PILGRIM QUOTES & REFERENCES
Pilgrimage Testamonials for 2007, 2005, 2004, and 2002
From 2007…
“The Joan of Arc pilgrimage still stays with me with a
lovely sweetness. You two did a
wonderful job in finding the places, the speakers and being flexible and yet
making sure we follow the agenda. We were very happy sheep being led into
pastoral France and delving
into the life of Joan… I came back feeling revived and
refreshed…I will absolutely recommend this to other people and please use my
name as a reference…I met such wonderful souls and I know I will be in touch
with some of them. DO IT AGAIN!” Sheena Singh, Toronto, Canada multiculturalcalendar@yahoo.com 416-650-5328
“This was an overall life-changing experience. It helped me grow
together with new friends even as I had to say goodbye; it was like meeting a
family for the first time. I can’t go
through a day without wanting to see the trip’s pictures or mementos…a
‘pilgrimage’ is not just a short two weeks, but a continuously evolving journey
in life…every morning after ‘petit dejeuner’, there was the ‘Question du Jour’
with others that became my ‘spiritual breakfast.’…the solo
and group outings to locations associated with Joan were nourishing and
enlightening…thanks for all the handouts…the accommodations were always
unique…the food was essentially as wonderful as the surroundings…Chris and
Catherine were like the brother and sister you always wanted to have as a kid;
they got you through everything and were there when you needed them…” David Fama, Rocklin CA- dmfpiano@sbcglobal.net 916-600-8982
“The pilgrimage was wonderful. I felt like it
happened ‘out of regular time’. So
coming home was a shock. I was fed spiritually more than I expected and the process
continues…I loved being totally immersed in a community of pilgrims that openly
talked about their relationship with God and what that relationship meant to
them and affected their lives…the other pilgrims and the tour leaders did not
hold themselves apart…and that was very special for me…the group was able to do
and see thing that normal tourists do not and that was due to the fact they had
established relationships with the French and the communities we visited…one rarely
gets a chance to see how the locals live and you very rarely get to feel part
of the community. You gave us
that chance and it was wonderful…the food was wonderful…it’s
hard to put all my impressions and feelings into words as I am still processing
what happened. The pilgrimage was
magical for me.
It felt like we stepped into Joan’s time even though it was obviously
2007. The St Benedictine convent in St.
Thierry was a wonderful way to start the pilgrimage.” Chris Kostoff,
Santa Rosa, CA- ckostoff@juno.com
707-523-4865
“This was my second Joan of Arc pilgrimage and I
cannot compare the two. But both were spectacular and La France Profonde has found a place
in my heart that will stay with me for the rest of my life….Meeting the Prince
and Princess of Beauffremont again and having the home cooked meal were
spectacular….the accommodations were excellent in my opinion because I have
done a lot of traveling here in the USA and I have had some Hotel maintenance
required during stays…90 percent of the meals were excellent…I felt like I was
part of the community in Domremy…once again thanks for the great pilgrimage in
honor of Saint Joan of Arc.” Brian Morgan, his second pilgrimage with us. Park Falls Wisconsin- qfsd08@email.mot.com
715-762-4254
“Amazing!
It was more than I ever expected. It was so
much more than a tour; it was truly a pilgrimage. It was well planned and
well executed. We had so many unique experiences thanks to Chris and
Catherine’ efforts and connections…I have still not
come off my spiritual high. I learned so much more about Joan than I knew before my
trip…the accommodations were charming and cozy.
I loved the stay at the monastery too. It was a great beginning…the food was very
good…Chris and Catherine, you were divinely guided…you were both
wonderful. It was a pleasure to go on
this trip with you. You did so much to
make it spiritual, personal, interesting, and unique…thank you for sharing your
faith, your vision, and your love…if you ever lead another pilgrimage, I would
want to go with you!” Joan Zabelka, Hickory Hills, IL- joanzabelka@comcast.net
708-458-3666
“It was very enjoyable and uplifting...I especially
enjoyed the morning meditation and ‘Question du Jour’...it was a unique
experience. A nice blend of the
spiritual and travel adventure with a remarkable group of people…you did a lot
of work for us…our B & B in Domremy could not have been better. I also enjoyed staying at the Gite and the
convent, all great experiences….you did a great job of making arrangements for
all our meals….both of you did an excellent job of leading the group. We could see how hard you worked to make
everything come out right. Thank you again for all of your work, your caring
and kindness! Good Job!” Sue Barrett, St Louis, Missouri- Siouxb0482@sbcglobal.net
“I loved the pilgrimage! It was especially helpful for me to be in the
countryside which was so beautiful and peaceful...we had so many experiences
that one would never ‘get’ in other contexts, like the Beauffremonts and the
tour/lunch with the Pastor of the Cathedral of Orleans…the country people were SO
wonderful and really held for me the spirit of Domremy…the food was great in St
Thierry, Domremy, etc…thank you for all you two did. I’m sure all of our lives will benefit from
this experience in ways that we may never even associate with the journey. But,
this type of experience is life-changing!
