sanctuary by their stay in the Pilgrimage Center.

The word “pilgrimage” comes from two words in Latin that mean “to journey to the origin”. The customs of pilgrimages are pagan in their derivation. It was believed that the powers of the deities were localized, and therefore, one had to travel to the region over which they exercised hegemony and influence to be granted requests. There is no doubt that this impulse, and faulty notion of Grace, influenced Christians when they first began pilgrimages to the Holy Land or to the locality of a particular Saint’s resting place or event in their life.

The Blessed Virgin Mary once told a visionary that an angel collects one rose for every step a person takes on their journey to Church, and these spiritual roses will be presented to God with the person when they appear before Him! It isn’t a far stretch to assume that the same benefits are applicable for the one who is journeying on pilgrimage. Pilgrimages enable one to unite and use heart, soul, mind and body in an exertion to encounter God.

Oftentimes, people sojourn on a pilgrimage to obtain a bodily healing or a supernatural grace. In fact, the proper way to begin a pilgrimage is to form an intention, or a prayer request, that one hopes to obtain at the culmination of this spiritual journey.

When St. Padre Pio was a boy, his family made a pilgrimage to the shrine of a saint. There they witnessed a miraculous healing of a boy who had been severely deformed from birth. This experience had a profound influence on him during his formative years. One has only to look to the Shrines established to commemorate the apparition sites of the Blessed Virgin Mary to understand the immensity and regularity of miracles received by pilgrims.

Let us re-examine the meaning of the word “pilgrimage”; let us envision ourselves journeying to our origin and to the core of our being. Let us place the fruits of this journey before the altar of God, through the intercession of Saints Philomena, Pio and Archangel Michael. Let us encounter ourselves, honor God’s Saints and embrace God’s Grace!!!

Sending you a special blessing of Saint Philomena

Msgr. Giovanni Braschi
Rector of the Sanctuary of Saint Philomena
Custodian of her Sacred Body

Walk in the steps of significant people who have visited the Sanctuary of Saint Philomena.

They came to be in the presence of the Sacred Body of Saint Philomena and to pray at her Altar;

Prince Jean de France and Princess Philomena of France in August 2012
Cardinal Luigi Poggi in the jubilee of 2000, the Cardinal Ruffo-Villa of Naples
Pope Leo XII
Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Pio IX, who made a pilgrimage accompanied by King Ferdinand II on 7th November 1849
Ven. Pauline Jaricot (founder of the Pontifical Missionary Works) experienced a miracle by Saint Philomena in Mugnano on August 10, 1835
Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy, wife of Ferdinand II of Bourbon

Last Chance to book

Pilgrimage Details
Scotland & England
£790

19th – 26th September 2014
Glasgow or London to Naples

Based on Half board

Accommodation:
6 nights Pilgrimage Centre attached to the Sanctuary of Saint Philomena
1 night hotel in Rome

Friday- Tour of the Sanctuary and dinner
Saturday- St Benedict Monastery in Monte Cassino and Pompeii
Sunday- St. Pio, Monte San Angelo for St. Michael, Our Lady Incoronata
Monday- Sorrento
Tuesday- Rome overnight: Catacombs of St Priscila, tour of the basilicas, tour of Rome by night.
Wednesday- Rome:*Papal Audience, tour of St. Peters.
Thursday- St Gerald Majella, St. Gennaro and bay of Naples by night.
Friday- Morning in Avellino and depart 5pm

Ireland
€790

Thursday 9th – 16th October 2014
Dublin to Naples

Based on Half board

Accommodation:
6 nights Pilgrimage Centre attached to the Sanctuary of Saint Philomena
1 night 3 star hotel in Rome

Thursday- Tour of the Sanctuary. Evening in Naples, St Gennaro and bay of Naples
Friday- St Benedict Monastery in Monte Cassino and Pompeii
Saturday- St Gerard Majella, Avellino
Sunday- St. Pio, Monte San Angelo for St. Michael, Our Lady Incoronata
Monday- Sorrento
Tuesday- Rome overnight: Catacombs of St Priscila, tour of the basilicas, tour of Rome by night.
Wednesday- Rome:*Papal Audience, tour of St. Peter’s Basilica. Return to the Sanctuary
Thursday- Depart 9am
*Papal audience is dependent on the Pope being in residence.

For more details please contact:
Margaret at pilgrimage@philomena.it or call 0141 772 8558 (+ 44 141 772 8558)

U.S.A

St. Philomena & the Holy Shrines of Southern Italy & Rome
September 5 – 13, 2014
Pax tecvm filvmena

Dear Friends;

Once again the hand of St. Philomena is at work. We have been thinking of making another pilgrimage to Mugnano when the call came from Marie Burns asking for the same! We have created an nine day trip departing from the USA again to visit this miraculous saint in her Shrine in Mugnano del Cardinale in Italy.
This time we will be staying for several days at the Pilgrim Center of the shrine itself. The center has a number of lovely rooms for such retreats. All the rooms are outfitted with en-suite lavatories. The food served in the Retreat House dining room is prepared by Monsignor Braschi’s family. It is very delicious and of local products. Visit the web page to see the retreat center.

We certainly hope you can join us! The trip will be run and managed by “Fratelli & Company Group Travel”, NJ. More information or a detailed brochure and price quotes will soon be ready please call (908)766-8994 or email info@fratelliandcompany.com 
Visit our web site at www.fratelliandcompany.com

Summarized Itinerary

Day 1 – USA to Rome, Italy
We depart on the evening flight for our trans-Atlantic flight to Rome.
Day 2 – Rome to Mugnano del Cardinale / overnight Mugnano
Day 3 – Full day Shrine of Saint Philomena, Mugnano del Cardinale, Avellino / overnight Mugnano
Day 4 – Saint (Padre) Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo & Monte Sant’ Angelo the cavern where St. Michael appeared / overnight Mugnano
Day 5 – Pompeii – the Excavations / Basilica of Our Lady of Pompeii & Panoramic of Naples / overnight Sorrento
Day 6 – The Amalfi Coast Drive visit the Cathedral of St. Andrew
Day 7 – Sorrento to Rome / Catacomb of Priscilla
Day 8 – Rome / Vatican City & Museum / Other Major Basilicas of Rome & Panoramic city tour.
Day 9 - Departure Rome / USA
We bid a fond farewell to Rome as we depart for Fiumecino International Airport for our voyage back to the USA.

Again, you may visit the web site at www.fratelliandcompany.com

Call or email one of the addresses above or below
Fratelli & Company Group Travel Consultants,
P O Box 479, Bernardsville, NJ 07924, Tel/Fax (908)766-8994
Website: www.fratelliandcompany.com
Emails: info@fratelliandcompany.com or louis@fratelliandcompany.com or fratelco@aol.com