Pilgrimage heads for Mexico in February

Published August 7, 2019

Arkansans are invited to explore the faith and culture of Mexico during a six-day pilgrimage Feb. 12-17, hosted by Arkansas Catholic.

Father Tony Robbins, pastor of St. Joseph Church in Conway and a frequent traveler to Mexico City, will be the spiritual director. Pilgrims will learn about Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and the unborn, and how she appeared to the peasant St. Juan Diego. They will visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe to see the miraculous tilma (cloak) of St. Juan Diego bearing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

In addition to touring Mexico City, the pilgrimage will stay two nights in Puebla to visit the Cathedral of San Francisco where the incorrupt body of Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio can be viewed. Other stops include San Miguel del Milagro, the site of miraculous apparitions of St. Michael to Diego Lazaro in 1631 and visit the well of healing waters, and the basilica in Ocotlan, where Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego Bernardino (no relation to St. Juan Diego) on Feb. 27, 1541. To learn more about the culture of the country, pilgrims will tour the Pyramids of Teotihuacan and see the “floating gardens” of Mexico. Daily Mass will be celebrated.

The fee of $1,645 a person includes airfare, lodging, entry fees to scheduled sites and most meals. Tips, travel/health insurance and beverages are not included in the price. Only 40 seats are available. A $500 deposit per person is required at the time of registration.

A free informational meeting will be held at 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 15 at St. John Center in Little Rock. To reserve your seat at the meeting, visit mexicopil grimage.eventbrite.com.

For details or to sign up for the pilgrimage, visit arkansas-catholic.org or call Kathy Primm at Sue Smith Vacations at (501) 771-0987.