steve ray holy land tours

INHERITANCE PILGRIMAGES

Welcome to Inheritance Pilgrimages

Grow in holiness on a life-changing pilgrimage to the holy land., about inheritance.

For many young people, the Holy Land may be out of reach—we are changing that. Inheritance Pilgrimages are cut from the same cloth as Steve Ray’s Footprints of God Pilgrimages , but with budget friendly meals and accommodations aimed at more youthful travelers. We are forging a path to the Holy Land for young, catholic adults.

Our Mission

To bring young Catholics, students, and those discerning priesthood and religious life to the Holy Land by subsidizing life-changing pilgrimages.

Meet Our Team

Steve & janet ray.

Steve and Janet have been to the Holy Land over 200 times exploring, filming, and leading thousands of pilgrims. Steve is a regular guest on Catholic radio and TV including Catholic Answers, Ave Maria Radio, Relevant Radio, and EWTN. While Steve’s role as advisor will not place him on each of the Inheritance Pilgrimages, he will ensure that only best local Catholic guides will lead our pilgrims.

Jesse & Anna Ray

Jesse’s first pilgrimage to the Holy Land was at the age of 15 just after converting to the Catholic faith. Since then he has traveled there four more times including once with Anna shortly after they were married. Three of their 8 children have also been blessed to go to the Holy Land.

Cindy (Ray) Brown

Cindy, a Ph.D in Philosophy, had her first Holy Land experience as an 18 year old and returned for 3 additional pilgrimages including bringing her three oldest children.

Stay in touch.

GET IN TOUCH

• Power and Purpose
• Priests Deacons Seminarians Retreat
• St. John Bosco
• Applied Biblical Studies

Defending the Faith

• Ambassadors
• Main Campus
• Regional Locations
• Franciscan LEAD
• Discipleship Quads
• Institute for Diaconate Renewal
• Faith & Reason

Steve Ray is an intrepid traveler, expert on the Holy Land, popular Catholic apologist, documentary producer, Bible teacher and best-selling author. He also appears on many TV and radio shows. Steve is one of the most fascinating and inspiring Catholic speakers around and is appropriately dubbed “Jerusalem Jones.” His popular film series The Footprints of God has inspired and enriched the faith of thousands around the world. Steve leads pilgrimages to the Holy Land and other biblical and Catholic sites. He has been married to Janet for 43 years and is the father of 4 and grandfather of 17.

July 26-28, 2024

Contact Steve

Steve is unable to answer all the questions he receives. We are concerned about you and your questions, but due to the increased number of e-mails Steve receives and the demands on his time (due to writing deadlines, travel for the Footprints of God video series, leading pilgrimages , teaching at conferences, writing, and trying to keep the lawn mowed 🙂 please consider the following:

1. Steve has provided writings and studies to answer many of the most common questions. Also his books, videos, and audio CD’s will answer many of the frequently asked questions.

2. Steve’s Discussion Board is a very helpful and personal resource. You can easily join many different forums with knowledgeable Catholics who are ready and willing to answer questions and help with understanding and defending the Catholic faith.

3. If you have specific questions about the Bible, the Catholic Church, or if you need personal guidance about the Catholic faith, there are many great apologetic and general Catholic sites listed on my Link’s page . Check out Biblical Evidence for Catholicism .

4. I would specifically recommend  Catholic Answers with a marvelous set of resources and several Catholic apologists trained to answer inquiries about Catholicism. You can call their Apologist’s Line free of charge at 619-387-7200 (Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM, Pacific Time).

5. If you are considering converting to the Catholic faith, you can find compassionate and understanding guidance from The Coming Home Network .

6. Other great sources for information can be found here: Haydock Bible Commentary , Catholic Encyclopedia , Fathers writing on the Gospels , Aquinas’ Summa Theologica , Fr. Hardon’s Bible Dictionary , On-line Catechism , Vatican website , and EWTN .

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If you do need to contact Steve Ray personally he will try to respond but please understand that he receives about 100 e-mails a day and although he tries to respond to each one, his responses may be short, delayed, or impossible.

We apologize for this inconvenience. Thanks for understanding and we hope you enjoy this website and find all the resources helpful.

If you still need to contact Steve Ray, send him an e-mail at [email protected] .

This Post Has 149 Comments

I would love to bring you to New York for a Conference. We would like to know how much it would cost to bring you to New York. What will be the best time? What topic you have in your collection of conference would be good for a Parish that may need an intro to the Catholic faith. I would be inviting people from our cluster, and throughout of New York and possibly in New Jersey. Please Mr. Ray, we would like to bring to New York.

Please contact me at 718-392-0011/ 718-937-5174/ 347-901-3155. You can also e-mail me

Thank you for reading my letter and blessed Advent and Christmas to you and your family.

Juan Rodriguez Pastoral Associate

Received a call from Mr. J. Ray. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CALL. As for the dates, I was looking on your site for dates, just to compare what does you would work for you and for us. Your e-calendar was giving me problems, it would malfunction.

The Months I would like to throw at you would be June, July, August, – Probably September or October to give us time to promote in our area, our cluster and throughout the New York area.

This would be the first time having this event, or in my experience my first time setting it up. Definitely will call to get more details. Your site gives me some leads. Did some research on the Hotel as the one you work with the most is just a 50 Blocks from our area – nearest to Laguardia Airport.

I am also connecting with my contacts to see if they will sponsor this event, so that we may provide the money in time for Steve’s visit.

Please send me an idea for Sept or Oct. that way I can present the plans to my Pastor. I am looking forward in hearing from you, and I hope before you get this email that I can call you.

God bless you and keep you safe.

Juan Rodriguez

I am interested in keeping in touch with this website and especially with you Steve Ray. I am a Catholic from a third world where Catholic faith is thriving but on milk. The materials and discussions on this and other Catholoc sites have really attracted my interest and keenness to learn more from them.

I hope I can keep in touch and learn more on the faith.

God Bless you all and Very Merry Christmas!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

LUIZ CAMACHO ( BRAZIL )

OBS : I AM AT FACEBOOK AND TWITTER

Dear Mr. Steve Ray,

Good Day sir!

I have a thesis project and I have chosen this topic “Catholic beliefs on After Life” Is this topic okay? Or is it disrespectful for our Catholic Faith? – maybe because we shouldn’t talk about things beyond our knowledge or things which God is the only one who knew?

Any comments bad or good is very much welcomed. Your reply would be deeply appreciated. Thank You so much! More Power!

Sincerely yours, Jamie

STEVE RAY HERE. THAT IS A PERFECTLY GOOD TOPIC. BE SURE TO QUOTS FROM THE CATECHISM.

Dear Steve I just read your article on the Epiphany. Yes Luke’s Gospel account of the Nativity is Mary’s recollection of events. I was looking up the ‘Black Madonna’ ‘Our Lady of Poland’ – St. Luke painted the portrait of Our Lady on a tabletop fashioned by Jesus in his carpenter days and while he was painting her, she recounted the whole story to him.

Hi Mr. Ray! Love your Footprints videos and your writings. Praying for the opportunity to go on a pilgrimage with you someday too! Recently my son shared a new YouTube video that has become frighteningly popular, in fact the idea it perpetuates has become popular too. It is “I hate religion, I love Jesus”. It suggests that Jesus hates religion too, and came to abolish religion!!! I would give you the link but I don’t want to give these ideas any more publicity… I am sure you could find it in a search, I just don’t want to give it free advertising on your website. I know that much of what the young poet says is false and based on an improper personal interpretation of the Bible, however, I wondered if you had any writings on this whole idea. We are surrounded with a very strong Protestant base of folks in our small town in Central California and this idea my sons friends are latching onto seems very dangerous. Any books, pamphlets,CDs or writings you have or could recommend on this topic would be great! Thank you and God Bless you and your work!!

Quick question.. is the Hebrew root word for sheep pen the same as for the Holy of Holies?

I tried to analyze the two words in Hebrew and got nowhere.

