Early on Tuesday morning, July 8, about 50 adventurers gathered on the sidewalk in front of Mother of God Church with their suitcases, eager to embark on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Kentucky, aka Bardstown and the nearby Abbey of Gethsemani. There was also a stop at Hodgenville to see the boyhood home of Abraham Lincoln.

The travelers toured My Old Kentucky Home, where American songwriter Stephen Foster often visited. Later that evening, they attended a performance of The Stephen Foster Story. Also on that day's schedule was a stop at St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral, which was built in 1816 and was the first cathedral established west of the Alleghenies.

On Wednesday, the group traveled to the Abbey of Gethsemani, where Fr. Comer celebrated Mass in the guest chapel. Then, Brother Luke Armour gave them a guided tour of the grounds, including the grave of Thomas Merton, who was simply known to his fellow monks as Father Louis.

A final stop in Hodgenville for lunch and a visit to the Lincoln Museum and his boyhood home rounded out the trip.

Mary Ann Kelly, pastoral assistant, did an excellent job of organizing the excursion, with help from Martha Cannon and Patti Steinmetz. Every meal was delicious, and she and her daughters Emma and Mary Catherine, made sure there were plenty of snacks and drinks available.

In addition to being an enriching and prayerful experience, it was also a wonderful opportunity for the travelers to get to know each other better.