A summary of the trips so far and what's coming (revised 10/19/26)
Parkland, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Florida
My heart still just aches for these families and what they have been through. What happened here should never happen, but the courage of these families persevering is astonishing.
Lisbon, Portugal.
It was the longest day of my life.... no, really... it was. I crossed 7 time zones moving East starting just before midnight, so by the time it ended, the added hours really did make it the longest day of my life. I felt it too. The experience of the birthplace of Saint Anthony of Padua was incredible, though.
Santarem, Portugal. It is one thing to read of Eucharistic miracles, it is another thing to actually see one. It is one thing to read of Saints, it is another to stand where one stood just a few years before and was canonized only a couple of weeks before. (Carlo Acutis)
Fatima, Portugal. This is where the sun danced!
Aljustrel, Portugal
The home of Francisco and Jacinta, youngest saints in Catholic history.
Salamanca, Spain
Magnificent churches and artwork.
Albe De Tormes, Spain
How do you describe celebrating Mass in the room next to the room where Saint Theresa of Avila died?
Avila, Spain
To visit this place after reading Saint Theresa of Avila and Saint John of the Cross.
Loyola, Spain
Mass in this Castle city, next to where Saint Ignatius of Loyola had his conversion!
Lourdes, France
How to describe Mass at the Grotto?
Toulose, France. Associated with both Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Dominick.
Rocamadour, France. A miraculous and magical mountain city like something from a story book.
Chartres, France.
Without a doubt, the top highlight was this veil actually worn by the Blessed Mother while she carried Jesus in her womb!
Paray Le Monial, France. First Friday Mass in the very place where Jesus appeared to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque.
Nevers, France. To encounter Saint Bernadette is one thing, to actually see her is another.
Lisieux, France. The impact Saint Therese has had on me can't be described by words.
Mont Saint Michel, France
Just incredible.
Rue De Bac, Paris, France
Miraculous site of the Miraculous medal and to look upon Saint Catherine Laboure.
The relics of Saint Therese of Lisieux, the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington DC
Saint John, Indiana
The shrine of Christ the Redeemer. Of course, when I went there it was covered in snow and ice.
Champion, Wisconsin
My 5th approved apparition site in 5 months. Mary at Fatima, Lourdes, Rue de Bac, Jesus at Paray Le Monial. Mary appeared here to Adele Brice in 1859.
The chapel of Saint Therese in Damian, Illinois.
One of the coldest days I have ever experienced.
Easter vigil mass at Fredericksburg, Virginia welcoming a friend into the Catholic church.
Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Hard to comprehend that it has been 25 years since that awful day.
The chapel of Saint Anthony of Padua, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The largest collection of relics outside the Vatican.
Strongsville, Ohio.
A town defined by a tragedy and a verdict that was just wrong.
Vermont
As beautiful as I had heard.
The Basilica of Notre Dame and the Oratory of Saint Joseph in Montreal, Canada
My first visit to Canada did not disappoint.
The Chapel of Saint Therese in Rhode Island. On our nation's 250th birthday, July 4th, 2026, I was at the oldest shrine in the world dedicated the the Little Flower.
The Franciscan monastery of Saint Anthony of Padua in Kennebunkport, Maine.
The National shrine of the Miraculous Medal in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Saint Peter's church in Reading.
Returning to Wisconsin in September was certainly a thrill. Though I had intended to attend Mass at Mary, Help of Christians shrine in Hubertus, some logistical difficulties made that impossible. Nevertheless, I was still able to attend First Saturday Mass at the parish of Saint Francis of Assisi in Manitowoc.
On Sunday we visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Champion and celebrated Mass before attending the Notre Dame game vs Wisconsin at Green Bay.
October had two consecutive weekends that were largely dedicated to the memory of my namesake- John Fitgerald Kennedy.
On weekend #1, I visited his grave in Arlington cemetery, followed by the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and went to first Saturday Mass where his funeral was held- The Cathedral of Saint Matthew in Washington DC. I capped it off Monday with a visit to the Cathedral of Saint Thomas More in Arlington. It was the first time there in about 40 years.
Just a weel later, I made a trek I have known I would need to make for some 50 years. It was time to make this connection to where JFK lost his life so tragically. Dallas, Texas.