Wondering if enough money was raised to finish the dvd series. Terri Padilla Midland, TX

Check out this amazing website which shows the scale of the universe from the smallest things we know to the unimagineably large. This demonstrates the power of God and helps poor sinners like me rememeber that without God I am nothing but a specle of dust.

http://htwins.net/scale2/ Regards Frank

sir, greetings , Iam watching the program in shalom TV It is really improving the catholic belives .

Scientifically this is big news and could be of interest to some of your readers. In the Jan 2012 edition of New Scientist (magazine) it was stated that scientists are now facing up to the problem of the universe having a beginning – until recently they could postulate that it was eternal and the main theories to support this were “eternal inflation” and “multiverses”. However, as the article reports, the problem (for them) is that the equations didnt work when tested and they are now back where they started with a creation event!

The New Scientist article is here (but you will need a log in so i have pasted the article in full below)

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21328474.400-why-physicists-cant-avoid-a-creation-event.html

Article in full

Why physicists can’t avoid a creation event

The big bang may not have been the beginning of everything – but new calculations suggest we still need a cosmic starter gun. You could call them the worst birthday presents ever. At themeeting of minds convened last week tohonour Stephen Hawking’s 70th birthday- loftily titled “State of the Universe” – two bold proposals posed serious threats to our existing understanding of the cosmos.One shows that a problematic object called a naked singularity is a lot more likely to exist than previously assumed (see ” Naked black-hole hearts live in the fifth dimension”). The other suggests thatthe universe is not eternal, resurrecting the thorny question of how to kick-start the cosmos without the hand of a supernatural creator.

While many of us may be OK with the idea of the big bang simply starting everything, physicists,including Hawking, tend to shy away from cosmic genesis. “A point of creation would be a place where science broke down. One would have to appeal to religion and the hand of God,” Hawking told themeeting, at the University of Cambridge, in a pre-recorded speech. For a while it looked like it might be possible to dodge this problem, by relying on models such as an eternally inflating or cyclic universe, both of which seemed to continue infinitely in the past as well asthe future. Perhaps surprisingly, these were also both compatible with the big bang, the idea that theuniverse most likely burst forth from an extremely dense, hot state about 13.7 billion years ago.However, as cosmologist Alexander Vilenkinof Tufts University in Boston explained last week, that hope has been gradually fading and may now be dead. He showed that all these theories still demand a beginning. His first target was eternal inflation. Proposed byAlan Guthof the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981, inflationsays that in the few slivers of a second after the big bang, the universe doubled in size thousands of times before settling into the calmer expansion we see today. This helped to explain why parts of the universe so distant that they could never have communicated with each other look the same. Eternal inflation is essentially an expansion of Guth’s idea, and says that the universe grows at this breakneck pace forever, by constantly giving birth to smaller “bubble” universes within an ever-expandingmultiverse, each of which goes through its own initial period of inflation. Crucially, some versions of eternal inflation applied to time as well as space, with the bubbles forming both backward .But in 2003, a team including Vilenkin and Guth considered what eternal inflation would mean for the Hubble constant, which describes mathematically the expansion of the universe. They found that the equations didn’t work “You can’t construct a space-time with this property,” says Vilenkin. It turns out that the constant has a lower limit that prevents inflation in both time directions. “It can’t possibly be eternal in the past,” says Vilenkin.”There must be some kind of boundary.”

Steve, I listen to you often on Relevant Radio and love listening to you talk about the saints as if they are your personal friends and family. For this reason I am contacting you for recommendations. My daughter’s class will be preparing for Confirmation next year. I know part of that is selecting a saint name. Many years ago when I was confirmed there was no guidance on selecting a name. I’d like to provide the kids with a book or two regarding saints that will get them thinking ahead for confirmation. My thought is to get the books to them this summer so they have time to read and reflect before classes start in the fall.

Can you recommend some books and also websites that discuss the saints?

Thanks very much for your help.

Steve, At this morning’s Mass at Holy Family in Orlando for the closing of the Fortnight we had all the priests (3 active and 1 retired) plus 2 Deacons celebrating. Awesome Mass! One of the deacons (a retired state appeals court judge) did the Homily and stressed how God is so centered in our nation and how important are this year’s elections are, (rare standing ovation after a homily). You would’ve love to have been there! Happy blessed 4th of July to you and your family. Thank you for all that you do! God bless you, David Mackin

Dear Mr. Ray I am sorry to hear about your father! Lily, a lady from the Knoxville area, directed me to your site for the first time today. She said she has gone on a trip to the Holy Land with you, and send her prayers and best wishes.

Lily and I started talking when she was trying to set up Lighthouse CDs at her local Church. I have been giving them away, so her number was forwarded to me. You have just a few talks distributed by Lighthouse, and I was wondering, if I bought in quantity and then give them away free, could I receive a cheaper price? Depending on the price, I might be interested in 50 to 100 of many of your complete talk CDs. If you think of each talk/CD as a seed of faith being planted for eternal glory, together we can be a dandelions in God’s garden. I know I might not be the prettiest of God’s flowers, yet I love to plant seeds. Thank you for all you have done so far!

May God continue to bless us, Christina

PEACE! “Therefore, in order to say a little about this dark night, I shall trust neither to experience nor to knowledge, since both may fail and deceive; but, while not omitting to make such use as I can of these two things, I shall avail myself, in all that, with the Divine favour, I have to say, or at the least, in that which is most important and dark to the understanding, of Divine Scripture; for, if we guide ourselves by this we shall be unable to stray, since He Who speaks therein is the Holy Spirit. And if in aught, I stray, whether through my imperfect understanding of that which is said in it or of matters unconnected with it, it is not my intention to depart from the sound sense and doctrine of our Holy Mother the Catholic Church; for in such a case I submit and resign myself wholly, not only to her command, but to whatever better judgment she may pronounce concerning it. (St. John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, Prologue, no. 2, p. I I in the E. Allison Peers translation, The Newman Press, Westminster, Maryland.) I loved Crossing the Tiber

is there a floating holy rock in Jerusalem? a rock that is floating in air?

I’m not sure if you keep up with boxing, but Manny Pacquiao, who was well known for being Catholic, was converted by Rick Warren. His conversion story from what I’ve seen, shows his lack of understanding of our faith and claims that Catholicism did not help him overcome his own sinfulness. Of course the media is eating this up and many anti-Catholics will be using this as ammunition.

The point I am getting to is that, I think that Catholicism doesn’t have enough of a strong influence in mainstream media, and the one Catholic who was very well known (for being Catholic) was converted. I would like to request that, maybe, you can approach him and talk to him like Rick Warren did. Manny, is after all, still a brother, and we cannot sit idly by while others like Rick Warren are converting Catholic celebrities.

Well, it’s only a request 😀 and I pray that God will guide you in your decision. God bless 🙂

Dear Mr. Ray, My husband and I would like to go on a pilgrimage to Israel. My husband is an Evangelical. I was an Evangelical up until 2008 when I returned to the Catholic Faith with my husband’s blessings. He would tend toward going with someone like Joel Rosenburg. I ofcourse lean toward you. Have you had other Evangelicals on your pilgrimage and if so how does it work out for them? God bless your ministry. Peggy

Steve, Just a comment about Petros/Petra. Maybe the Greek would approximate “You are Rochelle and on this rock …” when the gender slant would be more like ‘Rocky’ or ‘Rock’.

Bob Wait (a recent member of your Jan/Feb Pilgrimage)

Dear Steve,

Thank you for your wonderful and awesome ministry! You are inspiration to me, especially the love and cheerful passion you have when defending the Faith.

I have a quick question that occurred to me while listening to your talk about neopaganism at Franciscan University. Do you have any reference to writings about pagans during the Roman Empire in which they described the practices of the early church. This will be a great additional resource to fellow non-catholic christians that shows that the early christians where very Catholics.

Cheers and God Bless!

just finished breakfast with the family after Easter Sunday mass at our Lady of Victory Basilica. during mass i thought of you and the great pilgramage to the holy land and wanted to say A BIG THANK YOU for guiding us and so many to and through the holy land! Happy Easter to you and your family

Steve I just wanted to ask you about the letter you wrote to your father about becoming Catholic but being raised Baptist I was raised Baptist also and have become Catholic and my mother is against it so I would like to writ her a letter also to help her understand it Please help me to help her.

