Lay Mission-Helpers Mexico City – April-May 2025

Pilgrimage to Mexico

Trip Date:
Apr 29, 2025
- May 5, 2025
Group Type
Open
Activity Level
Moderate
Price
From $2,385
Deposit $500
Hosted by
Lay Mission-Helpers

Trip Overview

Join the Lay Mission-Helpers community and Verso Ministries on pilgrimage to Puebla and Mexico City and immerse yourself in the story Our Lady of Gualdalupe and the rich spiritual heritage of Mexico. Around every corner, discover a beautiful tapestry of history, culture, and spirituality. Explore the Zócalo, encounter the lives of saints and martyrs, float through the gardens of Xochilmoco, climb the pyramids of Teotihuacán, and spend time in prayer and reflection at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. From the ruins of the Aztecs to the taquerias of today, this journey of faith and culture will inspire you to embrace Our Lady’s invitation to relationship with Christ and community with those around us.

What’s Included?

  • Verso pilgrimage director (groups of 30+ pilgrims get dedicated director)
  • Local, licensed tour guides
  • Verso pilgrimage booklets & pilgrim kits
  • Catholic Chaplain
  • Daily Mass
  • Private transportation on motor coach
  • All tickets and donations for included activities listed on itinerary
  • Standard accommodations in double-occupancy rooms
  • Breakfast daily at hotel, 5 lunches, 2 dinners
  • Preparation & follow-up materials
  • Audio headsets (if 20 pilgrims or more)

Itinerary

April 29, 2025
  • Arrive Mexico City International airport
  • Meet and greet by our English-speaking staff and transfer to Puebla City
  • Welcome Mass at a local church
  • Welcome briefing and dinner at the hotel
  • Overnight in Puebla
  • Accommodations: NH Pueblo Centro Historico or similar
  • Meals included: Dinner
April 30, 2025
  • City tour around Puebla, the “City of the Angels,” to see the beautifully ornate Chapel of the Rosary in the Church of Santo Domingo, as well as the cathedral and the historic center
  • Mass in the Chapel of the Rosary
  • Following lunch included at a local restaurant, continue to pray at the Church of Santa Maria Tonantzintla, famous for its indigenous Baroque style
  • Complete the day with a visit to Our Lady of Remedies Church, a Cholula church built atop the Tlachihualtepetl pyramid
  • Free time in the evening to explore the city and enjoy dinner
  • Overnight in Puebla
  • Accommodations: NH Puebla Centro Historico or similar
  • Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
May 1, 2025
  • Celebrate Mass at the Shrine of San Miguel del Milagro, the site where St. Michael the Archangel appeared in 1631 to Diego Lazaro
  • Continue to Tlaxcala, exploring the historical downtown with colonial architecture
  • Visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Ocotlan, an apparition site of the Virgin Mary, and venerate the image of Our Lady of Ocotlan which is found within a wooden statue preserved in the church
  • Lunch included at a local restaurant, then transfer to Mexico City
  • Overnight in Mexico City
  • Accommodations: Sheraton Hotel or similar
  • Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
May 2, 2025
  • Depart to the Plaza of the 3 Cultures – Tlatelolco – to see the Church of St. James where St. Juan Diego presented the “tilma” of Our Lady to the Bishop as proof of her apparitions
  • Continue to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, where you will celebrate Mass, have a tour of the grounds, and venerate the tilma
  • After lunch, a walking tour of the “Zocalo,” with visits to the Metropolitan Cathedral, ruins of Templo Mayor, and the National Palace with its murals of Diego Rivera depicting the history of Mexico (exterior views only)
  • Overnight in Mexico City
  • Accommodations: Sheraton Hotel or similar
  • Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
May 3, 2025
  • Morning Mass at the Church of the Holy Family, where the remains of the martyred Miguel Pro are found
  • Visit to the Floating Gardens of Mexico, Xochimilco, where you will climb aboard a decorated gondola and float through the flower-laden canals while enjoying lunch
  • Continue to the Coyoacán neighborhood for a tour around the quaint streets of this captivating neighborhood, including a visit to the world-renowned Frido Kahlo Museum
  • Overnight in Mexico City
  • Accommodations: Sheraton Hotel or similar
  • Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
May 4, 2025
  • Morning Mass at the Church of the 5th Apparition, Santa Maria Tulpetlac
  • Then, continue to the Pyramids of Teotihuacan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see the pyramids and discover more about the native history and culture of Mexico
  • Lunch in a local restaurant
  • Return to Mexico City for a Farewell Dinner in a local restaurant
  • Overnight in Mexico City
  • Accommodations: Sheraton Hotel or similar
  • Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
May 5, 2025
  • Transfer to the airport and depart Mexico City
  • Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodations

Standard Accommodations

Pricing

Package Cost
$2,385

Optional Add-ons

Single room supplement (limited availability)
$492/person
Prepaid gratuities for guides, drivers, meals, & hotels
$103/person
Group Flight from LAX
$636/person
Flights from other cities
Quoted upon request
Travel protection
Quote provided following registration*

Pricing listed per person in double-occupancy rooms and does not include airfare.
The number of available single-occupancy rooms is limited.

