What a blessing it was to journey together on our parish pilgrimage to France! This time of faith, friendship, and renewal brought our pilgrims to walk where saints once walked, pray in centuries-old chapels, and share laughter and fellowship around many wonderful meals.

We’re grateful for the memories, the moments of grace, and the deep sense of community that grew along the way.

Enjoy these photos and reflections from our pilgrims as they share the beauty and blessings of this unforgettable trip!

Wayne Ross’ photos

“Words could not describe the emotion felt standing so close to the veil worn by Our Blessed Mother at the Cathedral de Chartres or the reverence upon hearing ‘Taps’ played as we stood in the American Military Cemetery in Normandy. Being in the magnificent Cathedrals as well as the humble settings where Fr. AJ said mass for us each day, being immersed in the history, along with good food & wine... 35 of us were blessed with friendships & wonderful memories.  ”

— Josephine Florio

Josephine’s photos

“The Pilgrimage to France was truly a gift from Above, and in so being, it exceeded all of my expectations. Receiving mass every day in different chapels, experiencing God’s Loving Energy in each one and being enlightened with the different sermons presented by Father AJ and Deacon Paul, helped me to appreciate and experience God’s Love through Christ, Blessed Mary and the saints. On a lighter note, through Father AJ’s planning, Marissa’s help, and Ange’s(Guide from Peter’s Way)guidance, we had the opportunity to travel to different towns, we were afforded the opportunity to get to know each other a little better, develop fond relationships, drink a little wine and have more than a little fun.”

— Audrey Ruhlmann

Photos from Lyon

“St John Vianney, the Curé d’Ars, became my favorite saint after learning about his life - attending Mass while it was against the law, overcoming difficulties with his studies, and ultimately bringing many back to the faith by spending sixteen hours a day hearing confessions.  So I decided to join the parish pilgrimage to France in order to visit Ars.  But a pilgrimage is a journey.  So on this journey, I was drawn closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus with each church we visited and each Mass celebrated and it provided me with the opportunity to know my fellow parishioners better.”

— Natalie Dengler

Photos from Ars

Elio’s photos

“Such a faith filled pilgrimage. From the sun rising over the Swiss Alps in Geneva, driving through the country of France, filled with such beautiful nature, shrines, and Mass each day, none of it would be possible without God creating it. Jesus was with us every step of the way. At the end of my prayers, I always thank God for all his love, and blessings. This pilgrimage was a great blessing. Thanks to all who made it possible.  ”

— Rossana Ciocco

Photos from Beaune

“Prior to our pilgrimage I was unaware of how important France is to the history of our Catholic faith. Three sites in particular stood out to me. First is the Mass we attended at the Chapelle des Apparitions in Paray Le-Monial where Saint Margaret Mary of Alacoque received 3 visions of Jesus in the 1670’s and he revealed his Sacred Heart to her. The second was the our visit to the Cathedral of Chartres with its beautiful stained glass windows. With Fr. AJ we celebrated Mass in the crypt below the Cathedral in the Chapelle Notre Dame de Sous Terre. Construction of the Cathedral began in the early 1200’s. Number 3 was the D-Day landing sites in Normandy where we visited the landing beaches and then the American Military cemetery at St. Laurent. More than 9000 Americans are buried here, their white marble crosses standing in perfect symmetry. We happened to be there at a particularly moving moment, at 4:00 PM Taps was played while the American flag was lowered.

What an amazing trip. Thank you Fr. AJ and Marissa for making the pilgrimage possible. ”

— Ron Ciocco

Photos from Normandy

“The pilgrimage to France was so much more than I had anticipated.

Being present in the most holiest of sites where God came down to early saints awakened something deep inside of me. His messages of love were resounding and I heard it very clearly.

There were so many highlights I can’t just speak of one. However I must name the mass in the crypt at Chartres and being at the American Cemetery in Normandy have to have been my top 2.

Saying the Angelus on the bus each morning, the rosary in the afternoons and the blessing before our dinners were extra special add ons.

I came home with a heart full of The Lord’s peace.

I hope to keep this peace each day and I can’t wait to travel on another pilgrimage in the future. ”

— Pat Weiscarger

Photos from Chartres

“It was a beautiful experience on so many levels. My mind is filled with wonderful images of praying the Angelus every morning as we started our day, attending daily Mass with Father A.J. and Deacon Paul, St. Therese of Lisieux, the beaches of Normandy, Notre Dame glistening like a jewel, magnificent Sainte Chapelle, fabulous Musee D’Orsay, and all the while carrying in our hearts the petitions of those we love. And most importantly, much love and gratitude go out to Father A.J. whose hand always reached out to help me off the bus and whose arm was always available for me to hold onto, as well as to Elio and all the other pilgrims who literally helped me every step of the way…small steps, big steps, including the bunker on the beach…God bless you all. I will never forget this pilgrimage. ”

— Ann Ramos

Photos from Lisieux

“I would like to thank Father Andrew and Marissa for planning this wonderful pilgrimage.

I will always cherish experiencing all the sites in Normandy, Paris and the beautiful churches throughout France.

Saint Peter’s was always a wonderful parish. Father Andrew has made it even better with his warmth and generosity. As a former parishioner I was able to rekindle friendships and meet people I never knew.

Thank you for including me on this pilgrimage. ”

— Jean Brodowicz

Photos from Paris

“The pilgrimage to France was simply a prayerful experience from the time we greeted each other at the airport to the goodbyes at the end of our journey. It was spiritually enriching in learning the impact of the saints we encountered at our stops in Ars, Paray-le-Monial, Lisieux, and in Paris.  Visiting  Normandy helped us to appreciate the resilience of faith through war and in times of change.

Thank you for including me on this pilgrimage. ”

— Deacon Paul and Linda Kazanecki

Photos from Paray le Monial

“Pilgrimage to France was a very enlightening event to me. The itinerary that Peter’s Way put together and Fr. AJ tweaked, along with the guidance from Anges was outstanding. There were many spiritual and secular events that it was hard to high-light which ones were the best. Certainly, visiting the various churches and towns that provided the background for saints was very informative and provided me with a better understanding of their spiritually. The opportunity to celebrate Mass with our fellow travelers and having Fr. AJ as the celebrant at Mass with Deacon Paul and Deacon Hank assisting in the chapels of these churches just added to the spirituality.

The visit to the winery where Fr. AJ worked and knew the owners, as well as the trip to Normandy was extremely informative. I really enjoyed the camaraderie of our fellow travelers, especially enjoying our French meals and sharing local wine with them.

Thank you all for a wonderful trip. ”

— Al Ruhlmann