Day 1 — Welcome to New York | The Catholic Heart of Manhattan

Arrival in New York and welcome by our local team.

Transfer to our hotel and time to settle in before beginning our discovery of Catholic New York.

Our pilgrimage may begin at the magnificent St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue, one of the most recognizable Catholic churches in the United States and a powerful symbol of the presence of the Catholic faith in New York.

Depending on the group’s arrival schedule and Cathedral availability, we may attend Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

For groups interested in a deeper experience, we can also explore the possibility of arranging a private guided tour, self-guided audio experience, behind-the-scenes visit or customized Cathedral program, subject to availability.

Afterward, we begin discovering Midtown Manhattan, with the possibility of walking along Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Center and seeing some of New York’s best-known landmarks.

Welcome dinner and overnight in New York.

Day 2 — Mother Cabrini | The Patron Saint of Immigrants

Breakfast at the hotel.

Today we encounter the spiritual heart of our journey: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine in Upper Manhattan.

Mother Cabrini arrived in New York as an immigrant and missionary. Confronted by the poverty and difficulties experienced by immigrant families, she dedicated her life to serving those who found themselves far from their homeland.

Her remarkable mission eventually extended across the United States and beyond, establishing schools, hospitals and institutions dedicated to those most in need.

At the Shrine, where Mother Cabrini’s major relics are venerated, we will have time for prayer and to discover her life, spirituality and missionary legacy.

Depending on the needs of the parish and the arrangements available for our particular group, the visit may include a docent presentation about Mother Cabrini, the Shrine museum and exhibits, veneration of her relics, a prayer service, attendance at the regularly scheduled Mass or the possibility for our accompanying priest to celebrate Mass.

After our pilgrimage experience, we return toward central Manhattan.

The remainder of the day can be adapted according to the interests of each parish.

Possible experiences include Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, a museum visit, an observation deck, a Broadway performance or additional Catholic and cultural sites.

Dinner arrangements according to the final program.

Overnight in New York.

Day 3 — Ellis Island | Faith Carried Across the Ocean

Breakfast.

Today we follow the journey experienced by generations of immigrants who arrived on the shores of America.

We travel to Lower Manhattan and board the ferry into New York Harbor, with visits to Liberty Island and Ellis Island.

Standing before the Statue of Liberty, we encounter one of the great symbols of freedom, hope and the promise of a new beginning.

We then continue to Ellis Island and the National Museum of Immigration.

Between 1892 and 1954, approximately 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island. Behind that extraordinary number are millions of individual stories — men, women and children who left familiar homes behind and crossed an ocean without knowing exactly what awaited them.

For our pilgrimage, their story invites a deeper reflection.

Immigrants did not arrive empty-handed.

They carried memories, languages, family traditions and dreams. And countless Catholic immigrants carried with them their faith — establishing parishes, schools, charitable institutions and communities that would become part of the fabric of Catholic life in America.

After returning to Manhattan, we may continue to the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, the original cathedral of the Diocese of New York.

Depending on availability and the interests of the group, a special historical visit may be arranged, potentially incorporating the Basilica, its historic cemetery and catacombs.

We may then continue through Little Italy and the surrounding historic immigrant neighborhoods, providing another perspective on the communities that helped shape New York.

Dinner and overnight in New York.

Day 4 — One Church, Many Peoples | Farewell to New York

Breakfast at the hotel.

Our final morning is intentionally flexible so that the pilgrimage can be adapted to departure times and the particular interests of each parish.

When possible, we may conclude our journey with the celebration of the Eucharist or attendance at Mass, giving thanks for the experiences shared during our days together.

Depending on flight schedules, additional activities may include Central Park, a museum, Fifth Avenue, another Catholic church or shrine, free time, or a cultural experience requested by the parish.

At the appropriate time, departure for the airport or continuation of individual travel arrangements.

End of our pilgrimage services.

We return home having encountered not only the landmarks of New York, but the human and spiritual story behind them — inspired by Mother Cabrini and by generations of men and women who crossed oceans carrying their hopes, families and faith into a new world.