05/16/2026
Enjoy the photo dump of our Council 1384 pilgrimage to the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in DC today.
The Vatican has designated this to be the Jubilee Year of St Francis, the 800th anniversary of his death, and has issued a Decree granting the faithful a plenary indulgence during the Year of Saint Francis.
We started off with breakfast at our Hall, then visited the Monastery, attended Mass lead by our own Fr. Alistair, and walked the Gardens and the Grotto of Lourdes replica.
We broke for lunch, shared a talk with Fr Sidawi, a Holy Land Franciscan & current guardian of the Monastery. Some made confessions and then all wrapped up with a guided tour of the the Upper Church where we saw full-size replicas of the Mount Calvary and Holy Sepulcher shrines in Jerusalem, plus reproductions of the Nazareth Annunciation and Bethlehem Nativity grottos. The tour concluded with a walk through of a reproduction of the catacombs of Rome, where the first Christians met to celebrate the Eucharist..
WOW what a wonderful day to spend with 42 brother Knights and their families, while exploring our faith and history as Christians and Catholics.
Thanks and HUGE kudos to Mike & Maureen Vernon and Steve Hennessy for organizing such an amazing day of fellowship and brotherhood. 👏 👏
And lastly, thanks to Fr Alistair for always being our faithful Chaplain and leading us today through our pilgrimage 🙏 🙏
St. Mary's Parish & School, Annapolis
Nockie De Love
Maryland State Council Knights of Columbus