An Abbeys and Beer Pilgrimage

Belgium and Germany this summer!

Two years in the making and we’re finally just weeks away from our next pilgrimage with Fr. Harrison Ayre (June 29th-July 10th). Last time it was whisky and Catholic history in Scotland, this time it’s abbeys and breweries of Belgium and Germany!

It’s going to be a small group of pilgrims (currently we have 24 going) but we do have room for 5-6 more folks.

More than half of the pilgrims who went with us to Scotland are joining us in Brussels (a testament to the quality of Select’s meticulous coordination for these trips) and then we’ll have some new folks joining us. I can’t wait to meet them!

From Fr. Harrison:

In visiting some of these monasteries, in tasting some of these beers, in seeing the beauty and uniqueness of Flemish and Belgian architecture and culture, and in our friendship with one another, we will find the God who comes to meet us and reveals Himself through the beauty of created things. This trip will be one of conviviality, which means sharing life, joy, and celebration over the things that impart meaning and friendship with one another. The world famous and award winning beers of these Trappist monks will be a means to share this life together, where the fruit of their work and prayer will help us grow closer in friendship and closer to Christ. We will also, of course, visit churches, pray together, see world famous art and architecture, and so much more. This pilgrimage is meant to be Catholic in every sense of the word!

In addition to the abbeys and the breweries, we’ll also see amazing art like the Ghent altarpiece (The Mystic Lamb):

And in Bruges we’ll see a Madonna carved by Michelangelo:

We’ll see the tomb of St. Damien of Molokai, a Belgian priest who served people with leprosy in Hawaii until he finally contracted the disease himself and succumbed to it.

We’ll see Aachen Cathedral where Charlemagne’s tomb is (and where he brought many relics that made Aachen one of the most popular medieval pilgrimage sites).

And we’ll see the enormous Cologne Cathedral with the reliquary of the Three Kings. It’s the most visited site in all of Germany! And it’s the 3rd tallest church in the world.

This will be my fourth pilgrimage organized by Select International. Each of them have been incredible. They coordinate the hotels, brewery tours, private bus and driver, Belgian guide, daily Mass for our pilgrims, and many of the meals and they do an amazing job. That way we can just relax and enjoy the trip—all the details are in place.

You can view our original itinerary and details with button below (but there have been a couple of minor alterations since—and we’ll be flying home from Frankfurt rather than Cologne).

Here are the itinerary highlights:

• Leuven: St. Anthony’s Chapel (crypt of St. Damien Molokai)

• Brussels: Grand Place, St. Michael’s Cathedral, Cantillon Brewery, Gueuze Museum

• Westmalle: Abbey of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Cafe Trappisten

• Ghent: St. Bavo Cathedral (Ghent altarpiece), St. Nicholas Church, Castle of the Count of Flanders

• Flanders Field American Cemetery, Abbey of St. Sixtus (and brewery), De Struise Brouwers

• Bruges: Canal boat ride, Church of Our Lady, Basilica of the Holy Blood, De Halve Mann Brewery, St. John’s Hospital, the Market Square

• Chimay: Abbey of Our Lady of Scourmont, Chimay Brewery Auberge de Poteaupre, l’Ange Gardien

• Orval: Abbey of Our Lady

• Bastogne: Place McAuliffe

• Aachen, Germany: Aachen Cathedral

• Cologne: Cologne Cathedral (Kolner Dom), Church of St. Andrew (tomb of St. Albertus Magnus), Brauwelt Brewery

• Frankfurt: Farewell dinner!

If this sounds like the kind of trip you’d be interested in, join us! There’s still time to register (but not much, so don’t delay!)

I’m especially excited about this trip because we’re bringing our 15-year-old son. His first international trip ever! I can’t wait to reconnect with dear friends from our past pilgrimages and to meet new friends as we experience Europe together.

Got questions? I’m happy to answer them. Let’s go to Belgium!

-Haley