Trip Overview

Experiencing truth, beauty, and goodness is at the heart of understanding who God is. This one-of-a-kind pilgrimage through Rome, Assisi, and Castel Gandolfo will take you on a journey of discovering the beauty and richness of the Catholic faith through holy sites, sacred art, history, and culture. Pray at the tombs of saints like St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Monica, St. Ignatius, and many more, while experiencing the heart of the universal Church and commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Swiss Guards.

This pilgrimage is organized by the Guardian Ministry of the Diocese of Fort Worth. Guardians, invited guests, and their spouses are warmly welcome to participate.

What’s Included?

  • Professional English-speaking local Tour Escort accompanying the group for the duration of the pilgrimage
  • Local, licensed tour guide(s)
  • Airport/hotel transfers (if arriving/departing with the group flight)
  • Transportation on private motorcoach
  • Public transportation pass included for Days 3, 4, and 5
  • Accommodations in double-occupancy rooms (single rooms available on a limited basis)
  • Meals as indicated on itinerary
  • Opportunity for daily Mass
  • Gratuities for pilgrimage director, guide(s), driver(s), hotel staff, and meals
  • Tickets for included activities
  • Audio headset for each pilgrim
  • Verso pilgrimage booklets and pilgrim kits
  • Preparation and follow-up materials

Itinerary

May 3, 2027
  • Depart the U.S. on your overnight flight to Rome
May 4, 2027
  • Arrive at Rome Fiumicino Airport
  • Transfer to the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls
  • Celebrate an Opening Mass and pray at the tomb of St Paul
  • Lunch at a local restaurant
  • Entrance to the Catacombs of San Callisto, sometimes known as the “little Vatican” because of the Crypt of the Popes, the official burial place for third-century popes
  • Transfer to the hotel to check-in and freshen up
  • Welcome Dinner at local restaurant
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo or similar

Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

May 5, 2027
  • Papal Audience (pending the Holy Father’s schedule)
  • Time for lunch
  • After lunch, celebrate Mass at the Papal Basilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome where a relic of the table of the Last Supper is held
  • Prayerfully climb the Scala Santa, the Holy Stairs that Christ climbed on his way to his trial, brought to Rome from Jerusalem by St. Helena
  • Visit the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme and venerate the relics from Christ’s Passion
  • Enjoy a free evening in Rome to spend as you choose
    • Consider walking from Santa Croce down the Via dei Fori Imperiali for views of the Colosseum and Roman Forum
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

May 6, 2027
  • Morning Mass at St Peter’s Basilica, commemorating the heroic last stand of the Swiss Guards who died protecting the Pope on this day, 500 years ago
  • Time for lunch
  • Attend the Swearing-In Ceremony of new Guards in St Peter’s Square (tentative)
  • Depending on timings for the day, walk along the Passetto di Borgo to Castel Sant’Angelo, with entrance to what was initially Hadrian’s mausoleum, later papal fortress, and now a museum (tentative)
    • Note: Passetto di Borgo is generally only available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. There may be special openings on this day. If not, the visit will be arranged for tomorrow, Friday.
  • Commemorative Dinner at a local restaurant with a private room for the group
  • After dinner, watch the fireworks display at Castel Sant’Angelo, where the Pope fled during the sack of Rome (tentative)
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

May 7, 2027
  • Enjoy a guided walking tour of the churches and piazzas of central Rome
    • Stops can include Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Santa Maria sopra Minerva (with the tomb of St Catherine of Siena), Sant’Agostino (with the tomb of St Monica), and the Gesu (with the tomb of St Ignatius of Loyola)
  • Celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St Mary Major, home of a relic of the Bethlehem manger and the tomb of Pope Francis
  • Scavi Tour (pending availability)
  • Free time to continue exploring at your leisure
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

May 8, 2027
  • Transfer to Assisi
  • Enjoy a guided tour of the Old City of Assisi, including the Basilica of St Francis and Basilica of St Clare, where the San Damiano Crucifix is held along with the tomb of St Clare
  • Celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St Francis, where St Francis is buried and decorated with murals by Giotto
  • Transfer back to Rome for a free evening
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

May 9, 2027
  • Celebrate Mass at the Chapel of the Swiss Guards (pending confirmation)
  • After Mass, drive out to Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence overlooking Lake Albano
  • Visit the Palace and walk the grounds
  • Farewell Dinner with a tour and tasting at a local winery
  • Return to Rome in the evening
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

May 10, 2027
  • Transfer to Rome Fiumicino Airport and depart on your journey home

Meals Included: Breakfast

Accommodations

Standard Premium Accommodations

Please Note: Pilgrims should reference their Pack & Prep Handout, distributed approximately one month prior to departure, for finalized accommodation details.

