Dear Fr. John,
Here are some suggestions for the sighted:
- Be prepared to truly assist a fellow traveler who is sight-impaired. This means more than helping them get to the bathroom. It may mean having them hold your arm as you make your way through exhibitions, describing what you're seeing, reading menus to them and bringing them plates of food from a buffet. As Christians, we believe it's a privilege to inconvenience yourself for someone else.
- Ask a sight-impaired person if they want to take your arm or elbow rather than grabbing their hand. People, whatever their situation, want to make their own decisions.
- When passing through a doorway, alert the sight-impaired person it's coming up and then go first through the door.
- In restrooms, mention where the flusher is, such as, The flusher is a button on the top of the tank.
- Couples usually consist of a sight-impaired person and their seeing spouse. Direct your comments as much to the sight-impaired person as to the seeing spouse.
Thank you for leading our Ireland trip, which was interesting on many fronts. You handled the logistics and we pilgrims with humor and grace.
Susan
Dennis and I had a wonderful time on the recent pilgrimage. We would be interested in going on another trip as long as you are the leader.
I was especially thrilled to be able to feel or touch so many things; carved furniture, stone walls, carving on pews, and especially the miniature of Saint Canice Cathedral and the surrounding area including Kilkenny Castle. A blind person cannot see large items like elephants, cathedrals, and castles in their entirety except if they are made into miniature. The people in Ireland were very kind about helping me and letting me touch things.
Meeting new people in our group and the fun we had riding around on the bus was great. Seamus was very good. Had he ever guided a group like ours before Calvin was great and a terrific driver from what I heard. I really loved the small intimate daily Mass. Your homilies get right to the point and are great.
I enjoyed the trip because it moved at a slower pace, allowing me to touch and really explore my surroundings. Dennis and I did not like the hotel in Dublin for the last two nights. not just because of their treatment of our group, but because it seemed old and the plumbing was weird. We did get pretty tired with all the moving around for the other nights. It was a bit stressful to have to pack up each day and be sure we had all our stuff. Maybe in the future we could have central location with a hotel and move out each day from that hotel to visit points of interest. I realize this is controlled by the points of interest.
Love, Lynn and Dennis Kelleher
Dear Father John,
I am most pleased to share my sentiments about the precious pilgrimage with you and the embracing entourage.
As an individual representing another component of the Christian family, I was deeply impressed with the complementary elements of the itinerary program during our pilgrimage journey through Ireland. The organizers created and conducted a beautiful blend of religious, historical, cultural and social experiences and events.
Each day was impeccably planned and organized which always included a thought provoking service ensconced in Irish abbeys, cathedrals, churches and chapels. Father John's homilies were particularly poignant and the part of the service that I looked forward most each day.
The composition of the group needed little time to connect, communicate and collaborate. The participants were engaging, thoughtful, compassionate and candid towards each other. Consequently, the conversations were lively and witty.
As sighted people, my husband and I were amazed at the adaptability and flexibility of the participants with sight challenges. We learned to "see" through their colorful prisms of viewing life, and we enjoyed assisting them as they shared their lives and wisdom with us.
I have traveled around the world for decades, yet, this trip meant my first pilgrimage. It was a moving and marvelous journey traversing the fascinating 5,000 years of Irish heritage. It changed our lives to become more patient and peaceful in the otherwise NYC minute mentality derived from living in Manhattan.
Thank you Father John!
Dr. Linda J. Stillman
Founder/Executive Chair
Young Global Leadership
Dear Father John,
Bernie and I had a wonderful time on the Pilgrimage to Ireland. With such a small group, we were able to spend time with each of the travelers, both directly and indirectly. Although Bernie's mother suffered from macular degeneration, we had little contact with or knowledge of others with limited sight or varying levels of blindness. With Bernie's "second career" as an optician, he was always trying to come up with optical ways to assist his mother's ability to play cards and watch her soap operas ... both which she continued to do until she was 100. But the trip for us was a real "eye opener" (pun intended) and an enjoyable experience which we would enjoy experiencing again. Can we plan a reunion??
We were amazed at just how engaged all the blind and limited sight participants were ... and everyone seemed to pitch in to ensure accessibility ... the sight of Gerry being lifted in her wheelchair at the Rock of Cashel comes to mind. Pam certainly got "down and dirty" at Rathbaun Farm, feeding the lamb and holding one in her arms. We were also touched by how accommodating participants as well as the guides would be at the various sites to ensure that each visitor got to enjoy the tour to the fullest. We often watched Dennis guide Lynn to places where she could feel the stone carving of the architecture, explaining details as she felt her way through the tour. And one docent at Kilkenny Castle led Robert through a "hands on" tour of the library and adjoining rooms, leading him "beyond the ropes" so he could fully experience the details of the furniture, wall covering, and wood carvings.
For us, there reached a point in our trip that everyone seemed so self-sufficient that it was easy to "forget" that some people still needed a little help here and there. Thanks for the "heads up" from you and Jim at the Merry Ploughboy Pub "nudging" me to ask Pam if she needed any help at the dinner table; she didn't, of course, but I needed the reminder to remain "aware."
There were so many wonderful moments ... Communion in the bus comes to mind ... and there are so many wonderful memories. Not enough good things can be said about our guide, Seamus, and our driver, Calvin. They were as much a part of our group as anyone. Too bad they couldn't be engaged in another tour, even outside of Ireland.
Would we travel again? Absolutely. The Marian Shrines come to mind ... maybe a trip through the shrines in France (Paris, LaSalette, Lourdes) to include additional stops in Lisieux, Rouen, Pontmain & Mont Saint-Michel (NW of Paris), Nevers, Paray-le-Monial, & Ars, (en route to LaSalette) Carcassonne and Toulouse (en route to Lourdes) ... I know, rather industrious! Bernie made a pilgrimage through many of the Spanish shrines that included stops in Lourdes, Garabandal, and Fatima ... said the Fatima was very commercialized and lacked the "feel" of a religious experience. But with the centennial fast approaching, I'm sure there is increased interest. Would also consider a cruise "retreat" ... no packing and unpacking!
Re pilgrimage. Wonderful experience. Both the religious and secular sites were awe inspiring. And the travel group was the best: congenial, knowledgeable, and just plain nice.
Berneda
Dear Father John
The most memorable parts of the pilgrimage to Ireland are the interactions between the people. Here are some examples.
- Everyday we celebrated Mass. Besides hearing insightful homilies by Fr John, the liturgy helped us focus on God and the eternal, and reminded us that we should conduct ourselves accordingly in all circumstances.
- We all helped each other out enthusiastically. Those of us with vision seemed to consider it a privilege to assist those of us without vision. Our tour guide and bus driver were ever-present to help us.
- We enjoyed each site, be it a church, castle, museum, whisky distillery, pub, hotel restaurant, for what it had to offer. There were relatively few complaints. A positive attitude (cup half full) helped make the pilgrimage enjoyable and memorable
Robert White 
