Fr. John Predmore, S.J. Sicily – November 2025

Pilgrimage to Sicily

Trip Date:
Nov 5, 2025
- Nov 13, 2025
Group Type
Open
Activity Level
Moderate
Price
From $3,478
Deposit $500
Hosted by
Fr. John Predmore, S.J.

Trip Overview

Discover the inspiring charm of Sicily on this handcrafted pilgrimage with Fr. John Predmore, S.J. From Palermo, where the ancient streets overflow with culture, to the historic cities of Messina, Catania, and Cefalu, walk in the footsteps of fantastic saints and encounter firsthand the ever-unfolding story of the Church. Additionally, visit sites of Jesuit heritage located throughout the island. Through conversations over fine Italian cuisine and wine, prayer in astoundingly beautiful churches, and immersion into all the beauty and culture Sicily has to offer, this pilgrimage will inspire you to marvel at the work God has done and draw you into deeper relationship with Christ.

What’s Included?

  • Local, licensed tour guide(s)
  • Airport/hotel transfers (if arriving/departing during designated times)
  • Transportation on private motorcoach (pending hotel location, coach will be included some days, but other days pilgrims will walk to nearby sites)
  • Accommodations in double-occupancy rooms (single rooms available on a limited basis)
  • Meals as indicated on itinerary
  • Opportunity for daily Mass
  • Tickets for included activities
  • Audio headset for each pilgrim
  • Verso pilgrimage booklets and pilgrim kits
  • Preparation and follow-up materials

Itinerary

November 5, 2025
  • Depart the U.S. on your overnight flight to Palermo
November 6, 2025
  • Arrive in Palermo and transfer to the hotel
  • Welcome Mass at the Gesu, the first church built by the Jesuits in Sicily
  • Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant
    Overnight in Palermo

 

Accommodations: Hotel Mercure, Hotel San Paolo Palace, or similar

Meals included: Dinner

November 7, 2025
  • Enjoy a city center walking tour of the historic piazzas and churches of Palermo
    • Sites can include the Teatro Massimo, Europe’s third-largest theatre; the Santuario of Santa Rosalia, where the saints relics are held; Chiesa di Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its fusion of Baroque, Romanesque, and Byzantine styles; Pretoria Fountain; and the Piazza Vigliena
  • Celebrate Mass at the Cattedrale di Palermo, located just off the Piazza Vigliena
  • Free time for lunch and to explore the Balloro street markets
  • In the afternoon, visit the Jesuit University of Palermo, initially founded by Dominicans and later taken over by the Jesuits
  • Overnight in Palermo

 

Accommodations: Hotel Mercure, Hotel San Paolo Palace, or similar

Meals included: Breakfast

November 8, 2025
  • Morning transfer to the seaside town of Cefalu
  • Visit the Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site with Norman roots. Enjoy views of the medieval district of Cefalu from its towers, and explore the cloisters.
  • Continue down to the shoreline and see the Porta Marina, an ancient gate in the city walls dating back to the fifth century BC
  • Time for lunch on your own
  • After lunch, continue along the coast to Tindari and visit the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna, a statue dating back to the twelfth century
  • Walk to the ruins of the ancient city of Tyndaris, a Greek colony taken over by the Romans
  • Transfer to Messina and check-in with dinner at the hotel
  • Overnight in Messina

 

Accommodations: Hotel Royal Palace, Hotel Re Vittorio, or similar

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

November 9, 2025
  • Enjoy a guided walking tour of Messina, the end point of a popular pilgrimage route, the Via Francigena Le Montagne
    • Sites can include the fountains; the Basilica Cattedral di Santa Maria Assunta; the Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi, the first Franciscan church in Sicily; and the Chiesa di San Paolo, a thirteenth century church marking where St Paul preached to the people of Messina
  • Time for lunch on your own
  • After lunch, visit the Jesuit University, generally considered the first Jesuit college
  • Continue exploring the piazzas of Messina with free time and dinner on your own
  • Overnight in Messina

