The Holy Land

Dear Friends and Pilgrims;

This Christmastime, we invite you to join us on a pilgrimage to the birthplace and the homeland of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

The Holy Land is often called “the Living Bible” or “the Fifth Gospel”, since walking in the land Jesus called home helps us see him with fresh eyes and love him more intimately, to understand his teachings more clearly, and to follow him more whole-heartedly. For many centuries, Christians have visited the Holy Land to see where Jesus was born and lived, and where he taught and healed. For millennia, pilgrims have yearned to encounter the places of his suffering, death, and resurrection. Imagine yourself as a contemporary pilgrim, walking in the footsteps of Jesus: in Nazareth, his childhood home; in other villages along the Sea of Galilee, where his ministry began; and in Jerusalem, where it came to its culmination. After celebrating Christmas Day at home, what might it be like for you to be in the place of Gabriel’s annunciation, the site of Mary’s visit with Elizabeth, the field of the Bethlehem shepherds, and the most ancient church of continuous worship in the world – the grotto of Jesus’ birth? Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, tells us that a pilgrimage to the Holy Land is not only the “Fifth Gospel”, but also the “Eighth Sacrament, because it allows you to experience an encounter with Jesus, physically, that you can touch…”

For centuries, pilgrims have also come to the Holy Land to honor the places where the first Christian communities developed, and where the descendants of Jesus’ first followers live to this day. These contemporary “living stones” (1Peter 2:4-5) continue to welcome pilgrims with hospitality, and to bear witness to the Gospel in the challenging circumstances of their lives. In this unsettling time marked by division, pilgrims go to the Holy Land in solidarity with the indigenous Christians there, who speak precious, rare words of unity, forgiveness and peace. We go to give our heartfelt support to the extraordinary work of the Church there, serving all God’s beloved people.

What better place than the home of the Prince of Peace to reconnect us with our faith and hope in God’s sustaining love?

We invite you to join us on this 15-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land during the Christmas season of 2026-2027. Together, we’ll not only visit many of the sites that we hear about in the Scriptures, but will have opportunities to read and reflect on the Bible, and to pray, talk, eat, laugh, explore, and learn together. Each day, we will celebrate Mass at a sacred site associated with Jesus’ life.

This brochure gives you the detailed itinerary of our pilgrimage. Space is limited, so please register as soon as possible! We hope you can join us on this profound spiritual journey, exploring the homeland of Jesus, reflecting on the Word of God, being Gospel messengers of peace, and being inspired and renewed.

Shalom – Salaam – Peace to you, and to everyone!