Want to be matched with a roommate? After registering as a single, you will be able to indicate on your Pilgrim Portal that you wish to be matched. Our Pilgrim Support team will facilitate that process, and as soon as we are able to match you, we will switch you to the double occupancy package. The deposit is the same either way!

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

Rates assume a minimum of 15 full-paying pilgrims.

 

Led by

Group Leader
Damian Kabot
Los Angeles, CA
Damian Kabot looks forward to leading the Lay Mission-Helpers Association (LMH) and its supporters on a spiritual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe as part of the LMH’s 70th anniversary celebration. As a child he used to go on annual pilgrimages to Marian shrines in his native Poland (on foot) and in his adult life has visited many spiritually significant Catholic sites around the world. A graduate of Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, he is a proud Catholic who deeply appreciates the richness and depth of the Church traditions. While studying Spanish in Mexico, he learned the Spanish language and took courses in pre-Columbian history, customs and traditions of the country. He prays that the pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe will bear spiritual fruit in new lay missionary vocations and increased support for the service of lay Catholics who share their gifts and witness their faith in mission as Lay Mission-Helpers.
Chaplain
Fr. Paul Redmond Chaplain Mexico City Pilgrimage Lay Mission Helpers April May 2025
Fr. Paul Redmond
Kalamazoo, MI
Fr. Paul Redmond is a priest in the diocese of Kalamazoo, MI. He was ordained in May of 2016. Prior to his ordination, Paul worked as a licensed physical therapist in his home of Kalamazoo, MI. He served as a lay volunteer for the Lay Mission Helpers Association as a volunteer physical therapist. He served in the diocese of Udon Thani, Thailand (1996-1998). He assisted the Daughters of Charity in their Community based rehabilitation programs. These programs were located in various areas of Northeast Thailand and in Southern Thailand. Currently, Fr. Paul is assigned to St. Thomas More Catholic Student Parish in Kalamazoo, MI. This church serves the students of Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo-College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, and Western Michigan University Medical School as well as the community at large.

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.

  • Arrive by: April 29, 2025
  • Arrival time: By 1:00 PM
  • Arrival airport: Benito Juarez Mexico City International Airport (MEX)
  • Arrival transfer: Pilgrims will be transferred to Puebla in one group.
  • Depart on: May 5, 2025
  • Departure time: Depart at or after 8:00 a.m.
  • Departure airport: Benito Juarez Mexico City International Airport (MEX)
  • Departure transfer: Pilgrims will be transferred to the airport based on flight departure times.

Arrival Flight Information

  • American Airlines Flight #AA2546
    • Departs Los Angeles (LAX) at 8:10 a.m.
    • Arrives Mexico City (MEX) at 1:00 p.m.

Departure Flight Information

  • American Airlines Flight #AA505
    • Departs Mexico City (MEX) at 3:20 p.m.
    • Arrives Los Angeles (LAX) at 6:25 p.m.

More Details

  • Roundtrip airfare (optional add-on)
  • Gratuities for pilgrimage director, guide(s), driver(s), hotel staff, and meals (optional add-on)
  • 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
  • Next payment due August 1, 2024 – $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.

 

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations must be submitted to Verso Ministries in written form and received via email or mail. Any refunds, as applicable, will be processed based on the date stamp of email or mail received. Cancellation fees are for individual pilgrims and fees will be charged per person per booking.

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*
  • 91 days or more from departure: Deposit is retained ($500)
  • 90-61 days prior to departure: 25% of total trip cost is non-refundable
  • 60-31 days prior to departure: 50% of total trip cost is non-refundable
  • 30 days or less prior to departure: 100% of total trip cost is non-refundable

*Free cancellation (if deposit is made more than 180 days 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 Note: In order to be eligible for pilgrimage registration, you must be at least 13 years old. Any minors who register for the pilgrimage must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

 

California Seller of Travel Information

  • Verso Ministries is a registered California Seller of Travel (“CST”). Our CST account number is 2152878-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California. California law requires certain sellers of travel to have a trust or bond account. This business has a trust account for all California deposits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the latest I can register?

Registration closes when the pilgrimage reaches the maximum number of pilgrims. If the pilgrimage is filled when you register, you will be added to our waiting list, and contacted in the event that space on the pilgrimage becomes available. Don’t miss your chance – register now and begin your journey!
Read More

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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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.
Read More

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.
Read More

Resources

This will be a list of blog articles from their site that the user can view for more information on the location or the trip. We’ll probably need a about 3-5 items listed here

An image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico City.

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Our Lady of Guadalupe

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the model pilgrim.

3 Reasons Why Our Lady Is the Model Pilgrim

5 Tips for Packing Light

What Our Pilgrims Have to Say

Father Kuhn

Jocelyn

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