Fatima ~ Lourdes
w/ Msgr Patrick Halfpenny
$200 discount for check or Zelle payment
September 15 - 27, 2025
Msgr Pat invites you on a transformative pilgrimage to the most revered and beloved Marian Shrines in the world: Fatima and Lourdes.
The Shrine in Fatima, Portugal commemorates the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three shepherd children: Lucia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto, in 1917. According to the children, the Virgin Mary appeared to them on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting from May until October. The messages conveyed during these apparitions included calls for prayer, penance, and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Sanctuary includes the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Chapel of the Apparitions, and the vast open square where pilgrims join in a nightly, candlelit Rosary procession.
Lourdes, in the Hautes-Pyrénées area of southwestern France, is the site of the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes to a young peasant girl named Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Bernadette reported 18 apparitions of a "Lady" who asked for a chapel to be built at the grotto of Massabielle. During one of the apparitions, a spring emerged, and the water is known its for miraculous healing power. The Sanctuary includes the Grotto of Massabielle, where the apparitions took place, and the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Pilgrims participate in the Blessing of the Sick, processions, and the bathing pools where they pray for healing in the spring water.
Pilgrims from around the world visit Fatima and Lourdes seeking spiritual renewal and physical healing. This is an life changing journey that also includes incredible visits to other Catholic sites such as Santiago de Compostela, Loyola, Manresa and Montserrat. Jesus promises a wealth of blessings and profound spiritual experiences, and we hope you will join us!
DAYS 1 & 2 : Detroit > Lisbon
We depart USA en route to Lisbon, Portugal with complimentary meals and beverages served aloft. Upon arrival at Lisbon International Airport, we will be greeted by our tour escort and transferred to our hotel.
The afternoon is free to explore Lisbon, perhaps a stroll along Avenida da Liberdade? Later we will reconvene for our fabulous Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Lisbon. D
DAY 3: Lisbon/Santarem/Fatima
Our first stop today is the Church of St. Anthony, where it is said the famous saint of Padua was born, and the Cathedral La Sé where he was baptized. After Holy Mass at the church, we visit the Jerónimos Monastery and the Church of Santa Maria. Construction was started in 1501 and completed 100 years later. The monastery is one of the most prominent examples of the Portuguese Late Gothic Manueline style in Portugal. We will also view the Tower of Belem, built in 1520 to defend the Tagus riverbank. Both the monastery and the Tower were classified as “Cultural Heritage of All Humanity” by UNESCO in 1983. We will also see the monument dedicated to Henry the Navigator, the Castelo dos Mouros, and the Praca do Comercio, or "Black Horse Square." After lunch on our own, we leave Lisbon and stop in Santarém to visit the Church of the Eucharistic Holy Miracle before arriving in Fátima, home to one of the world’s most revered Marian shrines. Upon arrival we will check-in and have time to relax before dinner at the hotel. Join pilgrims from around the world for the Rosary and candlelight procession at the Our Lady of Fátima Basilica. (B|D)
DAY 4: Fatima
At the center of Catholic faith and a place of world pilgrimage, Fatima is visited by thousands of people each year. We will visit the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary where the tombs of Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta, the three children who were visited by Our Lady of Fatima, are located, Basilica of the Holy Trinity, as well as the Chapel of Apparitions. We will celebrate Holy Mass and visit the Fatima Sanctuary, where Our Lady of Fatima appeared in 1917. Since then, millions of pilgrims come here to pray or just to feel its mystical strength. The Sanctuary Square is so big that it can only be described by numbers: it can receive 300,000 visitors and it's twice the size of St. Peter's Square in Rome.
Lunch on our own, and the remainder of the afternoon is yours to spend at the Sanctuary. Back to our hotel for dinner before the Candlelight Procession. Overnight in Fatima. (B|D)
DAY 5: Fatima/Braga/Santiago de Compostela
Today it’s off to Santiago de Compostela with a stop in Braga, one of the oldest Christian cities in the world. We visit the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, a UNESCO World Heritage site and pilgrimage destination. Since 1811, pilgrims have prayed the Stations of the Cross on the Baroque stairway, known as the "Escadaria do Bom Jesus."
