Bishop Zurek To Lead Czech Heritage Pilgrimage

Amarillo—Bishop Patrick J. Zurek will lead a Czech Heritage Pilgrimage to Prague to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Czech Statehood and the Feast Day of St. Wenceslas.
 
Joining Bishop Zurek in leading the pilgrimage will be Father Bob Knippenberg, State Chaplain for the K.J.T. and Lori Janak, group leader.
 
The pilgrimage will begin Saturday, Sept. 22 and return to the United States on Sunday, Sept. 30.
 
The pilgrimage is endorsed by the Catholic Family Fraternal of Texas (the K.J.Z.T.) and the Catholic Union of Texas (the K.J.T.). The pilgrimage is presented by Journeys of Faith with Ceci.
 
Participants will leave Sept. 22 on an overnight flight to Prague. After arrival in Prague, the group will be transferred to Velehrad Monastery for Mass.
 
“Velehrad is a truly holy village and pilgrimage site,” said Janak. “This was the starting point of Sts. Cyril and Methodius’ mission. St. John Paul II visited the cathedral in 1990. The basilica is the third largest in the Czech Republic.”
Dinner and overnight will be in Olomouc.
 
Highlights of the trip include:
• On Sept. 24, the group will visit Frydek and Mistek for a visit before heading to Lichnov to see the Texas museum consisting of records on the emigrants to Texas from this region. The group will also visit the village of Ticha and the winery of Vino Jakubík.
• The fourth day of the pilgrimage, on Sept. 25, will find the group exploring Olomouc, in the heart of the Haná region, followed by a drive to Svatá Hora (the Holy Mountain), the oldest and most important Marian Shrine in the Czech Republic. The group will also visit the chapel, see the miraculous statues of the Virgin with the Infant Jesus and celebrate Mass before arriving in Prague.
• The group will note St. Wenceslas Day and the 100th anniversary of the Czech Statehood on Sept. 28 with a visit to the Stará Boleslav, where the group will celebrate Mass and join with the locals to celebrate the Patron Saint of the Czechs and the 100th anniversary of the Czech nation.
 
The group is due to return to the United States on Sept. 30.
 
Cost of the pilgrimage is $3,695 per person, land or air from Dallas or Houston. For those preferring to drive to Houston or Dallas, the cost is $2,795 per person. Single supplement is $595. A deposit is due by Friday, June 15 and the final payment for the pilgrimage is due by Friday, July 20.
 
For additional information, please contact Ceci Triska at 979-543-8575 or via email, [email protected] OR Select International Tours at 800-842-4842 or via email, [email protected]. Select International Tours can also be found online at www.selectinternationaltours.com.