We begin with a visit to St. Joseph’s Oratory, which grew from a small chapel on beautiful Mount Royal to the premier Shrine dedicated to St. Joseph. It is Canada’s largest church with one of the largest church domes in the world. Its dome reaches 97 meters and is second only in height to Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome! Founded in 1904 by Saint André Bessette, the shrine took six decades to complete and consists of a primitive chapel, a votive chapel, a crypt, and a basilica large enough to accommodate 10,000 worshippers! Relics of Brother André and many ex-voto of miraculously cured pilgrims are exhibited. The basilica’s great organs and 52 bell chimes will occasionally rekindle solemn works of great composers. We will tour the Oratory and have time for the Way of the Cross on the mountainside, before heading back to our hotel.

After breakfast, we visit Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral, a scaled down replica of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, then Notre-Dame Basilica, a masterpiece of Gothic Revival architecture and one of the most beautiful churches in North America, concluding with a visit to Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel. This chapel is also the site of the Shrine of St. Marguerite Bourgeois. After lunch, we are given the balance of the day to explore the city to our own tastes.

In morning, we depart Montreal by crossing the St. Lawrence River for a brief visit the Shrine of St. Kateri Tekakwitha. We then continue our journey until we arrive at the magnificent Basilica of Ste. Anne of Varennes. Built in 1884 in the neo-roman style, it was given the title of minor basilica in 1993 by Pope John Paul II. Later, we continue east to the second oldest city in Quebec, Trois-Rivieres. After taking in lunch in heart of Trois-Rivières’ old city, we will visit Canada’s National Shrine to Our Blessed Mother. The Our Lady of the Cape Shrine (Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-Du-Cap) is the second largest Marian Shrine in North America. It features a marvelous and shady park surrounding a beautiful small stone church, which bears witness to three centuries of the faithful. There we will also visit the majestic Basilica, taking in the stunning stained-glass windows created by Fr. Jan Tillemans, a Dutch Oblate. It also features one of the largest Casavant organs in Canada, with its 5,425 pipes forming the shape of a maple leaf. We will tour the Shrine, say the Rosary at the Bridge of Rosaries, see the Gardens of Our Lady, and celebrate Mass. 

 After a good night of rest, we begin our pilgrimage with a short drive north to the beautiful Saint Anne de Beaupré Shrine. This is Canada’s most famous shrine and place of pilgrimage. Dedicated to St. Anne by the Jesuit Fathers in 1657, the sanctuary is in a small village near the St. Lawrence River. There we will be able to place our petitions at the base of St. Anne’s beautiful statue, attend adoration and prayers for the sick, pray the Stations of the Cross, or spend time in the Memorial Chapel. As an act of penance, many pilgrims go up the Holy Stairs on their knees. On our drive back to the city, we will make a short photo stop at the breathtaking and picturesque Montmorency Falls, before returning to our  

We continue our pilgrimage with a visit to the Shrine of Marie-de-l’Incarnation. This Shrine is dedicated to Saint Marie Guyart. Saint Marie was sent to the New World to establish the Ursuline Order and was crucial in the spread of Catholicism in New France. She was a religious author and has been credited with founding the first girls’ school in the New World. We then proceed to the nearby Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Quebec where we will celebrate Mass at the Tomb of St. Francois de Laval. We then embark on a guided walking tour of Old Quebec City where we will enjoy the charm of the French Settlement of North America. Our walk showcases colonial architecture over 400-years old and will take us from the Latin Quarter to the plains of the famous Château Frontenac hotel. After the tour concludes, you’ll have free time to explore more of Old Quebec City at your leisure. Visit Notre-Dame- des-Victoires Catholic Church (stone church dedicated to St. Genevieve, dating to 1688, rebuilt in 1763 after the Siege of Quebec), Place Royale, Batterie Royal, the Murals of Quebec City, Battlefields Park and so much more. Later, we gather for a special Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate our journey together!

Bidding farewell to Quebec and boarding our flights bound for home, we take with us cherished memories of new friends, amazing experiences, and renewed faith.