Discovering Velankanni - Our Lady of Good Health Pilgrimage November 20 - 28, 2008

[Debbie Mitchell]

This November, we will be flying to Cennai to visit one of the earliest Catholic communities in India. According to history, St Thomas landed on the shores of India and started preaching. He travelled right up to Cennai and upon the Mount of St Thomas, was martyred. His boday was then entombed in St Thomas Basilica. We will also visit the Universal Living Rosary Centre, one of the largest centres outside of the USA.

From there, we will then travel south towards Velankanni, the miraculous Marian site outside of Europe. It has often been hailed as the Lourdes of the East.

We will then travel to Mysore, a historically renowned town, where we will visit one of the rare St Philomena Churches outside of Europe and the USA. Embedded in the altar of this church is a relic of St Philomena.

We will continue to Mangalore, where we will visit St Aloysius Chapel, renowned for its similiarity to the famous Sistine Chapel in Rome.

We will wind up in Goa, the home of the renowned St Francis Xavier, who worked tirelessly in the Far East to convert and create Christian communities not only in India but also in South East Asia. We will view his incorrupted body in the Bom Jesus Basilica, Goa.

From Goa, we will depart for home, flying to Mumbai to catch a connecting flight home.

Debbie

[Fuad Kattan]

THE THE TRIP TO CHENNAI TO VISIT ST.THOMAS' BASILICA AND ON TO VAILANKANNI TO VISIT THE HOLY SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF HEALTH IS WORTH THE PILGRIMAGE.
MAKE SURE YOU STOP BY PONDICHERRY GOING TO VAILANKANNI.
I DID THIS TRIP A FEW YEARS BACK BY ROAD AND IT WAS BREATH TAKING AND SPIRITUALLY ELEVATING.
HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE UPCOMING WRTA/NTA TRADE SHOW IN RENO I WOULD JOIN YOU.

FUAD KATTANWWW.ACA.PS