Thank you both SO much for all the work and passion you put into the
Pilgrimage” Jean Eilerman, Santa
Rosa, CA- jeannedarc444@hotmail.com
707-569-9230
“I wish to thank both of you for your friendship and
guidance through the journey. It’s
impossible to find words mighty enough to express my gratitude…time spent in
France was a time of many important discoveries and strengthening of my
faith…those ‘Questions du Jour’ were really genius and I am sure attended by
the Holy Spirit…Blessings to you both.”
Elena Leontjeva, Vilnius, Lithuania-her second pilgrimage with us. Elena@freema.org
From 2005…
“Let
me tell you how grateful I am for the pilgrimage, for wonderful and meaningful
conversations, for your subtle care and …miracles that occurred! As the year 2005 is coming to its end, I wish
to cordially thank you for the most precious time I spent with you, and for
what happened to me thanks to your care and mediation.” Elena Leontjeva-Lithuania
“Thanks! The pilgrimage was more than I could have
asked for. You both outdid yourselves in
preparation and attention to detail and going over the top for everyone. I really appreciated your sincere efforts and
enjoyed spending time with everyone, it was quite a diverse group. I’m still processing and it is
wonderful. Thanks again for all you did
to make the pilgrimage happen!” Jacqueline Thea-Bend, Oregon
“I
cannot express the fond memories I had on the Pilgrimage and how priceless they
are to me. The little town of Domremy
has given me many pleasant dreams. Such
a great time I had and the great food from the Prince and Princess of
Beauffremont. Their hospitality was
exquisite. Also the Abbey and the
Monastery was a new experience to me that was very pleasant and relaxing that
warmed my spiritual curiosity. I’ll be
taking back home with me Domremy and the Basilica, and always the meal we had
at Beauffremont. Thanks again Chris and
Catherine for this experience of a Life time!” Brian Morgan-Park Falls,
Wisconsin
“Thanks
again to both of you for your tireless kindness and service…the pilgrimage was
a time of great spiritual consolation for me.
I’d lost my prayer life, and silence, and now have found it again, and
wish to continue on with it once at home again.” Paul
Richards-Ambler, PA
“I
wanted to express our warmest good-byes, and express our pleasure at meeting
all of you and enjoying the pilgrimage with you.” Victor Scammel-Conroe, Texas
“I
just wanted to say thank you for the wonderful trip we had. It was great!” Gladys Scammel-Dallas,
Texas
From 2004…
“Boy,
that trip was awesome! What a great
group of people. I feel blessed. Thanks so much for doing this for all of us.”
Carol
Trahan-CA
“I
enjoyed our trip immensely, everyday held special joys for me. I came back with a sense of peace. Thank you so much for the planning and
attention to details that made this trip run so smoothly. Thank you for being so sensitive to
everyone’s needs, both physical and emotional.
This was a very unique experience that none of us will ever forget. The two of you made it all possible. I consider knowing the two of you one of
life’s true
blessings.” Cynthia Metcalf-TX.
“The
more I think about it the more I realize how much planning, research, decision
making, and communicating overseas had to go into your preparations. I hope you know how much we all appreciated
it and spoke of it often during our days together. A memorial time in my life with memorable
and inspiring people. MERCI ENCORE!!!!!” Ellen Campbell- CA.
“A
wonderful journey, full of new discoveries.
Was moved by the fact that we all came from such different backgrounds
yet have been able to create a spirit of fellowship that will continue to be a
part of our fond memories. That you
Chris and Catherine for being such wonderful people and spiritual friends.” Paul Ciholas-KY.
“At the Musee d’Histoire de la Medecine, it
was a delightful, elegant, catered luncheon with a gracious and generous Madame
Marie-Veronique Clin (co-author of Joan of Arc: Her Story). I found myself to be quiet comfortable with
the group; very unusual for me. Found
that Jeanne lived most of her life in peaceful, tranquil, beautiful surroundings
(regarding Domremy).” Bob Perler-WA.
“Excellent
company-very spiritual, I enjoyed it very much and feel spiritually
refreshed. Also, historical info on
Jeanne from speakers was excellent. The
fellowship with Christians from all faiths was inspiring. Everyone was supportive of their fellow
pilgrims in a very personal way.” La Juana
West-OR.
“It
was a wonderful experience to be in monasteries away from the frantic pace of
our modern age. What impresses me most
is the mystery of how so many different people of such varied religious
backgrounds came together as one and worshiped the same creator as true
children of God. A lot of work went into
the pilgrimage. I know because I have
led groups to Europe many times. No one
is judging you here, but instead, will embrace you with love and
acceptance. Be ready to make new friends
and to ‘think outside of the box’…Thank you for all your work and your concerns
for all of us.” Karin Ciholas-KY.
“I
am slowly starting to settle back into reality.
The pilgrimage was a very rewarding experience and we all owe you both a
big thanks for all your hard work in making it the experience it was.” Janice Mulder-Canada.
From 2002…
“I
still can’t get over the ways you made our pilgrimage to France an experience
of a lifetime! I believe the rest of my
life is being positively affected by our 2002 Living Witnesses experience. I can never thank you enough for your
glorious gift of this pilgrimage.” Joyce Gray-Austin.