Thank you Teresa White

Last night, I was lucky enough to be able to attend a talk that St John the Baptist in New Brighton offered where I could hear Steve in person. What a thrill! He lays the truth out about the Catholic Church being the One True Church in such a simple-to-express format that now I can tell anti-Catholics, friends who have questions, and my soon-to-be daughter-in-law who came into the Church at this years’s Easter Vigil (who I was sponsor for) additional information about how fortunate and blessed she is to be in Jesus’ true Church. Thank you, Steve, for your gift and sacrifices to witness and explain our beautiful faith in an easy-to-understand, picturesque explanations of the Holy Land, and love of the faith to all of us. What a gift you are! I live about 45 minutes from New Brighton and really wish my parish would look into having Steve talk at our church as well! God Bless always!

Peace be to You Steve,

May I know if when in Jacksonville (april 15th) will you have for sale your CD’s Born Again, Your Conversion Story (would this be the same story as on the CD Finding The Fullness of Faith by lighthouse) and other stuff?

God Bless and wish you a Peacefull and Safe trip,

Dear Steve, Small Question – Is there mention in the Scriptures about the Birth Of The Muslim Prophet Muhamad ?

Thanks n God Bless Hope to see u again in Mumbai.

Hello, I have a book to recommend which I have bought for my mother. She liked it a lot as it presents Pope Francis in a simple and warm way, ideal for those who may wish to reconvert. Here is the link if you would like to post an advert on your blog.ù Thank you very much for the kind attention. Best regards,

Julia Gillman

BOOK RECOMMENDED Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis in Rome https://www.createspace.com/4248583

Steve I don’t Know if you and Janet are out of the country, but if you are not and your scheadual is opne on Sept. 22, 13 around 6pm we would like to invite the both of you to the premear of The Real One Nation Under God, at the imagine theator in Novi. We really need some input on the film. Larry

Thank for the reply Stephen, have a blessed trip with everyone will keep you all in prayer Larry

Greetings Steve, would it be possible to get an address for you as my priest, Father Lawrence Smith, would like to send you some materials to you for your consideration.

Thank you, Lee Furtak

Deat Steve,are coming to Norwich,Ct.on the 28th or the 29th of sept.

Hi Steve and Janet

We would like you to speak in the Indian River Michigan area I know you have family in the area which would make it more convient, Please contact me and let me know if that is doable. Tom McMahon Baraga Broadcasting [email protected] 989 306 3168 Your coming is important to a lot of people up here,so i will become like the widow bugging the judge.

God Bless you and your family

Tom McMahon

STEVE RAY HEREIf you fill out a simple form that we have on my website http://WWW.InviteSteve.com my son Jesse will get that form. He manages all my speaking and traveling and may be you and he could set something up for early July when we usually come to Indian River.

Steve, I tried to search your website but couldn’t find anything about JOSEPH (Jesus’s stepfather). Do we have any writings or traditions that tell us anymore about Joseph then the little bit we read about in the Bible?

PS THANK YOU for being you. My mother prayed for over 20 years that I’d leave Fundamentalism and return to The Church. Oh I was very rude to her at times, since she didn’t know the bible (I was so arrogant…ugh). With the witness of Al Kresta and a friend giving me some CD’s of a conference you made, I was able to return and embrace so many things I was turned-off by (turned off only because as a Catholic in the 80’s there was not a solid teaching to understand and defend the Faith)… Peace to you and your loved-ones.

I have a problem my 12 year old son who is currently 7th grader at a Catholic school has decided to write a paper on how “True Communism” is the ideal political system, first practiced by monk and religious centuries ago. Everyone works and everyone gets what they need. His history teacher is ok with his rough draft and has initiated that he could have this be his major paper for the semester. His religion teacher told me she mention that a good thing that came out of Hitler was due to his experiments with children we came to know their nutritional needs! These 2 teachers don’t want to discourage his creative process and are happy he is showing maturity in writing on a mature topic. WOW!! My older daughter finds contempt with his reasoning and has told him he is completely wrong and not to embarrass our family by writing such untruths. We have talked over the years about the causes and effects of WW2 as a family. We watched Hunger Games with him and pointed out that this is a portrayal of post-modern communism and how it demeans the human person. He also plays a game on the internet called “Nation States” where he creates his own country and its rules as he wishes. Since he knows we disapprove he is not willing to hear us. Any resources to help us form him, something to watch or read something from a Pope? Thanks for your time.

I would like to ask your mother to pray for my friend Steve W. in the hopes that it will work with him as it did with you! 🙂

May you send me your mailing address?

God bless you.

Steve, I am a recent convert to the catholic faith. I currently live in Malta with my fiance, she and I are both blind and are to be wed on 8 March 2014. Actually she is the person who has inspired me to live a better life and leave my lutheran roots. Also she is the same person who introduced me to your programmes. Considering the time difference we are not able to always hear your talks but we do try and listen to you on EWTN through tune in radio as much as we can. God’s Blessing and I hope that we are able to meet one day.

Steve, we are doing a bible study on John at our Church and we are just getting to 1 John 5: 16-17. it would appear that John is describing the difference between Venial and Mortal Sin, One that you can pray for forgiveness and the other that you would need to Confess to someone. I have searched for some commentary on these versus and get a very convoluted answer from Protestant sources none of them deal with a difference between the types of sin or with a good way to remedy a mortal sin. Can you direct me to a good Catholic commentary on these versus.

Dear Mr Ray,

I’m an Australian Catholic living in London and your number one fan. I’m taking my 2 oldest kids to Rome for the Canonisations on 27 April and I heard on a recent Catholic Answers podcast that you’ll be there with one of your tours. I know you’re extremely busy but I’d love to just say a quick G’day and shake your hand. There will probably be a million people trying to get into St Peter’s Square but there’s aways a chance I run into you. I’ll be carying an Australian and Papua New Guinean flag.

Your brother in Christ Dave McCleary

We are planning to attend an “Easter Concert” this Saturday in Kalamazoo entitled “Lamb of God”. We just learned that many, if not all, of the performers are Mormon. Do you know any thing about this concert?

Thanks, Andy

Hi Steve – My husband and I were on your Feb 9-18 Holy Land Pilgrimage. Would it be possible for us to purchase more of the olive-wood rosaries made by the nuns in the Holy Land in order to continue our support for them? Our Catholic gift shop is interested in selling them and in so doing letting others know about those Christians persecuted in the Holy Land. Please let me know how we could do so. Thank you

STEVE RAY HERE: Yes, we can do that. We will communicate by email.

love what you do, Steve. Your website is a treasure trove of great Catholic articles. wonder why a number of the hyperlinks are dead ends – Peter and Keys, etc. can’t wait to go through your site with all the links open. one of these days, i will take another Holy Land pilgrimage but this time with your group. thank you. thank you. thank you.

Hey Steve, Got ur books. Love Crossing the Tiber. I give copies to protestant friends. Would be nice to have a CD or DVD made of you talking directly to non catholics about the Catholic Faith. Seems like most apologists direct their books and CD’s towards educating catholics. Just a thought. Thanks. Hope to go on a trip with you sometime. Saw you in Jerusalem a couple of years ago. God Bless dennis

Hello Steve, Currently, I am wrestling with my spiritual journey. I found your conversion story very moving. I am a Baptist Minister. I have been serving as a Pastor for over 8 years. I served four years as a Army Chaplain. However, with many questions and realizing the loss of tradition and reverence for God in Christian Church I have been praying to God to help me lead my family in a Sacred Holy Church that is going to have reverence for God. I am really hurting. Please call me or email me at your earliest convenience. (209) 500-8434 / [email protected]

Dear Steve and Janet Please join me in praying for the young baptized Catholic men in my family and in the world, who seem to be swaying in the breeze. I sometimes say to my friends “Where have all our priests/priestly vocations gone? To protestant churches…where they become very active…” We are praying God to keep those who are still with us and bring the others home so that the Eucharist can be celebrated everywhere. Thank you Monica

Hello Steve, I am having kind of a hard time contacting someone to order some of your “The Footprints of God” Cds. I want so bad to order some. Please give me the Best way to contact someone so that I can order some of your DC’s as soon as possible.. Thank you so much! Joan Sirois

Please send me the Best way to contact someone about ordering Steve Rays “Footprints of God” CD’s. Thank You!

