Staff Writer
In the next few months, Catholics are scheduled to visit a number of fascinating places, including Lourdes, Ireland, London, Paris, Rome and the Holy Land.
If you want, you can go along. The trips are being sponsored by religious organizations as a way of raising funds while bringing Catholics to sites related to their faith.
The trips offer Catholic tourists an economical, often religious-based package with plenty to see and do with a group of people who share the same interests.
Eire travel
On Sept. 2, for example, a group leaves Albany for a "classic tour" of Ireland. The trip coordinator, Rev. Anthony Curran, is associate pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Schenectady.
The group will visit Bunratty and Knappogue castles, where they will spend a night and eat a medieval-style banquet; travel to the Cliffs of Moher; and visit Foxford Woolen Mills, Ulster American Folk Park, Downpatrick and St. Patrick's cathedrals, and Muckross Gardens. They will even participate in a ballad session at the Laurels Singing Pub in Killarney.
"We plan on touring the entire country," said Father Curran in his Irish brogue. "Everyone is very excited about this trip."
In the lead
Father Curran, who is originally from the Emerald Isle, will be assisted by a professional tour guide who will be along to advise, answer questions and coordinate the trip.
But Father Curran made all reservations and answered questions people had regarding the trip. "Coming from Ireland, I know quite a bit about where we will be going and what we will be seeing," he said.
Celtic Tours of Albany, the largest tour operator in the U.S. going into Ireland, has arranged pilgrimages for parishes and groups in the Albany Diocese since 1984. According to owner and president Noel Murphy, it has been a very successful venture for all involved.
"We started this program as a fund-raiser," Mr. Murphy told The Evangelist. "Over the years, we have found that it is a good, economical opportunity for people to travel together as a group. We make it as easy as we can. Everyone wins."
Going green
The Little Sisters of the Poor, who operate Our Lady of Hope Residence in Latham, are sponsoring a trip to Ireland in late October.
It isn't their first. Sister Frances has been arranging trips for the group for six years. It began with a decision to send one of their residents to Ireland. Lacking the funds to do so, the community contacted Celtic Tours.
The nuns quickly had more than the minimum number of people signed up for a pilgrimage, which enabled the resident to travel free of charge, while also providing Our Lady of Hope Residence with funds.
"It was so successful for us that we have had six trips since 1999," she told The Evangelist. "We have sponsored trips to Ireland twice, Italy, Lourdes, Rome -- and even one to Bermuda, although that was a small trip."
Sister Frances explained that the sisters don't go on any of the trips. If they have enough reservations for a free pass, they send one of their residents instead.
Nationwide
What started out for Celtic Tours as a small effort to assist churches and agencies has grown into a successful national endeavor. Celtic now books tours for groups all across the country.
"Many are repeat tours," he indicated, "and all have been successful. We do everything we can to help the organizations or individuals have a successful trip."
(Some upcoming tours include: Lourdes, France, Oct. 1-12, sponsored by the Albany office of Family Rosary; London and Paris, Oct. 25-Nov. 1, sponsored by the Academy of the Holy Names in Albany; Italy, Nov. 7-17, sponsored by Community Maternity Services of Catholic Charities; and Ireland, led by Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, Oct. 29-Nov. 4, with proceeds to benefit Hope House. For information on any of the tours or to discuss sponsoring a tour, call Celtic Tours, 1-800-833-4373.)