Next Trip – Another Pilgrimage – Mexico City, 04-09 February 2016

Sooner than I ever thought, it seems I am going on another short excursion. Here’s how it came about. 

For about a year and a half, I have been a member of the New Saint Thomas Institute, an innovative endeavor in Catholic theological and spiritual formation spearheaded by Dr. Taylor Marshall [LINK]. As I understand it, I am among a couple thousand Catholics from all around the world working more or less at our own paces under Dr. Marshall’s multimedia tutelage toward earning currently-available certificates in Catholic Philosophy and Thomistic Studies, Catholic Theology, and Catholic Apologetics, with a certificate in Patristics soon to be added. In addition to short HD video presentations of the key points of each unit’s subject matter, with lively discussion among the members both in the units themselves and in more general fora, Dr. Marshall also presents periodic audio podcast discussions elaborating on certain points or questions that arise among the members.

It was in listening to one of those podcasts a couple of months ago that I discovered that Dr. Marshall’s response to long-standing discussion among the members wishing for some kind of conference was to offer two guided pilgrimages in the next year. One he announced to be to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, the other to various sites in Italy including, of course, Rome and Vatican City. Having only a little more than a year ago made the pilgrimage to Rome, I naturally focused in on the one to Mexico City, although with it being scheduled for February – during the Spring semester – I figured there was no chance I could possibly go. Taking off two weeks during the Fall semester to go to Italy was a one-time opportunity, justifiable because of the specific importance of Rome in several of the history courses that I teach.

I was, as usual, driving when I heard Dr. Marshall’s spiel; as soon as I got home from the University, I went online to the web page he referenced to find out more information: http://www.pilgrimages.com/taylormarshall/mexico/index.htm. Follow that link and you can see what I found; in case the link goes dead once the pilgrimage has occurred, I will copy over some of the more pertinent information below.

I also grabbed a calendar, just to see … and discovered what I had fleetingly hoped was true: Despite how early in the month the pilgrimage is, it was ‘round-about Mardi Gras – ending, in fact, on the very day. Suddenly the timing got a lot better. Here in Louisiana, Mardi Gras is a BIG THING, closing the University until noon on Ash Wednesday. And with my schedule next semester having no classes or office hours on Fridays, leaving Thursday (04 February) and coming back on Tuesday (09 February) would mean missing (or rather, having to otherwise cover) one day’s class. That’s eminently doable.

I viewed the video embedded in the web page:

[VIDEO : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjvknT_xXHs]

… and found it even more compelling than his audio pitch. Suddenly, although I had never felt more than a mild interest in the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe (I read a couple of books nigh on thirty years ago – Jody Brant Smith’s The Image of Guadalupe: Myth or Miracle? [LINK below] and Warren Carroll’s Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Conquest of Darkness [LINK below]), I had an intense desire to accompany this pilgrimage. The NSTI connection, the opportunity to meet Dr. Marshall and other members of the Institute, and to benefit from his instruction live were part of the attraction, to be sure, but I suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to be in the presence of what I firmly believe is a holy artifact of Our Lady reaching down from heaven to interact with this world at a critical juncture in history.

Since the package price given on the page is without airfare, I ran it through to see what it would be with air fare from the nearest airport listed, and found it to be not too bad. Basically, I figured that for myself and my wife the total cost could be about $5000. Not inconsiderable, but manageable, I told myself.

So, as soon as my wife got home from work, I showed her the video. She is not a member of NSTI, but has often been in the room when I was viewing the certificate modules, and I have specifically shared with her some of the material as well as episodes of Dr. Marshall’s public podcast, The Taylor Marshall Show, so she was already familiar enough with him. She was immediately enthusiastic as well.

I did not pull the trigger and commit to the pilgrimage immediately, however. I wrestled with it for a couple of days, the sticking point being, of course, the cost. “Manageable,” yes, but also “not inconsiderable,” and we had recently had a few unexpected expenses come our way that I don’t want to get into. In fact, I didn’t realize yet that I didn’t really know the magnitude of some of those unexpected expenses. But I prayed about it, and found my feeling that we must go on this pilgrimage to remain undiminished. Within a couple of days I decided to just take a leap of faith and commit.

So I did, registering for the pilgrimage and making a down payment of one-third of the total cost including travel and cancellation insurance, just in case.