Hello, Mr Ray, First I want to express my admiration to your work, and your inspiring testimony, I know that maybe your not respond my email, and i Understand why, more than a question, i have a concern, I’m from Colombia, living in south Florida, I’m trying to live my faith the best I can, and learn about it, like you, sometimes i like to know what other “Christians” say about us Catholics, in the Latin country’s, new churches and sects , who call themselves Christians, many times stated that Constantine found the Catholic “sect” and make Christianity a pagan Religion, also many stated that the popes where pagan, and corrupt, is there any serious document, book, or any other resource that help to deny with valid arguments all this accusations? also my thinking is there we need in our local Churches people prepared to teach others all this topics, so when someone come to challenge our faith, we can defend with love, compassion but with knowledge our beautiful and rich Catholic Faith, I apologize for my English, and I hope you understand what i meant in my message , I will Pray for you and your family, and your great Ministry.

With Respect

Humberto Gomez

Dear Steve, I just listened to your conversion story and was so touched by you and your wife’s crying at the Mass.

I’m currently in RCIA at Ss. Cyril & Methodius and heard you speak at the apologetics conference there last month…what a blessing it was. I too often cry at the Mass . I won’t share my conversion story here but just wanted to share a moment I had at a particular Mass. It was a Mass were they celebrated us RCIA students and we were sitting in front and it has a “packed house”. Fr. John was right in front of me serving Communion, I noticed he kept looking up, I suspect to see if the line was ending soon because he was working so hard….and I just knew he was doing as Jesus commanded St. Peter….”feed my sheep”. I felt so completely blessed by this moment, it too made me weep.

Thanks for sharing your story. And please pray for my Protestant husband and friends.

Hi Steve, If Peter is our first pope in the Catholic church are we to assume that He and all the other writers of the new testament are also Catholic’s? Do you have or could you do a documentary on why the writers of the New Testament are indeed Catholic’s? Or would this offend our Protestant friends………please let me know. Thanks Joe

JOE: STEVE RAY HERE: The first time the title “Catholic Church” was used was about 107 AD by St. Ignatius of Antioch who was a disciple of the Apostles and ordained by Peter. His use of the title Catholic demonstrates that it was in common use in the early Church. Yes, the early Church was catholic which means “universal.’ I wouldn’t worry about offending, I would be more concerned with telling the whole truth which our Protestant brothers and sisters need to know.

I attended the Appleton, Wisconsin Esto Vir conference today at St. Pius X Parish Church today and loved your talks. Thanks to God for what you converts bring to the Church! I am a revert that is doing my best to be involved in the church that I dearly love. And … it was the Eucharist that brought me back. I love reading the word of God as a lector, and giving out communion is such a blessing, but receiving Christ in communion is so profound I still often weep at the meaning of it. Among other things I am studying to be a Secular franciscan. Anyway, thank you for what you’re doing, and please don’t stop anytime soon.

Lord may your word always be on my mind, on my lips and in my heart.

My wife and I just finished watching your long-awaited DVD, Abraham: Father of Faith and Works. Magnificent! I always suspected that to shoot this film on location in places like Iraq, Turkey, and the West Bank would be very difficult, and downright dangerous!

But you gallantly downplayed these difficulties in the program, and stuck to the subject, which is God’s intervention in history and His mercy for each one of us. And, as with all the other DVDs, you make it all come to life in an exciting and entertaining manner.

Thanks to you and Janet for pursuing this great work for Jesus and His Church. May he abundantly bless your family.

Don R. Caffery Baton Rouge, LA

Dear Br. Steve, My protestant friend quoted Matthew1:25 the other day to me which apparently denies the virginity of Mary. Also, he said that if Mary did not have powers on earth to work miracles during her lifetime, how can she have powers after her death while in heaven. I was both stumped & put to shame, for I didn’t know how to answer him. I tried the answer to this in the book “The Essentials of Catholic Faith” but could not find one. Can you pls help me, Sir?

STEVE RAY HERE: Start with this: http://www.catholic.com/tracts/mary-ever-virgin

until she had borne a son: This verse has caused trouble since the early heresies of the Helvidians and the Jovinians, who concluded from it that Mary and Joseph had marital relations after the birth of Jesus. The implication, easily taken in English, is not present in the Gk particle (he?s), and still less if we suppose a Semitic background of the passage. The NT knows nothing of any children of Mary and Joseph. Matthew’s interest here is in the affirmation that Joseph is not the natural father of Jesus, and his language is determined by this interest. The agent of the conception of Jesus is “a Holy Spirit” (1:20). This term is used in the OT to designate God’s mysterious power; it is not used to designate the agent of human conception.

Then you should read this document. It is long and detailed but it will prepare you we’ll

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf206.vi.v.html .

I am a Muslim and I want to convert to Christian can you help.

STEVE RAY HERE: Sharjil, if you are serious about this you can contact me at [email protected] .

Hi Mr. Ray, I was moved by your comments about your father the other day on the Catholic Answers radio show. My wife and I have decided to enter the Catholic Church (probably through the ordinariate of St Peter, as I was raised in the Episcopal Church) because I’m convinced that there is truth in the Catholic Church (clearly, there has been a dramatic and rapid decline in the residual truth left in the Episcopal church). My dad was a cradle Episcopalian and died a committed believer 10 years ago. He was my best friend and role model for the first 33 years of my life–and he was the primary driver in my accepting Christ as my lord and savior. I’m saddened to consider that he might not be in heaven–so I found your comments about your dad particularly heartening. Besides continuing to pray for my dad, what does the Church teach that I shoud do for my dad now? (I’m only through the first 1/3 of the CCC and my understanding of indulgences and requiem masses is fuzzy.). Thank you for your time. Dave Hart

I wanted to congratulate for your communication style. I had the chance to hear you on YouTube and I like you very much. I want to add two points to what you said in your speech about to be born again from Water and Holy Spirit.

In the Bible we can infer the existence of Purgatory. Jesus says that the sins against the Holy Ghost will not be forgiven in this life and in the other. So this imply that there are sins that can be forgiven in the other life and so Our Lord is implicitly talking about Purgatory (Matt 12:32)

Also in the Second Book of Maccabees it is written that is holy to pray for the dead (2Mac 12:46). In some translations verse 45 and 46 are one verse and the translation of Douay-Rheims is the best (the translation of the Bible of Jerusalem is not very good).

I did not want to send an email because you receive already a lot of them.

God bless and keep it up ! Luigi

Sir, I just to ask when you said that the chair of Pope was inherited from Moses. Is it true? That chair still intact for 3,500 years now? I dont know the composition of the chair if its a wood or steel? or the chair meant a Position by Pope that he inherited, I dont know, I was confused? pls help me.

I really love watching you preaching, you are really great, very effective. And I share it on my facebook, so that fellow christians who question me always,will saw it. Sometimes I dont knw how to handle them. God bless you more, I wish many will convert to catholic after hearing your speech.

STEVE RAY HERE: The chair is symbolic. There is not an actual chair that Moses sat in that is now in Rome for the Pope. It is an office, a symbolic chair that represents the authority.

Steve, heard you on Catholic Answers today. You mentioned the seamless garment of Christ and implied he may have gotten it from one of his wealthy followers. Another possibility that I’ve heard is … it was like the seamless garment that the High Priest wore for sacrifices. Customarily at the time, the garment was made by the priest’s mother.

Thanks for that observation. It is very likely since I do believe Mary was from the priestly line of Aaron — since she was a close relative of Elizabeth and Zechariah, both of whom were from the pure line of the Aaronic priesthood. Thanks for sharing that. I will do some research.

