St. Andrew’s Abbey – November 2026

Pilgrimage to Italy

Trip Date:
Nov 4, 2026
- Nov 11, 2026
Group Type
Private
Activity Level
Moderate
Price
From $3,476
Deposit $500
Hosted by
St. Andrew's Abbey

Trip Overview

Join St. Andrew’s Abbey and Verso Ministries on a pilgrimage to Italy and be transformed by the beauty and universality of the Catholic Church. From Rome, where the ancient streets overflow with history, to the peaceful sites of Monte Cassino, Subiaco and Norcia, walk in the footsteps of St. Benedict. Through conversations over delicious Italian cuisine, prayer in the world’s most iconic churches, and immersion into all the beauty and culture Italy has to offer, this pilgrimage will inspire you to marvel at the work God has done through the saints and draw you into deeper relationship with Christ.

What’s Included?

  • Local, licensed tour guide(s)
  • Transportation on private motorcoach
  • Metro pass in Rome
  • Accommodations in double, triple, and quad-occupancy rooms (single rooms available on a limited basis)
  • Meals as indicated on itinerary
  • Gratuities for pilgrimage director, guide(s), driver(s), hotel staff, etc.
  • Opportunity for daily Mass
  • Tickets for included activities
  • Audio headset for each pilgrim
  • Verso pilgrimage booklets and pilgrim kits
  • Preparation and follow-up materials
  • Pack & Prep Meeting for all pilgrims

Itinerary

November 4, 2026
  • Check-in to the hotel by 3pm
  • Gather at the hotel and depart as a group for dinner
  • Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Hotel Twenty One or similar

Meals Included: Dinner

November 5, 2026
  • Mass in the Crypt at St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by a guided tour of the Basilica, including time to pray at the tomb of Pope St. John Paul II and to see Michelangelo’s Pieta
  • Scavi Tour (pending availability)
    In the afternoon, enjoy a guided walking tour of the historic churches of Trastevere, with time to pray at San Benedetto in Piscinula, which marks the site where St Benedict lived while studying in Rome (also famous for having the smallest bell tower in Rome)
  • Other stops can include Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, marking the site of the house, execution, and tomb of St Cecilia; and Santa Maria in Trastevere, one of the oldest churches in Rome and home of the Sant’Egidio community
  • Free evening to consider exploring the lively neighborhood of Trastevere
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Hotel Twenty One or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

November 6, 2026
  • 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
  • Time for lunch
  • Climb above the Circus Maximus to the Aventine Hill to visit and pray vespers with the Benedictines at Sant’Anselmo
  • Option to visit the mother church of the Dominican Order next door, Santa Sabina
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Hotel Twenty One or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

November 7, 2026
  • Transfer to St Paul Outside the Walls to celebrate Mass and pray at the tomb of St Paul
  • Visit the Abbey of St Paul Outside the Walls, the abbey of Benedictine monks who look after the Basilica and who have been at that site since the 8th century
  • Continue on to the Abbey of Tre Fontane, a monastery of Trappist monks who formerly tended sheep
  • Return to Rome for a free evening
  • Consider visiting the Basilica of St Mary Major, with a relic of the Bethlehem manger and the tomb of Pope Francis, and the Basilica of Santa Prassede, which holds the pillar at which Christ was scourged
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Hotel Twenty One or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

November 8, 2026
  • Enjoy a day trip to Monte Cassino
  • ave a guided tour of the Abbey
  • Celebrate Mass (pending availability) at the birthplace of Western Monasticism
  • Return to Rome in the evening
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Hotel Twenty One or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

November 9, 2026
  • Transfer to Cascia, stopping en route at Subiaco
  • Visit Sacro Speco di San Benedetto, the Holy Cave where Benedict lived as a hermit
  • If possible, visit the Abbey of Saint Scholastica, the oldest existing Benedictine monastery
  • Mass in Subiaco (pending availability)
  • Continue on to Cascia, close to Norcia, the birthplace of Sts Benedict and Scholastica, the Holy Twins
  • Overnight in Cascia

