Hundreds Rush to Reserve their Place in History on 17 October in Rome

Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
24 Feb 2010

Anglo-Americano Hotel, Rome

Hundreds of pilgrims have swamped the newly-set up website offering travel packages to Rome for the canonisation of Mary MacKillop on 17 October.

"The website started receiving hits almost as soon as the date of canonisation was announced by the Holy Father on Friday, 19 February," says Philip Ryall, managing director of Harvest Pilgrimages.

Appointed the Official Canonisation Tour Operator by the Sisters of Joseph, the Archdiocese of Sydney and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Harvest Pilgrimages is offering a series of canonisation packages to pilgrims.

With prices starting as low as $3000-$3500 for a five-day stay including tickets to the canonisation as well as return airfares between Rome and Sydney, Philip Ryall says pilgrims will be pleasantly surprised.

"It is low season in Europe so prices are reasonable," he says, adding that many of those who have made enquiries via the company's canonisation website or contacted Harvest Pilgrimages direct, are intending to extend their stay and embark on a Mary MacKillop pilgrimage across Scotland and France.

Mary MacKillop's parents came from Scotland and the country always held a special place in her heart. But it was the small village of Paray le Monial in Burgundy France, where a holy apparition of Jesus holding the Sacred Heart appeared to St Margaret-Mary, a 17th Century nun that was particularly special to Mary MacKillop and where she went on retreat in 1873.

According to Philip Ryall some of those going to Rome for the canonisation of Australia's first saint, will embark on their own private pilgrimages to shrines such as Lourdes before or after the Rome canonisation of Mary MacKillop.

Others are also keen to stay at the Anglo-Americano Hotel in Rome, where Mary herself stayed more than 126 years ago when she travelled to Rome to ask Pope Pius IX to give his approval to the Sisters of Joseph of the Sacred Heart, the Order she had founded with the help of Fr Julian Tenison-Woods.

"It is hard to believe I have finally arrived, full of hope and very glad to find a place to lay my head after all those hours of travel," she wrote in her diary in May 1874 of her stay at the historic hotel which is on Via Quattro Fontana, a stone's throw from the famous Trevi Fountain and nearby Spanish steps. "Once again God is looking after me and the staff have been most helpful and kind, but entirely bemused my entire luggage was one small box."

The staff were also bemused when the 32-year-old nun insisted that "one room would be ample accommodation," refusing the suite of rooms the staff wanted to give her.

"I asked that meals be sent to my room and they complied with that request, even though they found that a little unusual," she wrote in her diary impressed at the grand style with which her meals were delivered and her great relief that the waiters spoke English.

Philip Ryall and his team at Harvest Pilgrimages had the foresight and good fortune to book many rooms across Rome for pilgrims before the date of the canonisation of Mary MacKillop was even known or announced.

"We knew the canonisation would happen sometime during 2010 and based on pure speculation we began booking rooms and were very lucky that these coincided with the correct date," he says.

However, with more than 5000 pilgrims eager to travel to Rome for this once in a lifetime event, those thinking of making the trip should book as soon as possible.

"Demand is high," says Philip Ryall pointing out that on 17 October not only will Mary MacKillop be canonised, five others are being canonised. Two are from Italy, one from Spain, one is from Poland and one is from Canada so along with Australians, Rome is expecting an influx of pilgrims from each of these nations.

Together with being the official canonisation tour operator, Harvest Pilgrimages has also been appointed to handle all Canonisation Tickets for Australians.

"These tickets are an automatic part of our canonisation travel packages but for others wishing to attend the ceremony in St Peter's Square, they will need to register with us so we can apply for tickets on their behalf," he says.

The Sisters of  St Joseph are urging pilgrims to make their travel bookings through the official canonisation travel offices of Harvest Pilgrimages in order to streamline flights, accommodation and canonisation tickets.

For more information about the wide range of canonisation travel packages available, log on to www.canonisationtravel.com or phone 1-300-GO ROME (1-300-467 663).