France Pilgrimage 2014
  • Home
  • Pilgrimage-Blog

Prayers

7/31/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture

In the Gathering Space at St. Andrew's we have this small journal, inviting people to write in it their prayer intentions. We will carry it with us throughout the pilgrimage, and place it near the altar during our masses, offering those intentions on behalf of our fellow parishioners.

You are most welcome to add your own prayers, or those of your friends and family.

If you belong to a different parish or church community, you are invited to collect and carry the prayers of your community. Our prayer journal is small, just 3 1/2" by 5 1/2". Yours can be any type or size (but YOU will be carrying it to Mass, so you probably want to keep it small).

As we are just about one month from our trip, now might be a good time to begin thinking about your hopes and prayers for your own spiritual experience in France.

0 Comments

A change

7/30/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
If you were at our last French class, you already know that Fr. Joseph, our original Spiritual Director for the pilgrimage, had to bow out for some medical issues (I saw him yesterday and he is looking good!). I'm sad for him not to be journeying with us, although I'm sure we will all carry him with us in prayer.

Fortunately, we have a wonderful replacement! Msgr. John Wall (pictured, left) has just retired for a second time (this time from campus ministry at the Newman Center in Chapel Hill. If that's not your school fear not: in his long career he has served at Duke AND NC State, too!), and is most excited to accompany us to France!  Msgr. Wall is a seasoned traveler, teller of endless stories, and a man of deep faith.

One other small change: the boat ride on the Siene will happen the day we arrive in Paris, because our final night's dinner is at a rather cosmopolitan hour and they don't want to wear us out completely!

0 Comments

Bring those power cords!

7/29/2014

0 Comments

 
Recently, the Transportation Security Administration enhanced the security process at some European airports for flights going to the US. As you can read in this statement, you will need to be able to power up any and all of your electronic devices if requested. That means to be sure that you have packed your chargers or extra batteries for your camera, phone, tablet, or whatever 'device' you might lug along with you. Since our flight home does not leave until the late afternoon, also please take care not to overuse the devices once we've left the hotel (and it should go without saying you should have attended to charging them, at least partially BEFORE we check out of the hotel!).
What if you don't? Well, that might be the last time you see that camera or phone of yours.

Don't worry- I'll remind you again when we're in Paris.
Picture
0 Comments

Buying Euros

7/19/2014

0 Comments

 

If you did not receive Cathy's email from about 10 days ago and are interested in purchasing Euros, please be in touch in the next few days. (We sometimes have problems with emails not being delivered to Road Runner addresses).

Adult_faith[at]saintandrew[dot]org

0 Comments

Accommodations

7/7/2014

0 Comments

 
PictureErmitage Sainte Therese
When we land in Paris early on the morning of September 2, we'll be met at the airport by our English-speaking guide and our motor coach driver.  We will head westerly into the Normandy region and our home for the next two nights in Lisieux. In this town of St. Therese of the Child Jesus ("The Little Flower"), we will be staying in the pilgrimage accommodation, the Ermitage Sainte Therese. All rooms will have their own bathroom, but may not have a hair dryer. (I know that Cynthia just bought a dual-voltage travel hair dryer... maybe some can share?!)

This website also offers basic information about St. Therese and her family, and the main sites of Lisieux, which will be very close to our Ermitage!

Picture
Our home base for the remainder of our pilgrimage will be the Hotel Opera Cadet, on a quiet street in the midst of the Opera district in Paris.
The hotel website does mention free wi-fi
- my guess is that it is available in the lobby rather than in all guest rooms- but free is good!
Of course, all rooms will have their own bathroom (with hair dryer), but please just be prepared that hotel rooms in Paris are quite... cozy (small) by American standards.

And with all things travel-related, please know that circumstances could cause a change of location. (That's not planned or expected, but I just have to add that in!)

0 Comments

More information

7/3/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
I am certain that you all remember that our final night's dinner will be on the Eiffel Tower!  I just checked about the dress code there. For men, ties are not required, but a sports jacket would be good. Women may wear slacks.