Steve Ray CatholicConvert.com Follow Steve @Twitter.com/JerusalemJones

Steve, I am a Jewish physician and my partner is Catholic. We are almost completely like-minded on religion and politics. He has sent me several links to your blogs and I just wanted to say that I enjoy you and your perspective. Marc

I ONE OF YOUR TALKS YOU STATED THAT THERE ARE 50 BIBLE VERSUS THAT ALL CATHOLICS SHOULD KNOW AND THEY WERE ON YOUR SITE. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THEM. CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE TO FIND THEM.

Steve Ray here: John, thanks for your question. I do not have such a list on my website (though I do mention we should have our kids memorize 150 of the most important verses before they drive their first time). I would recommend Patrick Madrid’s book “150 Verses Every Catholic Should Know.”

Happy Easter to you! I just want to share with you a reflection that I made on why we, as Catholics, venerate the Cross. This is the link to my essay: https://www.facebook.com/notes/john-bernard-ordo%C3%B1ez-caasi/why-jesus-christ-remains-on-the-catholic-cross/1303686139645640 .

This also contains some parts of my conversion story. Your insights on the essay will be highly appreciated. You may also freely share it with your friends.

I am also requesting for your prayers since this is the first time that I officially announced publicly that I have indeed reverted back to the Catholic Faith. Many people have reacted to it already and please pray that the Holy Spirit would guide me in answering different queries about our Faith.

Thank you so much! I am always praying for you, too. God bless!

-bernz from the Philippines

An alternate way of salvation “You are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.” 1 Co 5, 5. (Please start reading from 1 Co 5, 1.) Does this passage mean that free will is not an option? Is this an alternate way of salvation besides the acceptance of Jesus eternal sacrifice on the cross?

There is a religious congregation founded by William Marion Branham that practices to deliver people to Satan through a ceremony if those people refuse to comply with the teaching of the congregation. They claim it’s in the bible referring the above passage. I really need to give an answer to my brother-in-law who is a member of this group. Jean Joseph

Hello Steve, I cannot imagine how busy you must be. I met you at the Lighthouse Catholic Media conference in Mundelein IL last Oct. We all met your son, Jesse–what a delight of a kid. I am an Account Mgr in Southern CA for LCM and ALWAYS promote your CDs and books. I also volunteer for Terry Barber a couple of times a week. Never a dull moment there… While listening to Immaculate Heart Radio, I had the idea to call Mother Miriam to see if she would be interested in leading a trip to Malta to visit Cardinal Raymond Burke… but alas, she turned me down. Too busy. Her assistant , Mary, mentioned that you had also wanted her head up a trip to the Holy Land and she said she was too busy. Well—how about if WE all go to Tulsa for a fund raiser for the convent?? How about a spiritual warfare apologetic one day all day conference? Mother announces it on her show. We radio listeners all email all of our friends, etc.

How does your schedule look for the Saturdays in October?–2016? Too soon? I proposed the idea in an email about an hour ago to Mary–who will propose it to Mother Miriam and IF you could possibly check your schedule… and what is your honorarium ? I already checked on airfare from Lansing or Detroit(?) to Tulsa…

Please let me know what you think of the idea. I KNOW the Daughters of Israel always need the $$s AND anyone who comes for the event will be all the better off…. learn our Faith, share our Faith… learn to Defend our Faith…

Yours in Christ… Thy Will Be Done,

Christine Pleuss Alhambra, CA 808-218-3540

I was wondering if you need any public speakers. I’m one of the most educated debaters for God’s existence.

Check out my FREE book at GODEXISTSBOOK.COM

You should really read the “Atheist Questions and Answers” chapter.

Hello Steve. I’m heart broken. My cousin is a fallen away Catholic who has always been a Bible believing – Jesus loving sister in Christ to me. In recent weeks as my love for my Catholic faith grows deeper and deeper, there is a divide also growing between us as women of faith. My cousin fully believes that evil is in the foundation of the Roman Catholic Church, that Catholic doctrine is evil, that Jesuit orders are to infiltrate all of the different religions, is involved in leading its church into the One World Gov’t . She is upset that I seek answers to the charges she raises from my Catholic sources –>The Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, your teachings, and those of Scott Hahn, Jeff Cavins, Peter Kreeft, and more. If all my cousins charges are true, then, I see these atrocities as the enemy trying to destroy this Catholic faith that Jesus created and gave Peter stewardship over. I don’t believe I’m to turn away from my Catholic faith. How/ what can I share to help her see that the first TRUE CHURCH whose birth was in Jerusalem, is indeed at home in Rome as well. I am praying and would appreciate your encouragement/ insight/ direction. Thank You, Laurie from St Ckair Shores, MI.

STEVE RAY HERE: I understand and your pain is the most common thing people talk about with me. I would suggest you read my article: Six Rules for Dealing with Non-Catholic Family and Friends:

Six Rules: http://www.catholic.com/magazine/articles/six-rules-for-dealing-with-non-catholic-family-and-friends

Steve Just a huge thanks for your YouTubes My son recently returned the church after being evangelical for 20 years, your description of Mary as the arc of the covenant was instrumental, as he left the church because we “worship Mary” according to a girl friend in High school. Many prayers to Mary and many saints and Jesus brought him back…….with your help Thank you .

I would like to send you a small booklet that a Baptist friend from work gave me. I would like to send it to you and let you read it. I would like you to answer all the wrong information it says about the Catholic faith.

Thank you for your help in advance.

Your article says: " I had quoted 1 Kings 2:19 where Solomon had raised his mother to Queen of the Kingdom was the ONLY case of a mother being queen in the Old Testament. He prefaced his comment by saying he knew the Old Testament. Well, it seems he is incorrect."

"In the Old Testament, the queens of the Judean kings were their mothers — with one exception of the queen being a grandmother."

Both of these statements can't be true. They are contradictory.

STEVE RAY HERE: Albert, thanks. It was worded clumsy and you are correct. I reworded it so it is more clear and no contradiction.

I am unable to make your trip to Germany where at different stops, you will refute Martin Luther. It would be great to purchase a DvD or CD of this.

STEVE RAY HERE: we plan to make a DVD of the trip and have some of the teachings and videos available on our website after the Germany trip

From the bottom of my heart – thanks. You -together with Fr. Spitzer, Scott Hahn and a very few others- are my hero. Your fiery leftover baptist manner talks are awesome. I’m at the winter of my life and have been through life’s mill. Lately I have been trying to organize a boys choir at a local parochial school (El Paso, TX) to introduce youth to the beauties of our Church’s music. It has been difficult because the authorities don’t understand. Many blessing to you.

Tony Carpio 915.881.7576h

hi steve im daniel and i feel that I truly believe in the Catholic church and i used to say the rosary until i recently moved and i lost my beads but I am neither baptised nor have I participated in the rcia, which is almost impossible for me because i live in Malaysia which does not allow Christians to proselytize to Muslims. But I so desire to participate in the communion albeit anonymously and quietly. Is that allowed despite not being baptised?

Rick Steve’s Luther Special Comments?

https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/travel-news/february-2017/luther

Steve EVERY Catholic who is serious about their faith needs to listen to your talks. You are the Fulton Sheen of our time. Keep this up and You’re liable to be canonized!

Dear Steve how do you comment about todays some cardinals and somehow popes view about the divorced and the approach to the sacraments.

STEVE RAY HERE: I think it is a scandal!

When will the church eliminate celibacy ?

STEVE RAY HERE: Hopefully, in agreement with the great majority of priests, never!

Thank you dear brother in Jesus-Christ, Steve Ray for this most beautiful speech stemming from very strong Christian Catholic Faith; the discovery of Truth, Source of all Joy and Peace is settled in your heart. The Eucharist is an everlasting Fountain which irrigates all thirsty souls who are in search for the full Truth found only in Jesus, with Him, and through Him, our God and our Saviour. Oh what a delight to hear repeatedly your lovely speech! God allowed that you pass-by the Baptist Church before in order for you to appreciate more than ever the discovery ot the full and authentic value of the Eucharist.

