Greetings to Family and Friends of 2012 Pilgrims

In just a couple of weeks, the 2012 Pilgrims to the Holy Land will be walking in the footsteps of Jesus our Lord.  We will be gazing down the Mt. of Beatitudes and looking with great wonder and awe at the Sea of Galilee.  Our wonderful and delightful guide will be Fr. Peter Vasko, (pictured below with a precious little girl in Bethany) a Franciscan priest and the President of the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land.

During the 2010 Pilgrimage, I began posting videos from each day's adventures so that the folks back home could see their friends and loved ones.  Apparently, the families and friends back home were very appreciative, even though my videos were not that great.  (My dear wife suggested that I not give up my day job.)

One of the downsides to the way I did it, however, was that one could not view the videos on their iPhones or iPads back home.  So, through the suggestion of Errol Miller (2010 Pilgrim), I have set up this blog so that you can check in each day and I can keep you updated on our daily travels and you can check out the links each day (hopefully) to videos that have been posted to YouTube.  By doing this, the videos can be viewed on iPhones and iPads as well as on your computers.  If I don't get videos posted due to time constraints, I will at least try to post pictures and commentaries.

I ask your indulgence, however, as sometimes the internet connections are not that great and may be a bit slow. (Not to mention that the older I get, the slower I get.  Can't stay up quite as late as I use to editing videos.) I plan to carry a rented personal MiFi with me with the hopes that it will help out.  But, I will do my best to keep you up to date.  Also, keep in mind that we will be 7 hours ahead of you in the Holy Land.

I hope, and pray, that this blog will keep you close to your loved ones while they are away from home.  They will, I can almost promise you, come back changed in their faith walk with the Lord.  They will be enriched in their Catholic Christian faith as they walk where Jesus walked and as they experience the reality of the places and events where their Catholic Church was established by Jesus 2000 years ago.

Much more to come.