April 21 : Overnight flight to Italy

Overnight flight on scheduled air to Rome

April 22 : Arrive Rome

Arrive in Rome and meet your Italian tour escort. Transfer by private motor coach to your hotel. Afternoon free. Celebrate opening Mass this evening, followed by a group Welcome Dinner. Overnight Rome. (D)

April 23 : Papal Audience | Christian Rome Tour

Celebrate Mass at Spirito in Sassia. Attend the Papal Audience. This afternoon take a Christian Rome Tour, including St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran, which is the Cathedral of Rome. Then see the Holy Steps climbed by Christ in Jerusalem, and the Basilica of the Holy Cross where some of Christianity's most important relics are housed, including a piece of the True Cross, thorn and nails. The last visit will be at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls. Evening free to explore Rome on your own. Overnight Rome. (CB)

April 24 : Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel | Mass with Cardinal Burke

Visit the Vatican Museum and enjoy a guided tour including the Vatican Museum, and the Sistine Chapel, where you will view some of the most inspiring works of art, including Michelangelo's magnificent fresco of the Last Judgment. Next, visit the St. Sebastian Catacombs and see the 4th century catacomb. This evening Cardinal Raymond Burke will celebrate Holy Mass for us at the Altar of the Tomb of St. Peter, on the lower level of St. Peter's Basilica, followed by a group dinner in His Eminence’s honor. Overnight Rome. (CB, D)

April 25 : Rome | Milan Flight | Magenta

Morning flight to Milan. Of particular interest is the Duomo (the Basilica of Milan,) where we will celebrate Mass. In the crypt we will see the actual baptismal place where St. Ambrose baptized the great St. Augustine of Hippo. Visit the Basilica of St. Ambrose where the relics of St. Ambrose remain exposed for veneration. We will view “La Scala Opera House” from the outside and the famous Galleria of Milan. Then drive to Magenta for overnight. (CB)

April 26 : Magenta | Anthony – Padua | Magenta

Today transfer to the old university town of Padua, the home of one of the most revered Catholic Saints, Saint Anthony. Upon arrival, begin a half-day guided tour of the city’s sights starting with the “Santo,” a name used to describe Saint Anthony’s Basilica, where we will celebrate Mass today. The architecture in Padua includes 22 more churches and 30 secular palaces. Padua also features many other famous works of art, Giotto’s frescos in the Capella degli Scrovegni, Gattamelata, Donatello’s sculpture of a rider, the University of Padua (circa 1222 AD), one of the oldest in the world. Also located in Padua is the historic Cafè Pedrocchi; time allowing, we will stop for a coffee at this world famous café of the artists. Overnight in Magenta. (CB)

April 27 : Magenta | Mesero with Gianna Emanuela | Magenta

Today we will visit the towns of Magenta, where St. Gianna was born and grew up, and Mesero where she is buried. Our guide will be St. Gianna’s youngest daughter, Gianna Emanuela, the child St. Gianna sacrificed her life to save. We will learn firsthand about the virtues and life experiences of St. Gianna. Following Holy Mass in St. Martin’s Basilica where St. Gianna was baptized and married, we will visit the church of Our Lady of the Assumption where St. Gianna attended Mass regularly, and the Canossian Sisters school where she visited frequently and lectured to young girls. We will see the picturesque down town and the house where St. Gianna was born. From there we will visit Ponto Nuovo where St. Gianna lived after her marriage. There we will see the house where she lived the last years of her life and where she died. A few paces from the house we will visit the little chapel of Our Lady of Good Counsel where St. Gianna’s four children were baptized, where she attended Mass and prayed daily, and where her funeral was held. In Mesero we will pray special prayers with Gianna Emanuela at the tomb of her mother. Then we will visit her office where she cared for her patients and the Shrine dedicated to St. Gianna which is a beautiful 13th century church recently renovated and established by the diocese of Milan as a Shrine to the Family dedicated to St. Gianna. Overnight Magenta. (CB, L)

April 28 : St. Gianna Feast Day | Mesero & Magenta

Celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, patron Saint of wives, mothers and physicians. You will have the extraordinary opportunity to meet the Saint’s family and attend a lecture on the life and virtues of St. Gianna given by her son, Pierluigi and his sister, Laura. Our group will participate in the festivities of the feast day along with local and other faithful who come to honor this great saint. We will have time for prayer, reflection and meditation. Group dinner and overnight in Magenta. (CB, L, D)

April 29 : St. John Bosco – Turín | Magenta

Today, trace the footsteps of Saint John Bosco. He placed his works under the protection of Francis de Sales, thus his followers today call themselves the Salesian Society. We will visit the village of “Castelnuovo Don Bosco.” Here we will celebrate Mass and visit the Basilica dedicated to San Giovanni Bosco, one of the most important places of Salesian activity in Italy and elsewhere. We continue on to Valdocco (Turin), where we will see Don Bosco's remains in the Church of Mary Help of Christians. Farewell Dinner and overnight in Magenta. (CB, D)

April 30 : Milan | USA

This morning we will transfer to Milan Malpensa Airport for our return flights to the USA. We will carry with us the wonderful memories of this most spiritual journey and perhaps a deeper devotion and appreciation of this contemporary role model of our faith, Santa Gianna Beretta Molla - wife / mother / physician / lover of life!

*Itinerary is tentative and subject to change

CB=Continental Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

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