Personally, I would never trade this Pearle for any money, gold, or silver. For God everlasting Love expressed through His big sacrifice on the Cross offered to the Father everlastingly, for the saving of all humanity: a gift of great value beyond all human understanding. I love attending Holy Mass; when occasion is there, I can attend six to seven Mass in the row on the same day without wearing out, but on the contrary, I get filled with Joy and Peace in my heart. Oh what a delight to be close to Jesus, and to be able to receive Him in my soul and heart through the Holy Communion! What a great privilege to be invited to the Feast!

Congratulation dear brother Steve for the gift of God for your conversion in 1994 to the Catholic Holy Church, which represents God Kingdom on earth linked directly and inseparably to Heaven since the Creation. Welcome Home! Home sweet Home which unites people from all nations wide! What a great privilege to be Catholic! Only if people who shifted off from Mother Church regain the gift of discernment, and come back Home along without any delay before it will be too late…I assure you, they will never regret it, but be very thankful for such heavenly gift.

May the Lord Jesus open the eyes to the blind, give the hearing to the deaf, and the speech to the mute; so that, everyone speaks dare to speak up of the Truth, and nothing but the full Truth found in Jesus of Nazareth, our God and Saviour! God bless you, Steve Ray and your family! May He make you ray like the Sun, and shed His Light through you on all who you meet in your path during your ephemeral earthly Journey in this exile!

I am proud to be called Nazarene and Galilean; are you not too? I believe you are as all Christians scattered in the whole world, Isn’t it true?

Your sister in Jesus of Nazareth, Jeannette of Nazareth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdBPLiOlMyc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ine56Biwuo4

I am literally physically sick as my faith has been shaken to its core. I am a Christian minister (Southern Baptist) and a southern gospel music writer and singer. I’ve been slowly searching for the “Ground Zero” Truth and a Catholic friend sent me the YouTube video you did with your testimony. The ordination of St. Ignatius by Peter and the quote regarding heretics and the Eucharist just drove it home. Also, the “born again” belief that I’ve had just crumbled. I wanted the Truth, but now I know there’s going to be serious repercussions. I feel like I’m going to throw up…maybe it’s the untruths I was taught.

Do you have a prayer for lost souls in the IFB and SB denominations? I have been trying to convince these people of the Catholic Church to no avail! Bless You, Steve!!!

Steve, My evangelical son is in Venice this week. I had told him to be sure to visit St. Marks Cathedral/Basilica because the bones of St. Mark are there. He did but told me how he learned that the Venetian Catholics had stolen the bones for the Church in Egypt. Since the alleged robbers took the bones and left the skull of St Mark for the Church in Alexandria, is it possible that the Bones were being rescued from the Muslim rulers for safe keeping?

STEVE RAY HERE: Craig

Don’t know about this case in particular but it was often the case that bones and relics were move to save them, especially from Muslims. But even in the 16th century the Protestant Calvinists in France destroyed the tomb of the great Church Father St. Irenaeus (c. 130-200 AD) and three his bones into the Rhone River and kicked his skull around like a football.

Hello, do you do tours in Spanish?

Steve Ray here: No, sorry.

Preacher, Joh Bloom, teaches that, "For Jesus eating is believing; drinking is believing. He promises eternal life to those who believe in him." I accidently came across this article, What Jesus Meant When He Said “You Must Eat My Flesh” which he 1st wrote in 2008. Since then he has posted it under several different names. Eating Is Believing | Desiring God; Don’t Miss the True Bread | Desiring God. Can you or someone write a rebuttal to this horrible misinterpretation of scripture? And if possible send him a copy. He post this stuff but won't provide a comment section so he goes unchallenged. It is rather infuriating. I tried to contact him with a rebuttal of my own but a real apologist, like you, would be preferable. Mr. Bloom is in serious need of help with what Jesus truly meant, which is literally what He said. He is surely misguiding many with this desperate attempt to alter the meaning of Christ's words.

STEVE RAY HERE: Tina, I am sure that someone has responded to this silly argument already but I don’t have it at my fingertips. Are used to believe the same thing when I was a Baptist because we HEAD to. If we did believe this then we would think Jesus really meant what he said and we couldn’t believe that because that was Catholic. I wish I had time to write a rebuttal but as it is our life is very busy right now.

Steve, I started listening to you speak when I was asked to put together a promo video for the Christ Our Life Conference. Listening to you defend the faith and take so much pride in it is inspiring to me and I can’t wait to listen to you speak in Iowa this September!

Hello, I was looking to find software that can search the Catechism. A WWW search brought me to your site, and I saw some links that appeared to be for this, but the links just went to a WWW uni. name server and didn't appear to be active. Anyway, if you do know of such software I'd appreciate any info. you may have.

Thank you, Darryl

STEVE RAY HERE: Visit http://www.verbum.com/steveray . Use Promo Code STEVERAY10 for 10% discount.

Just wondering if you ever do Holy Land tours that include people with walking limitations? Is it possible to transport a motorized scooter around as you travel; and would it be possible to travel the designated trails with the scooter if it could be transported. (Steve, just want to mention, I attended your talks in Beach, ND a few years ago! Great job, how very refreshing to hear your words and live some of your experiences with you!) Thanks for any info regarding the Holy Land tours as requested above. Kathy

STEVE RAY our camps here: Dear Kathy, unfortunately we are not able to accommodate wheelchairs, scooters or walkers. The land of Israel is very inhospitable to such situations. Sorry.

STEVE RAY HERE: Gilda, thanks for writing. We would love to work with your parish for the best Catholic pilgrimage possible to the Holy Land. I have contacted my associates Kendal and Elizabeth to get in touch with you. You can also reach them at [email protected] or (313) 744-2530 or toll-free 1-800-727-1999, ext.150.

You can also visit my FootprintsOfGod.com website page: Organizing a Pilgrimage .

Hello Steve and Janet,

I joined a pilgrimage to Rome with your group two years ago. Going to the holy land is at the top of my bucket list. During a luncheon get to know the new pastor, I mentioned to him about my desire to visit the holy land. He said that our parish can perhaps join a pilgrimage tour and I thought about Footprints of God pilgrimages.

What do I do in order for parishioners join into your group to the holy land? We are planning for a 2019 tour.

Thank you. I would appreciate any information you can give me.

Gilda Vanier

Thank you for your work. I wanted to say that I love seeing it when Protestant Scripture scholars say Catholic things in their commentaries. I really wish I could gather them all and put it in a book. Do you know where I could start? I know you have a few in your book “Crossing the Tiber.”

I was listening to you on the Terry and Jesse show speaking on Golgotha and the legend of the skull of Adam. I was curious if you had ever heard of anything in relation to the skull of Goliath and Golgotha? I know David brought his head to Jerusalem after their battle and was curious if there was a connection. If there is not much of a connection do you know why David would have brought his head to Jerusalem especially since it was not yet the capital city. Thanks for all that you do. God Bless.

STEVE RAY HERE: It is a good question since Jerusalem was not in the hands of the Israelites until later after David became King. It could be one of two things: 1) It was in anticipation of David conquering Jerusalem from the Jebusites and David would eventually bring it there; 2) David eventually brought the head to Saul in Gibeah which is near Jerusalem, or 3) a solution that is championed by Taylor Marshal and has merit ( http://taylormarshall.com/2013/03/golgatha-word-symbolizes-beautiful.html ).

A Protestant website attempts to dismantle the claim that the early Church believed in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Since this is related to your book, Crossing the Tiber, I was wondering if you knew much on these objections that they raise and if anyone has tried to refute them. https://onefold.wordpress.com/early-church-evidence-refutes-real-presence/

Steve Ray here:

There are a lot of people who have tried to refute Catholic teachings by using the fathers. Bottom line is this: you can pick and choose and proof text any document to make it seem like it says something other than it does. I have examined all of the fathers and there’s no question in the world that they teach the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. One can cherry pick and prove text the Bible the Constitution or the fathers and come up with all kinds of arguments for or against a lot of things. But when one analyzes the fathers of the church from beginning to and they were thoroughly Catholic and believed in the Real Presence of Christ.

If you look at my website http://www.catholickindof.com/resources you will see that I have refuted and dismantle their arguments over and over again. My book Crossing the Tiber deals with these issues in some detail. Are used to have time to spend weeks at a time refuting paragraph by paragraph these poor diluded souls that are trying to build a name for themselves but unfortunately I don’t have that time anymore.