The experience of Dealey plaza was emotionally overwhelming.
I went to Saturday Mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Dallas. From that church were the priests who adminstered the last rites to JFK and who announced to the world that he had died.
On Sunday, I visited my 3rd Cathedral in 8 days- the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Monday morning was surreal. I drove the exact route of President Kennedy's last few minutes on earth, down Elm Street, under the underpass, onto the interstate to Parkland Hospital where he died.
Then, to close out the weekend, before the flight home, I drove the hour and 15 minutes or so to cross the border in Oklahoma for breakfast at Ernie's cafe.
Only a few years ago, the idea that I would experience all these places and things was unthinkable. It is not a stretch to call it miraculous. That I would experience this lifetime of memories in barely more than a calendar year can only be described as surreal. I can't really even digest it myself.
My plane flight to Florida actually departed less than 14 months ago and, since then, I have been to;
5 countries
9 airports
20 states
More than 30 cities and towns.
God has moved in my life in ways I can't even describe and my growth as a person, often through painful encounters, has been tremendous.
The journey is not over just yet.
This coming weekend, I plan to drive the scenic Skyline drive through the Shenandoah Mountains.
My November trip starts on Friday, November 6th with veneration of the relics of Saint Bernadette at a church in Springfield, Virginia.
Then, Colorado will become my 25th state on my way to New Mexico which will be #26.
In New Mexico, I plan to complete an incredible cycle of First Saturday masses at the Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, Santa Fe actually means "holy faith". This cycle of First Saturdays will be incredible, should I be fortunate enough to complete it, because each of the 5 will have been Mass in a church for the only time.
The Chapel of Saint Therese in Rhode Island
The Shrine of the Miraculous Medal in Philadelphia
Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
The Cathedral of Saint Matthew in Washington DC
The shrine of Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The last fulfils the Jubilee of Francis plenary indulgence!
After that, I return to the hotel to catch the biggest college football game of the year between Notre Dame and Miami!
The next day, I will see not one, but 2 miraculous sites!
The miraculous staircase of Loretto built by Saint Joseph!
El Santuario de Chimayó. The miraculous shrine that has come to be called the Lourdes of America.
Not a moment to rest, I have to double time it about 5 1/2 hours to El Paso Texas to catch a plane to Dallas. In more than 61 years on this planet, I had never been to Dallas, now I'm going there for a second time since turning 62 in September.
After a brief layover in Dallas, we fly to my 6th country visited, Mexico.
When this trip is through, I will have gone through14 different airports and 6 countries.
Among the highlights of this incredible trip.
The church of Santiago, baptism site of Saint Juan Diego
The shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The tomb of Saint Miquel Pro
The oldest and largest cathedral in Latin America
The national palace
The shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary
The church of Santo Domingo
The shrine of Our Lady of Covadongo
The Cathedral of Puebla
The chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary at Saint Dominic's church.
The church of Saint Francis.
At the last one, I will have the opportunity to see an incorruptble saint- St. Sebastian of Aparicio. This saint died in the year 1600! This will be the 4th incorruptible I have seen (Bernadette, Catherine Laboure, Louise De Merrilac)
the ancient pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan, the Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon, the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, the Ciudadela, and the Avenue of the Dead.
Tulpetlac, where our Lady appeared to the uncle of Juan Diego.
A private Mass at the well of healing of Our Lady of Ocotlan.
Our Lady of Ocotlan falls under the same category as Our Lady of the Snows (Basilica of Saint Mary Major), enjoying the traditional, if not formal approval of the church. In fact, several Popes have approved indulgences attached to veneration of the sacred image. Medjugorje, this isn't.
Church of Saint John the Baptist in Coyoacán.
Church of San Bernadino for a private Mass.
A gondola ride along the ''floating gardens of Mexico''. This is sometimes referred to as ''The Venice of Mexico''
The church of Our Lady of Remedies. Yet another miraculous shrine raised to the level of a Basilica by the Vatican
National museum of Anthropology.
As of now, I have no firm plans in place for either the Thanksgiving or Christmas weekends, that is certainly subject to change as both will be 4 day weekends. If I add 1 more new state, that will be 10 new states in 2026 which would just be insane.
Stay tuned!
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