And then those “unexpected expenses” started manifesting themselves. Believe me, I had second thoughts – but with the down payment in it was going to take something compelling and catastrophic to make me back out, and nothing like that hit. So we remain committed, and looking forward to it.

Here a short overview of the itinerary, adapted from the web page:

Thursday 04 February – Arrival

Travel to Mexico City

Accommodations: Galeria Plaza Hotel, Mexico City

Friday 05 February - Guadalupe

Plaza of the Three Cultures

Mass at Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

San Juan Teotihuacan

Pyramids of the Sun and Moon

Temple of Quetzlcoatl

           

Saturday 06 February – Mexico City

Mass at Holy Family Church

Tomb of Padre Pro

Metropolitan Cathedral

Tomb of Bishop Zumarraga

National Palace

Plaza of Santo Domingo

Church of Santo Domingo

Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary

Shrine of Our Lady of Covadonga

Sunday 07 February – Tlaxcala and Puebla

Mass at Shrine of San Miguel Del Milegro

St. Dominic’s Church and Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary

Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Incorrupt Body of St. Sebastian of Aparacido

Monday 08 February – Guadalupe and Coyoacan

Mass at Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Church of El Carmen

Church of Santa Catarina

Church of St. John the Baptist

Tuesday 09 February - Departure

Return to United States

Here’s more general information about what’s included, copied directly:

YOUR TRIP INCLUDES:

† Round-trip airfare
† Airline Fuel Surcharges and Airport Taxes
† Centrally located First Class Accommodations: 5 Night: Galleria Plaza, Mexico City
† Transfers as per itinerary
† Breakfast at your Hotel daily
† Lunch every day at a local Restaurant (except on day of arrival / departure)
† Dinner daily at your Hotel or local Restaurant
† Wine and mineral water with dinners
† Transportation by air-conditioned motor coach

† Wireless headsets where needed
† Assistance of a professional local Catholic guide(s)
† Sightseeing and admissions fees as per itinerary
† Mass daily & Spiritual activities
† Tips to hotel staff, restaurants, luggage handlers
† Luggage handling (1 piece per person)
† Flight bag & portfolio of all travel documents

*Dr. Taylor Marshall will teach 4 classes on the coaches or in the evenings during the Guadalupe pilgrimage:

   1. History of Marian Dogma and Doctrine
   2. How to Explain Mary as Mediatrix
   3. How to Explain Mary to Protestants
   4. The Story and History of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Here is the full description of the itinerary, copied directly:

Day 1: Thursday – February 4 - Depart for Mexico City
Make your way to your local airport where you will board your flight(s) to Mexico City. Upon arrival, you will collect your luggage in the baggage claim area, and continue to the Arrival’s Hall where you will be greeted by a tour guide and/or driver. The transfer to your hotel, dinner, and lodging will be accommodated.

Day 2: Friday – February 5 - Guadalupe
This morning you will transfer to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Patroness of the Americas), by way of the Plaza of the Three Cultures. This plaza symbolizes the unique blend of pre-Hispanic, and Hispanic cultures that make up Mexico. This Shrine was built in response to Our Lady’s request to the visionary, St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. Upon arrival at the Shrine, you will celebrate Mass as you marvel at the brilliantly colored Basilica. Following Mass, you will join the other pilgrims as you keel in front of the “Tilma”, where Our Lady’s image was miraculously imprinted. Following this visit, you will make your way to San Juan Teotihuacan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to mythology, this site was chosen to be the center of the universe, and from then it became a prominent political and religious center from the second century until the ninth century. While in San Juan Teotihuacan, you will enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant, followed by a guided tour of the Archaeological zone. While on this tour, you will view the pyramids of the Sun and Moon, the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, and local art markets. Your fun-filled busy day will culminate with a delicious dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 3: Saturday – February 6 - Mexico City
This morning, your day will begin with breakfast and Mass at the Holy Family Church where you will view the tomb of Fr. Miguel Agustin Pro, the Jesuit martyr. In a time of great religious persecutions, Fr. Pro was exiled from Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. However, he returned to Mexico and was aided by a secret ministry who helped him hide from authorities. During his time in Mexico, he assisted many individuals in their spiritual, as well as temporal, needs. Although he helped many, he was eventually arrested and killed by authorities. While at this church, you can pray to this great martyr who remained filled with the joy of serving Our Lord even in the midst of very difficult times. After this visit, you will tour the oldest and largest cathedral in all of Latin America, the Metropolitan Cathedral. Throughout your time in the cathedral, you will become overwhelmed by the stunning paintings, altar pieces, and statues. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to view the Tomb of Bishop Zumarraga, who was the first Bishop of Mexico, and also known as the Protector of Indians. Your tour continues as you will transfer to the National Palace. This extraordinary palace has been a building of the ruling class of Mexico since the Aztec Empire’s rule. Your tour continues as you will visit the Plaza of Santo Domingo. This plaza contains two Holy places that are architecturally exquisite; the Church of Santo Domingo, the first church built by the Dominicans in 1576 and; the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary, the first Rosary Shrine in Mexico. Also on your tour, you will visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Covadonga, the headquarters of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary. This Shrine is dedicated to the Patron Saint of Asturias (Spain). This evening, you will transfer back to your hotel where you will enjoy dinner and rest before the next day of activities.