After Holy Mass we will have lunch in a local restaurant, and then continue to Santiago de Compostela, one of the most significant pilgrimage destinations since the Middle Ages. Check-in and dinner at the hotel. (B|L|D)
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Distance - 270 miles / Drive time - 5 hours
DAY 6: Santiago de Compostela
Today we will have a beautiful half-day tour of Santiago de Compostela, the termination point of the 9th century pilgrimage route “Camino de Santiago” (Way of St James). Our tour ends at Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the Tomb of St James. We will celebrate the Pilgrims Mass with the remainder of the day and evening at leisure. (B)
DAY 7: Santiago de Compostela/León/Burgos
After breakfast, we depart Santiago de Compostela and travel east to Burgos with a stop in León for lunch on our own. We will see the Cathedral of León, one of the most important Gothic structures in Spain, and the Basílica de San Isidoro, a Romanesque church dedicated to Saint Isidore of Seville.
Upon arrival in Burgos we will visit its extraordinary Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and burial place of Spain’s national hero, El Cid. Dinner and overnight in Burgos. (B|L|D)
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Distance - 310 miles / Drive time - 6 hours
DAY 8: Burgos/Loyola/Lourdes
Today we depart for Lourdes with a visit to the Sanctuary of Loyola, built in honor of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit religious order. The centerpiece of the Sanctuary is the Basilica of Saint Ignatius, a remarkable structure built in the Baroque style. Construction began in 1689 near the site of St Ignatius' birth, and was completed in the 18th century. We will also visit and have time to pray at the Saint Ignatius' Chapel. This small chapel is where Saint Ignatius prayed during his early years.
After lunch on our own, we cross into France and arrive in Lourdes. After dinner at the hotel, you’re invited to join the nightly Rosary and candlelight procession. (B|D)
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Distance - 270 miles / Drive time - 5.5 hours
DAY 9: Lourdes
Today we enjoy a guided walking tour of Lourdes, one of the most frequently visited Marian Shrines and pilgrimage sites in the world. Our guide will share the history of the Marian apparitions that St. Bernadette Soubirous witnessed. We will visit the places where the apparitions occurred in 1858, among them three basilicas, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Rosary Basilica and the Basilica of St. Pius X, respectively known as the upper, lower and underground basilica. We will celebrate Holy Mass and then have lunch at a local restaurant. The rest of the afternoon and evening at your leisure. (B|L)
DAY 10: Lourdes/Manresa/Montserrat
After breakfast we say “Au revoir” to France and return to Spain and the incredible Marian Shrine of Montserrat. On the way, we will visit the town of Manresa, The precursor of the Basilica of Saint Mary of Seu was built in the late 9th century and would later become the Romanesque church of the 12th century, Vestiges of that first Romanesque building are still preserved. In the 13th century, the city of Manresa began to experience its Gothic golden age that reached its peak during the 14th century and continued into the 19th century.
The Cova de Sant Ignasi is an architectural complex created to venerate the place where, according to tradition, Saint Ignatius of Loyola secluded himself to pray and do penance during his stay in the city from March 25, 1522 to the beginning of February of 1523 while returning from his pilgrimage to Montserrat. It is here where he wrote the essential parts of the Spiritual Exercises. After lunch on our own, we then reach Montserrat, located on top of a monumental massif, and spend the night next to the Monastery. (B|D)
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Distance - 244 miles / Drive time - 6 hours
DAY 11: Montserrat/Barcelona
This morning we visit the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, where the Benedictine monks dedicate their life to prayer and work. The monastery was founded in 1025 and rebuilt between the 19th and 20th centuries. With a community of around 70 monks, the abbey is still in use to this day. The Virgin of Montserrat is Catalonia's patron saint, and is located in the sanctuary of the Mare de Déu de Montserrat. Life in the monastery follows a set rhythm in which work and prayer both play a part according to Saint Benedict’s motto, “Ora et labora.”
After we celebrate Holy Mass, we leave and drive through the Catalonian countryside for a tapas lunch and wine tasting at one of le Penedes region celebrated vineyards. Upon arrival in Barcelona, the lively capital of Catalonia, we will check-in at the hotel with the remainder of the afternoon and evening free to explore this extraordinary city. (B|L)
DAY 12: Barcelona
Today we enjoy a guided tour of Barcelona including a drive around Montjuïc to see the Olympic Stadium for a great panoramic view of the port and city. Continue to the city center’s Plaza Catalunya and Paseo de Gracia to marvel at Gaudi’s Batlló and Milà houses, as well as his Sagrada Familia, an unfinished architectural masterpiece that is a consecrated expression of the Catholic faith. We celebrate Holy Mass, and the rest of the day is yours. This evening, we will celebrate our pilgrimage, faith, and friendship with a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant. (B|D)
DAY 13: Barcelona> Detroit
Today we transfer to the airport for our flight home after a spiritual journey across Portugal, France and Spain. We take with us wonderful memories of our travel with dear friends, and edifying, indeed, sanctifying encounters with Our Lady. Thank you Msgr Pat and God bless! B