But there are great books about this and I suggest you read the fathers in context for yourself along with the Catechism and you will find the Catholic Church has been right is right and will be always right. I feel sorry for these poor guys who came flailing at the wind.

There is a reason that there are thousands of protestants converting to the Catholic Church. Even protestants admit there are a lot of important protestants becoming Catholic’s but no notable Catholics becoming Protestants.

If you have any particular question I suggest you contact me and I’ll give you the email address of my good friend Gary Michuta who probably will have time to deal with the particulars.

If there are typos in my above comments please forgive them since I am dictating this on my iPhone flying over the Atlantic to Israel.

Dear Steve and Janet: We have been blessed with your guidance to the Holy Land, Footsteps of Paul, Poland (Sr Faustina & St. John Paul !!) and last year Fatima, Way of St. James and Lourdes Pilgrimages. Each trip added to the dimension of what it means to walk the walk and to become the Catholic Christian God wants us to be. We have been so impressed with how you answer the deeper questions (things you would probably ask yourself when you got home) as we the pilgrims are experiencing the adventure. Let me explain. The speaker you arranged (Medical Director) at Lourdes was especially meaningful to me as a Nurse at the County Hospital from Mpls MN. He explained although many hundreds of people claim they were cured at Lourdes few cases can be “official” due to chemotherapy and similar doctoring prior to washing at the water at Lourdes. Last year as an active 58 year old nurse on your pilgrimage I thought it very special to see the volunteerism of healthcare personnel and how lovingly they assisted the “needy” during their stay at Lourdes. I even thought about signing up when the Director invited healthcare workers to do so but thought I would probably not be returning to this place any time soon. Also I washed just a bit from the faucets but did not feel that my needs deserved a “bath”. Little would I have guessed that I would be returning so soon after stepping aside just last year for the “really needy”. I am in the process of diagnosis of a low grade neoplasm and inflammation of the brain and I am running back to Lourdes first because of what I have seen there as a gift from God and Steve and Janet Ray’s vision for every Catholic. Seek the Lord while he can be found.

Please keep me in your prayers as I plan to “storm heaven” (as St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta might say) with a visit to Lourdes seeking God’s Plan for me and just maybe an official miracle with God 1st 🙂

Many Thanks Lisa Harm

hello Mr.Ray,

In 2016 u lead our community conference at Youth Fellowship Malta and we meet at the office and i gave u some tips about which places on visit in Malta. I am writing because me and another senior member of our community Lilly Muscat have started off a new business venue promoting RELIGIOUS TOURS in Malta, mainly related to St.Paul’s. In relation to this we would like to ask you if could communicate with you in order to guide and potential see if we could cooperate together.

I thank you for your attention and promise you my prayers, you are a good and faithful servant of the Lord

God bless U

Hi Mr Ray, I heeard you on KBVM in Oregon this morning and your DVD series really intrigue me. I coordinate the Tuesday Faith Formation prison ministry outreach at Oregon State Maximum Security prison and am always looking for good solid Bible studies to share with the men.

Would you be open to donate a DVD set of the "Footprints of God series" for use at the prison? As volunteers we are not permitted to purchase for the ministry personally, but we are permitted to requested them from other sources as donations. Through the work we do and your wonderful ministry we can reach out to the men who are hungry to grow in faith and turn their lives around. We minister to 40 men on a regular basis through our weekly ministry.

Thank you for considering this God Bless Mark

A full set of my DVDs have been sent and I hope they help the prisoners. Keep up the good work!

Under conversion stories, you have mine listed 4th: Alan Harris Story: Methodist & Holiness Couple: Why I Became Catholic! The link is bad because I removed the article from my website. I have the file in a word doc if you would like to carry it on your own server, please give me an email address and I will shoot it to you. We are now directing “Catholic YWAM,” KerygmaUSA in the US. I believe you are still on our mailing list. Thanks

Mr. Ray, I am a Catholic but not a very good one. I want to leave it at that for the moment. My question references the following, a man by the name of GeorDavie who is these founding President and Arch-Bishop of the largest fast growing Prophetic Church Ministry in Arusha Tanzania Eastern Africa, with branches across Africa, Europe and USA. Can you explain tomorrow me if you know about this man and his teachings. I have a family member that has become smittened with this man and his teachings and feels that GeorDavie is the way to get to God. My concern is deep. I recently saw your Utube video that was done in India in which you took yourself from protestism to Catholicism. This video has rekindled my interest in my Catholic faith and my devout upbringing. I need to understand who this GeorDavie is so I can undo his hold he has on my family member. I know that I am asking much.

Respectfully,

Hi. Just enquiring if Steven is giving any talks or seminars when he is in Ireland. Thank you. Mary

Steve Ray here: unfortunately no. Sorry.

Dear Steve, in one of your talks (The Birth of the Catholic Church) you said that there is no unity in Protestant circles. Yes, I agree. But what about the Catholic Church? Don't you think that the unity is slowly breaking? I am thinking now about last controversies with Amoris Laetitia. Please forgive me my English. English is not my first language.

STEVE RAY HERE: There Will always be problems and discussions and differences within the church. However protestants exist through division and splits and disunity. The Catholic Church on the other hand has a firm foundation and even if we had bad popes and bishops the unity of the church will always remain. That is Jesus his promise and I believe it.

Even though there may be discussions and contradictions and some theology and pastoral practices that unity of the church will always remain and even with some of the things that Pope Francis says it will never divide the church.

My name is Justin and my wife Jincy. We are catholic and live in Christchurch, New Zealand. We are originally from Kerala, India. Thanks for your talks in Youtube. It is really inspiring. I heard that your wife did home schooling for your kids. Would it be possible to get some advice/guidance for this? We are also planning for the same.

Thanks Justin

Steve Ray here: you are embarking on a very noble cause because nothing is more precious than your children. We homeschool their children all the way through high school and it was the best thing we ever did. They became our best friends as they grow into adults. It takes a lot of effort and commitment but the pay off is priceless.

There are a lot of resources here in the United States for homeschooling and I suggest you just start googling “Catholic homeschooling.” It was quite a while ago that we did it since our children are long grown and all have children of their own.

We are not up on the latest but I suggest you Google and you’ll find a lot of helpful information. I would also look for homeschooling organizations in your area. I don’t know about your country but in our country there are a lot of co-ops where parents pool together and help educate each other‘s children in a co-op format.

You can start with some of the links I have provided here on my website https://www.catholicconvert.com/community/favorite-links/

Thank you for your talk “Swimming Upstream” that is available on the Formed app. I am moved to tears and am so grateful for your ministry! You have changed my life!

I just finished listening to a podcast of your interview on “The Terry and Jessie Show.” There were many things about your talk that were wonderful and amazing, but the most amazing was when you spoke of our continued contact with our loved ones in Heaven. You briefly mentioned something about “wanting to explore the galaxies and stars” with your wife and then was unable to continue because of, I think, a commercial break. Please let us know if you will be expanding on this comment in the future. What you mentioned was something I have also pondered…the idea of exploring the universe with our loved ones in the next life. Free from the constraints of physicality and time this would be something our spirit and resurrected forms would be capable of. To me, one of the most exciting verses in the Bible are: 1 John 2:27 and John 14:26 where the Holy Spirit will “teach us all things.” What better teacher to teach us about Creation than God Himself! Cartoonist humorously illustrate our existence in Heaven as a place where we’ll be playing harps in the clouds all day. Exploring every planet, star and galaxy in God’s Universe or as science now theorize..the Multiverse, sounds a lot more exciting than playing harps in the clouds!

You also mentioned another one of my favorite verses: 1 Corinthians 2:9 ..”eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,…what God has prepared for those who love him.” With Hubble telescope’s recent discovery of 15000 NEW galaxies, I also think of another favorite verse: John 14:2 “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places”

I would love to be able to explore the stars and galaxies with my wife (as you said), and with loved ones AND God. It would take a wonderful ETERNITY to do this!

God bless you always Steve!