After dinner, we cap off the evening with a boat ride on the Seine. It's possible that it could feel a tiny bit chilly in the night air, so while I don't know WHAT I will be wearing, I do know that I will bring a light jacket or sweater along.



Picture
Since I mentioned packing, let me encourage you to bring along an extra luggage lock or two. While airport security now wants to be able to open your checked bags if necessary, we all still want to be able to LOCK it! (And we want to be able to lock our luggage while it's in our hotel rooms, too.)

Here's how to have it both ways: be sure that your little luggage lock has a symbol on it like this:
It doesn't matter what brand you buy (and you can get the locks at Target, AAA Travel, etc), but look for that little red diamond TSA-approved symbol. (They are made so that security can open your lock if needed, without destroying your lock.)

And if you have any old 'unapproved' locks, you could throw one or two inside your luggage (and their keys!) for the hotel. Now, we will be staying in nice hotels. And- it's just best to reduce temptation when you can, right?


0 Comments

Helpful Things to Know

7/1/2014

0 Comments

 
Let's talk shoes.

Sure, France is known for fashion. But high-heeled fashion a happy pilgrim does not make.

Throughout our days, we'll be doing a lot of walking, climbing a fair number of steps, and encountering some uneven payment and cobblestones.

So leave THESE monstrosities at home, ladies (you too, gentlemen who wish to emulate Louis XVI!)!
Picture
I know that if my feet hurt, I'm miserable. So, I've already started trying out good and faithful walking shoes, to see which one(s) will make the trip, and keep me a happy pilgrim. And oh, the considerations.... which will give good support, but not be too heavy, too clunky, or just too hard to get on and off in airport security?

Please allow me encourage you to give a little thought to your footwear. Walk around for a mile or more (or wear the candidates all day on an active day) to be sure they feel good and are in good shape and don't tire you out. And if you decide you need/want to buy a new pair, now is the time to break them in (don't let Day 2 of the Pilgrimage be your first time walking in them, or I predict Day 3 will find you grumpy.). (And if white sneakers fulfill all your criteria for good footwear, so be it! Just don't be surprised if they hand you the tourist menu when you stop for lunch! Seriously: well-fitting shoes trump 'fashion' on any day that involves lots of steps.)
Picture
And while you are packing....

Hotels in Europe generally do not supply washcloths. My advice is to pack your oldest, most worn out one and toss it at the end of the trip.
One of these little scrubby-poof thingies also packs down to nearly nothing and barely weighs a few ounces- and IT could be thrown away at the end of the trip, too. (You need to make room for the souvenirs!)

And- since we're on the subject of freeing up space, packing your oldest underwear and tossing it after you wear them is another little way to lighten the luggage, if even by a little bit. Just don't wear the old ones on flight days--- THAT'D be the time you'd get chosen for that 'special patdown', wouldn't it?!

Finally, those of you who have gone on our pilgrimages previously know that Catholic Travel would give us carry-on bags. Most of us would pack them in our checked bag or inside a smaller carry-on and pull them out for the trip home.
   Catholic Travel Centre has discontinued distributing carry-on bags, so please think about what you'd like to bring with you. Remember: you may have one checked bag and one carry-on, plus one personal item. Here's a link to Delta's luggage guidelines. Please pay attention to size and weight restrictions. Your one checked bag will not incur fees (unless it is over the weight or size limit).

0 Comments

    Archives

    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013

    Categories

    All
    Accommodations
    French Saints
    Get Ready!
    Passport

    RSS Feed

    Helpful Links
    Itinerary/Registration
    Currency Converter
    Passport Information
    Paris Travel Guide
    
    Paris Attractions
    Weather for Lisieux
    Weather for Paris
    Notre Dame in Paris
    Basilica of St. Therese in Lisieux

    Author

    Cathy Rusin
    Director of Adult Faith Formation

    St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church
    Apex, NC


Proudly powered by Weebly
Photo used under Creative Commons from diegoalbero