 

Accommodations: Hotel Royal Palace, Hotel Re Vittorio, or similar

Meals included: Breakfast

November 10, 2025
  • Morning transfer to Catania, close to Mt Etna and hometown of the martyr, St Agatha
  • Enjoy a city center walking tour, with stops at:
    • Cathedral of Sant’Agata, where you can venerate her relics
    • Church of San Francesco Borgia, formerly a Jesuit college
    • the Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest monastic complexes in Europe
  • Free time for lunch and to continue exploring the streets of Catania
  • Dinner at a local restaurant
  • Overnight in Catania

 

Accommodations: NH Catania Centro, NH Catania Parco Degli Aragonesi, or similar

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

November 11, 2025
  • Daytrip to Syracuse
  • Visit the archaeological site, notable for its Greek amphitheatre from the fifth century BC where the Greek playwright Aeschylus’ plays were performed
  • Time for lunch on your own
  • After lunch, visit the Basilica of Santa Lucia al Sepolcro, dedicated to another martyr, St Lucy, who is patroness of the city.
    • Here you can see Caravaggio’s “Burial of St Lucy”.
  • Visit the catacombs at San Giovanni alle Catacombe
  • Return to Catania with dinner on your own
  • Overnight in Catania

 

Accommodations: NH Catania Centro, NH Catania Parco Degli Aragonesi, or similar

Meals included: Breakfast

November 12, 2025
  • Return to Palermo for a free day to finish touring the city or to go down to the beach
  • Closing Mass at a local church
  • Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant
  • Overnight in Palermo

 

Accommodations: Hotel Mercure, Hotel San Paolo Palace, or similar

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

November 13, 2025
  • Transfer to the airport and depart on your return journey home

Pricing

Package Cost
$3,478

Optional Add-ons

Travel Protection
Quote provided after registration
Single room supplement (limited availability)
$891 / person
Potential Surcharge
Based on group size (if less than 15 pilgrims)

Pricing listed per person in double-occupancy rooms and does not include airfare. Quoted rates may fluctuate based on accommodation selection and availability. Rates also assume a minimum of 15 full-paying pilgrims. Final pricing may adjust based any significant changes in currency exchange rates.

Led by

Group Leader
Fr. John Predmore, S.J.
Boston, MA
Fr. Predmore is a Jesuit priest who provides adult faith formation through Boston College High School. He is a painter and has an art studio in Boston’s South End, and he provides art and spirituality retreats. He leads the online version of Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life, presents on Synodality, leads Compassionate Communications workshops, and runs book groups on contemporary theology, including Creation Theology.

Flights

Pilgrims are responsible for booking their own flights to/from the pilgrimage using the information below regarding airports and designated arrival/departure times. Please contact hello@versoministries.com if you would like assistance arranging your flights.

  • Arrive by: November 6, 2025
  • Arrival time: By 2:00 P.M.
  • Arrival airport: Falcone Borsellino Palermo Airport (PMO)
  • Arrival transfer: Pilgrims will be transferred from the airport to the hotel based on arrival time.
  • Depart on: November 13, 2025
  • Departure time: Any time on November 13
  • Departure airport: Falcone Borsellino Palermo Airport (PMO)
  • Departure transfer: Pilgrims will be transferred to the airport in one group.

More Details

  • Gratuities for pilgrimage director, guide(s), driver(s), hotel staff, and meals (optional add on)
  • Round-trip airfare
  • Verso Pilgrimage Director (included if group is 30+ pilgrims)
  • Passport, visa, or luggage fees
  • Any personal purchases
  • Any meals not indicated on itinerary
  • Any required COVID tests or vaccinations
  • Recommended travel protection with Cancel for Any Reason coverage
  • Anything else not explicitly mentioned as included

Payment Schedule

Verso Ministries will administer registration and payment collection from individual pilgrims. Registration can be done directly on the Verso Ministries website whereby pilgrims can make their payments using a debit/credit card.