Day 4: Sunday – February 7 - Excursion to Tlaxcala & Puebla
A fun-filled day is ahead as you will eat breakfast, followed by a spectacular transfer to Tlaxcala (approximately one hour and forty minutes). On your ride, you will view two magnificent peaks; one that is covered with snow and the other that is an active volcano. Upon arrival in Tlaxcala, you will visit and celebrate Mass at the Shrine of San Miguel Del Milagro. Holy Mass will be celebrated upon the site of where St. Michael the Archangel appeared to Diego Lazaro in 1631. During this apparition, St. Michael directed Diego to a Grotto and a well of curative waters. You will have the opportunity to view these miraculous sites, as well as bring an empty bottle to collect the miraculous water. After viewing this exquisite site, you will be transferred to Puebla for lunch (approximately forty minutes).While in this city, you will visit St. Dominic’s Church, and its Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary. These Baroque styled structures are known for its walls, and dome, that are covered in gold leaf and plaster. The next stop during your time in Puebla is to the Church of St. Francis of Assisi where you will view the incorrupt body of St. Sebastian of Aparicido. St. Sebastian is the Patron Saint of the transport industry and holds a reputation for his holiness. Follow your visit to these two great cities, you will return to Mexico City where you will eat a delicious meal followed by an overnight.

May 5: Monday – February 8 - Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Coyoacan

This morning, you will make a return visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe to attend Mass, and bid farewell to Mary the Mother of God. Following Mass, you will have free time for prayer and reflection at the Shrine. In the afternoon, you will eat lunch, and board a transfer to the suburb of Coyoacan (approximately fifty minutes). While in Coyoacan, you will visit the Church of El Carmen, that is dedicated to the Carmelites. Lastly, you will visit the Church of St. John the Baptist. This structure was originally constructed as a Dominican Monastery, but eventually changed to a Franciscan Monastery. This stunning piece of architecture has an interior containing seven chapels, as well as an altar piece that dates back to the seventeenth century. This evening you will have your last dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 6: Tuesday – February 9 - Return Home 
This morning, you will enjoy breakfast followed by a transfer to the airport for your return flight(s) home. You will say farewell to friends and a pilgrimage that will last in your memory for years to come.

There are numerous pictures at the web page as well, but I’ll be posting my own when the time comes, so I’m not copying those over as well. As can be seen from those as well as in the itineraries above, there is indeed considerable historical content to this trip as well as the devotional and spiritual aspects of the pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady, so I think that justifying a one-day absence from my duties at the University will be easy to manage!

One final point: A couple of days before the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, 12 December, Dr. Marshall hosted a webinar that I attended. Ah, the wonders of modern technology. He gave the general history of the miracle and its devotion, in the course of which he made a recommendation for what he indicated to be the best single book he’s ever read on the phenomenon, Paul Badde’s Maria of Guadalupe: Shaper of History, Shaper of Hearts [LINK below]. I immediately ordered it and am currently about half-way through it (immediately following a reread of Carroll’s book mentioned above). It is amazing, and I too highly recommend it. It’s written in a very conversational style, recounting Badde’s own discovery and encounter with the miracle, but includes some valuable source material as well, linking it with the larger world of Marian devotions and apparitions through history.

In any case, we’re a bit more than a month out from the pilgrimage, our second; the second and third of the three installments have been paid, and I can hardly wait.