Pricing

Package Cost
$4,799

Optional Add-ons

Group Flight
$1,371 / person
Single room supplement (limited availability)
$1,760 / person
Travel Protection
Quote provided after registration

Pricing listed per person in double-occupancy rooms and does not include airfare.

The number of available single-occupancy rooms is limited.

Rates assume a minimum of 20 full-paying pilgrims.

If pilgrims traveling by themselves are unable to be matched with a roommate, the single room supplement may apply. See Additional Information section below for details.

*Travel protection is calculated based on a variety of factors and optional plans are provided by Travel Insured International.

Led by

Group Leader
Renato Peter
Fort Worth, TX
Renato Peter serves as the Director of Formation for the Guardian Ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth. A former member of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, he lived and served at the Vatican, where he gained a unique appreciation for the Church’s history and traditions. Today, he works closely with Bishop Michael Olson in the formation and training of Guardian volunteers throughout the Diocese. Renato looks forward to accompanying pilgrims through the holy sites of Italy and sharing his experience of living and serving in the heart of the Catholic Church.

Flights

There is an optional group flight available for this pilgrimage. Details are below. Pilgrims may also arrange their own airfare based on the designated arrival/departure times provided.

Please note that group airfare tickets are Economy class and not eligible for upgrades. Group airfare tickets also restrict passengers from choosing seats.

Arrival Flight

May 3-4, 2027 - American Airlines Flight #240
  • Departs from Detroit (DFW) at 4:25 p.m.
  • Arrives in Rome (FCO) at 9:05 a.m. (the next day)

Departure Flight

May 10, 2027 - American Airlines Flight #239
  • Departs from Rome (FCO) at 12:00 p.m. (noon)
  • Arrives in Detroit (DFW) at 5:00 p.m.

Arrival Information:

  • Arrive by: May 4, 2027
  • Arrival time: Arrive by 9:00 a.m.
  • Arrival airport: Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome (FCO)
  • Arrival transfer: Pilgrims will self-transfer to the hotel upon arrival.

Departure Information:

  • Depart on: May 10, 2027
  • Departure time: Depart anytime
  • Departure airport: Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome (FCO)
  • Departure transfer: Pilgrims will transfer from the hotel to the airport on their own.

More Details

  • Roundtrip group flight (optional add-on)
  • Airport transfers in Rome
  • Verso Pilgrimage Director
  • 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

  • Deposit due upon registration – $500/person
  • Final balance due 120 days prior to departure – Final balance

Please note: Payment plans can be arranged if needed. Please contact us if you would like to pay in several installments.

Final package price is estimated. Pricing is based on currency exchange rates as of June 2026. Any drastic fluctuations in currency exchange rates may impact final pricing. If you have any questions about pricing and when final pricing decisions will be communicated, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.

 

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.

Cancellations are possible at any time, but refunds are subject to cancellation fees at the rates listed here.

  • Within 2 weeks of deposit: Free Cancellation*
  • 14 days after deposit and 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.

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.

Important Information for Pilgrims Seeking to be Matched With A Roommate

  1. Pilgrims who register by themselves can indicate in their Pilgrim Portal that they would like to be matched with a roommate. Verso Ministries will make every effort to accommodate that request, however, cannot guarantee that this will be possible.
  2. If, by 90 days prior to departure, Verso has not been able to match a solo pilgrim with a roommate, the single room supplement will be applied to the pilgrim’s invoice and due for payment.
  3. If Verso is able to match a pilgrim with a roommate after they have paid the single room supplement, the pilgrim will be refunded the extra charge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can I contact for more information?

Our team is eager to help and is available 9am-5pm EST by phone at 574-383-9396 or by email at hello@versoministries.com
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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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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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Resources

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

A metaphor of one of the benefits of going on a pilgrimage, a highway comes into sharp focus through a camera lens.

5 Benefits of Going on a Pilgrimage

Finding the Saints in Rome

A couple walking down a street in Rome.

How to Prepare for Your Trip to Rome

What Our Pilgrims Have to Say

Father Kuhn

Jocelyn

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