  • #1 – Individual Deposit Upon registration $500 / pilgrim
  • #2 – Individual Final Balance 120 days prior to departure Final balance due

 

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations of individual pilgrims must be made in writing (email or letter) to Verso Ministries. Cancellations are possible at any time, but refunds are subject to cancellation fees at the rates listed here. Cancellation fees are for individual pilgrims. Any cancellation charges incurred from other suppliers or vendors (flight, lodging, ground transportation, tickets, etc.) may come in addition to the administrative fees listed here. All group flight airline tickets, optional excursions, trip options, pre/post extensions, private transfers, and additional hotel nights are non-refundable 100 days or less prior to departure unless otherwise noted. We highly recommend the purchase of individual travel insurance.

  • Within 2 weeks of deposit Free cancellation*
  • 14 days after deposit & 91 days or more from departure Deposit is retained
  • 90-61 days prior to departure 25% of trip cost is non-refundable
  • 60-31 days prior to departure 50% of trip cost is non-refundable
  • 30 days or less prior to departure 100% of trip cost is non-refundable

*To qualify for free cancellation within 2 weeks of deposit, deposit must be made 180 days or more prior to departure.

 

Arriving early or staying late? Pre-stay and post-stay options

 

Want to arrive or depart outside of the designated times?

  • Please note: If you arrive/depart outside of the designated times, private transfers (fee applies) can be arranged on your behalf. Airport transfers outside of the designated arrival/departure times are not included in the package pricing.
  • Need to book a private transfer? Contact us at hello@versoministries.com or call us at (574) 383-9396.

 

Want help arranging your flights?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is my Pilgrim Portal?

Your Pilgrim Portal is how you will securely share the information we need for your trip. We collect all this information through your “tasks” in your Pilgrim Portal. After booking, you will receive access to your portal and can log in at the link at the top of this page.
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Why should I register now?

The sooner you register for the pilgrimage, the better! Pilgrimages can fill up quickly, especially if pilgrims decide to bulk register as a group, so registering as soon as you think you will be able to travel with us guarantees you a spot on open pilgrimages. If you register and find out you can no longer attend, as long as you registered more than 180 days prior to the departure and cancel within 14-days of registering, we will fully refund your deposit. Just send us a written confirmation of your cancellation and we will take care of the rest.
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Why should I travel with Verso Ministries?

At Verso, we believe in crafting pilgrimages that offer you a view of God’s world and his work in it that you can’t get anywhere else.    We believe that everything – from the holy sites, to the meals, to daily Mass, to your fellow pilgrims – shape the ways God can speak to you, which means we’re intentional about it all.  We believe a pilgrimage isn’t just the days you travel, but it’s how you prepare – from the moment you sign up, to the days and weeks after you arrive home. We shepherd you through the entire process so you can achieve the most transformative experience possible.  We’re not just travel experts; we’re experts in Catholic pilgrimage.
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What risks are involved with pilgrimage?

As with any travel, particularly international, it is important to be aware of your surroundings. We monitor travel conditions for the countries our groups visit, and our on-location partners keep us informed of potentially disruptive events, situations, and conditions that might affect travel. If travel to the country is not recommended by the U.S. and/or local authorities, we handle the particulars on a case-by-case basis and update our pilgrims accordingly. To mitigate risk, we encourage all of our pilgrims to purchase travel protection to minimize losses from unforeseen causes, such as travel delays or cancellations and lost baggage.
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Resources

Discover helpful guides and tips to prepare for your pilgrimage and enrich your journey with Verso Ministries.

How Pilgrimage Can Help You Discern God’s Will

Celebrate St. Pope John Paul II’s Message of Love

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the model pilgrim.

3 Reasons Why Our Lady Is the Model Pilgrim

What Our Pilgrims Have to Say

Father Kuhn

Jocelyn

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