“Thank
you for…the many wonderful things you have done to make this an unforgettable
trip to France.” MaryEllen Yarrish-Dallas, TX.
“Our
pilgrimage was a wonderful experience for me.
Thank you for the time and thought you both put into planning it and
then actually leading it.” Esther Smith-Iowa.
“The
Soirees were great! Not only did we
learn a lot, but also they helped knit us together as a group before the
trip. I can’t believe the amount of work
you did to prepare every detail and educate us all. We were all like a group of kids, but you never
lost your cool. You did a wonderful job
with everything. Thank you so much.” Coco Pittman-Dallas.
“The
pilgrimage was a great trip, great adventure, glad I went. I was blown away with the beauty of France,
every part that we saw…the meal at that wine castle was excellent…” Ted Pittman-Dallas.
“The pilgrimage for me was a lifetime experience…History came alive to
me. Christianity has so much depth and
breadth and was so integral to middle age Europe and eventually to us. Experiencing the roots was all I hoped it
would be.” Dan Sundermann-Dallas.
“Sights
were exceptional, especially the French countryside…the monasteries are such an
interesting experience…It will be a lifetime memory…your suggestions for
clothes, packing, were right on…you both were SO considerate to all of us and
so pleasant, probably more than we deserved…the scope of arrangements was
mind-boggling. You had everything taken
care of. I am in awe of the planning and
fruition of your plans. It was great.” Sally Sundermann-Dallas.
“The Soirées gave the pilgrims a chance to meet and
get to know each other in a warm and hospitable setting. The Soirées and ensuing handouts were of
tremendous aid to all of us…The pilgrimage itself was a once-in-a-lifetime
experience…I believe each pilgrim received so much to enrich their spiritual
journey…each pilgrimage is a different experience to all who go, and this was
the apogee for me...let me say, quite sincerely, that Chris and Catherine were
truly splendid and caring guides to the pilgrims.” Dolores Bradford-Dallas.
The
following former pilgrims have given us permission to use them as references,
and for you to contact them to answer any questions you may have about their
experience:
From the 2007
Pilgrimage
Sheena Singh
Toronto, Canada
multiculturalcalendar@yahoo.com
416-650-5328
David Fama, Rocklin CA
dmfpiano@sbcglobal.net
916-600-8982
Chris Kostoff
Santa Rosa, CA-
ckostoff@juno.com
707-523-4865
Brian
Morgan
1142
North Second Ave.
Park
Falls, Wisconsin 54552
715-762-4254
715-771-9728 (mobile)
email: blmorgan@centurytel.net
brian.morgan@motorola.com
qfsd08@email.mot.com
Elena
Leontjeve
Lithuania
Email: Elena@FreeMa.org
Elena@LRinka.LT
Joan Zabelka
Hickory Hills, IL
joanzabelka@comcast.net
708-458-3666
From the 2005
Pilgrimage
Brian
Morgan
1142
North Second Ave.
Park
Falls, Wisconsin 54552
715-762-4254
715-771-9728 (mobile)
email: blmorgan@centurytel.net
brian.morgan@motorola.com
qfsd08@email.mot.com
Jacqueline
Thea
61373
Robinhood Lane
Bend,
OR 97702
541-388-9011
Email: jjthea@yahoo.com
Paul
Richards
1009
Davis Grove Road
Ambler, PA
19002-1104
215-682-7296
Email: velopaul@yahoo.com
prichards@nlyfs.com
Gladys
Scammel
7008
Merrilee LN
Dallas,
TX 75214
214-827-1616
No
email.
Elena
Leontjeve
Lithuania
Email: Elena@FreeMa.org
Elena@LRinka.LT
From the 2004
Pilgrimage
Cynthia
Metcalf
Dallas,
TX
Tel
214-679-9248
Email:
cynthia.metcalf@att.net
Ellen
Campbell
California
Tel:
909-845-2280
Email:
elcamp2@verizon.net
elcamp@earthlink.net
La
Juana West
Bend,
OR
Tel:
541-382-8521
Email:
LWest316@aol.com
Bob
Perler
Washington
Tel:
509-935-6003
Email:
reilly@theofficenet.com
Paul
and Karin Ciholas
Kentucky
Tel:
859-236-7193
Email:
karin@ciholas.com
From the 2002
Pilgrimage
Delores
Bradford
Dallas,
TX
Tel:
No
email.
Fr
George Luck, and Deacon Diana Luck
Dallas,
TX
Tel:
214-826-6102
Email:
dgluck@earthlink.net
Sally
Sundermann
Dallas,
TX.
Tel:
214-841-0663
Email:
sallyjf35@sbcglobal.net
Joyce
Gray
Austin,
TX
Tel: 512-264-8760
Email:
JoyceEGray@aol.com
Esther
Smith
Iowa
Tel:
563-381-5070
Email:
TchrBryhSm@aol.com
Coco,
and Ted Pittman
Tel:
214-328-9888
Dallas,
TX
Email:
cocoatlake@aol.com
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