Accommodations: Hotel Monte Meraviglia or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

November 10, 2026
  • Explore town of Norcia, which suffered a major earthquake in 2016, destroying the Basilica of St Benedict (renovation efforts are underway)
  • Visit the Abbey of San Benedetto in Monte, perched above the town, and celebrate Mass (pending availability)
  • Try Birria Nursia, the beer made by the Benedictines of the Abbey (available from the Abbey gift shop)
  • Pray Vespers with the monks (pending availability)
  • Return to Rome
  • Conclude the pilgrimage with a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant
  • Overnight in Rome near the airport

Accommodations: Hotel Isola Sacra or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

November 11, 2026
  • Check-out of the hotel and depart on your journey home

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodations

Standard Accommodations

Pricing

Package Cost
$3,476

Optional Add-ons

Single room supplement (limited availability)
$905/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.

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

Led by

Group Leader/Spiritual Director
Fr. Damien Toilolo
Valyermo, CA
Fr. Damien Toilolo is the Abbot of St. Andrew’s Abbey.
Assistant Group Leader
Mary Kauffman (Oblate of St. Andrew's Abbey)
Orange County, CA
Mary Kauffman has been an oblate of St Andrew’s since 1995 and has also traveled extensively. She believes in seeking the spiritual meaning within all travel and making the experience of different places and cultures forms of pilgrimage. A retired college English instructor, she and her husband, Curtis, live in Orange County, CA; and have enjoyed memorable travel times with each of their six children, six children-in-law, and their seventeen grandchildren. Helping others appreciate other countries and traditions and sharing those journeys with them are special joys in her life.

Flights

Pilgrims are responsible for booking their own flights to/from the pilgrimage using the information below regarding airports and designated arrival/departure times.

Arrival Flight Information

  • Arrive by: November 4, 2026
  • Arrival time: At or before 1:30 P.M.
  • Arrival airport: Rome Fiumicino (FCO)

Departure Flight Information

  • Depart on: November 11, 2026
  • Departure time: Any time
  • Departure airport: Rome Fiumicino (FCO)

Airport transfers

  • Transfer to the airport/hotel on your own via taxi or public transit.

More Details

  • Roundtrip group flight
  • Airport/hotel transfers
  • Verso Pilgrimage Director (included if group is 30+ pilgrims)
  • Transportation on private motorcoach is not included on Days 1, 2, 8
  • 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 per person
  • 120 days before departure: Final balance

 

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

Need assistance? Contact us at hello@versoministries.com or call us at (574) 383-9396.

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!
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Should I purchase travel protection?

We recommend that all pilgrims consider purchasing travel protection. We partner with Travel Insured International (TII) to offer travel protection.  According to TII, travel protection helps protect you and those you are traveling with from unforeseen emergencies, which always seem to happen at the worst possible time. In the event of emergencies, both before and during your travels, as well other circumstances, like travel delay, lost baggage, missed connection(s), and much more, travel protection can help. Upon registration you will receive a travel protection quotation from TII. If you have any questions regarding your quotation, please call TII. If you need an updated or new quotation, please contact us at hello@versoministries.com or call us at 574-383-9396.
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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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How does Verso Ministries prepare me for my journey?

We know from experience that preparing for a journey is just as important as the journey itself. From pre-departure spiritual formation emails and webinars hosted by the Verso trip leader, to providing you with a pilgrim kit to bring with you on your journey, we accompany you through the entire process – before, during, and after the pilgrimage – to prepare your mind and heart for what you’ll encounter. And of course, we’re always available by phone or email to answer and assist with any questions you might have.
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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

The 7 Traditional Pilgrimage Churches of Rome

Retired pilgrims sit on a bench and at looks out at the ocean and beach.

Retirement, Vocation, and Pilgrimage

What Our Pilgrims Have to Say

Father Kuhn

Jocelyn

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