STEVE RAY COMMENTING IN CAROL’S COMMENT BELOW:

Carol, thanks for your comments and your kind words. You asked a question why I promote Catholicism so I will try to give you a very very brief answer between flights in Italy. First, Jesus said he would build his “church” not his “churches.” For the first thousand years there was only one visible church and it was the Catholic Church Campsite. No One Even Dreamed of Having “Denominations“ Because They Were Viewed As Sinful and Divisive. Nobody Ever Dreamed of Baptists, Lutherans, Pisca Palean‘s, Etc.

When Jesus Said You Should Take My Brother to the Church and Matthew 1618 What Church Was That? This Is a Good Question Because If You Go to a Methodist Church and I Go to a Baptist Church and We Have a Problem between Us Which Church Do We Take It to? There Has To Be One Authoritative Church at Covers The whole earth and there is a church that does that and that’s called the Catholic Church.

My wife and I went to all the same church as you did before we discovered the fullness of the faith in the Catholic Church. If you send me your address I will send you my conversion story called Crossing the Timer with all the biblical reasons why I became a catholic.

CAROL WRITES:

Why do you lift up Catholicism – Although I'm Protestant, I do not lift up a particular denomination I have gone to Presbyterian, Methodist, Assembly of God, Church of God, many non-denominational churches. Although I recognize some denominations as Christians i.e. Baptist, Lutheran, Nazarene, I don't go to them due to some doctrinal differences. I believe when one lifts up a particular denomination OR Catholic OR Orthodox, etc. they are not following God, they are following doctrines of man. AND when one follows GOD we are to renew our mind on the Bible (Word of God), thus if a priest, pastor, Pope, etc. says one thing & the Bible something else, the Bible is right – not the priest, pope, Bishop, pastor.

Dear Steve, I have read and watched your material over several years, and I thank you for being such a witness to our beautiful Catholic Faith and a herald for the Kingdom of God. I have a question regarding the Wedding Feast of Cana. In about 2015 my husband and I were at a day Retreat in a beautiful setting. I was in the Church on the grounds, having some personal prayer/reflection time and my husband found a little place to sit and do his one on one with Jesus time as asked by our Retreat Director. Separately at that time, I read the passage about the Wedding Feast from my Bible, and reflected asking for the New Wine of the Divine Will of God and His Holy Spirit for us as individuals and as a couple/parents, asking Jesus and Mama Mary to remain in our home with us, consecrated our marriage. I also asked Mama Mary to intercede for us and all marriages as She did at Cana. While I was at the Church, my husband looked up form his seat in the garden and realised he was sitting in front of a big stone sculpture of the Wedding Feast of Cana. When we came together and discussed we realised it was a moment of inspiration from God for us, not fully understanding then and now what it is He was asking us but we pray often about it, especially me. We pray the 2nd decade of the Lumininous Mystery always for this intention.

Can you tell me in light of the Wisdom in your words below what you understand from the revelation to us about the Wedding Feast. Thank you and God Bless you.

What is at the beginning and end of Jesus' ministry is water. At the very beginning we see the six stone jars at the wedding of Cana. Why six jars? Because six is the symbol for imperfection, seven is the symbol of perfection. There are seven Sacraments because that's the perfect number. The number of fullness, the number of God.

Steve Ray Here: Mary Elaine, I sent you a personal response to this question.

Please add me to your e-mail list. Currently a grad student in creative writing with 100+ articles. Also searching for materials, ideas, and outlets. Bless.

Hi Steve, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have many protestant friends and it is so hard to defend the faith with them. You have given me strength and a new vision. I want to order some materials. Do you ship to Canada? Do you have a Canadian site. God Bless,] Michael Merante

STEVE RAY HERE: Yes, we ship to Canada! My store is here at http://www.SteveRaysStore.com . So glad my humble efforts have been a blessing to you. God bless!!

Where can I get your anology of the ship and the rafts in writing? Thank you for all you do! Al Flores 1-19-19

STEVE RAY HERE: Al, sorry but I don’t think that I have that analogy anywhere in writing. I know that it’s an audio in my conversion story sold on my website. Thanks for the prod because I do think I should put it in writing sometime.

Hello Steve. Greetings and graces once again. You’ve been an interview guest on our podcast (link below) which is co-broadcast on our Catholic radio station (link below). We’re very thankful. BUT… I have another reason for reaching out. Would you be willing to consider (leading) a holy land tour next year which would, in part, be a (modest) fundraiser for our non-profit Catholic radio station? I’m sure the economics of your tours must favor your stipend needs, etc. But is there room to consider some sponsorship for our radio? Call, email or text (cell follows). Thanks very much. Blessings. Deacon Tom. 928-277-9851/cell http://www.kpihradio.com http://www.catholicvitamins.com

Yes we can Deacon Tom. I will call you on Thursday.

Yes, we can do this like we have for many others in the past. I will give you a call.

Besides Greek and Aramaic what other languages did the Apostles, including Paul, speak and write? Why didn't they use Latin since that was available? Why then does the Church use it. And No, it doesn't work for the faithful.

STEVE RAY HERE: Latin may have been spoken by some in Rome and was becoming the lingua franca of the time, but during the age of the apostles the language used around the world was Greek. Thus, the New Testament was written in Greek so the vast majority of literate people could read it. Later, Greek was eclipsed by Latin and that became the language of the Roman empire.

Paul most certainly spoke Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Greek and maybe his own dialect in Tarsus.

Thank you dear Steve for your love,efforts and coming home to the Catholic Church. What a blessing to so many. I am a64yr old “cradle catholic “ deepening my faith and loving every second of it. Tonight a beloved friend (born again) and I will be discussing your video. I want to gently show her the Scriptures supporting the true meaning of Baptism. Not sinners prayers etc… God bless you for helping me..The best Catholics are converts sometimes. Peace in Christ Gina

Thanks Gina. God bless you and prosper you!!

Praise be to Lord Jesus Christ!!

Dear Bro Steve Peace;

This is George I am from India, presently addressing to you from the United Arab Emirates where I am employed. I have the below concern and would appreciate if you cud shed some light to it.

Concern : Would ‘Eucharistic celebration’ be an appropriate synonym for the Holy Mass??

The Holy Eucharist is a sacrament and a sacrifice. In the Holy Eucharist, under the appearances of bread and wine, the Lord Christ is contained, offered, and received.

(a) The whole Christ is really, truly, and substantially present in the Holy Eucharist. We use the words “really, truly, and substantially” to describe Christ’s presence in the Holy Eucharist in order to distinguish Our Lord’s teaching from that of mere men who falsely teach that the Holy Eucharist is only a sign or figure of Christ, or that He is present only by His power.

(b) The word “Eucharist” means “Thanksgiving.”

While The Mass is the Sacrifice of the New Law in which Christ, through the ministry of the priest, offers Himself to God in an unbloody manner under the appearances of bread and wine.

(a) The name “Mass” comes from the Latin word Missa meaning dismissal. In the early days of the Church the catechumens were asked to leave after the gospel and sermon were finished. The faithful, however, remained until they were dismissed after the sacrifice was completed. Then, as now, this was done by saying or singing Ite Missa Est. In the course of time the word Missa, or dismissal, was used to designate the entire sacrifice.

Shall await your kind reply. Thank you In Christ Jesus George

Hello Steve, Just heard you on EWTN radio with Teresa Tomeo (March 8 2019). You were great and I am sure you helped many Catholics that are struggling with the hierarchy at this time. My wife and I have wanted to go on pilgrimage with you for many years. Glad to say we will be joining you in May and are even more excited now to join you. Can’t wait to meet you and Janet and to walk in the footprints of God. Peace Doug Peterson

Steve I came across this in your back and forth with Webster. Can you tell me what book Ambrose wrote that this comes from?

But Ambrose went on: “ ‘The persecutor falls to the ground and into hell. Christ [falls] on the risen, Christ falls on the rock, Christ falls on the Church. Hear how Christ falls on the Church! In the background was Peter who followed him as he was led by the Jews to the house of Caiaphas, the head of the Synagogue. Peter is the one to whom he said: “You are Peter and on this rock I shall build my Church.” Where Peter is, there is the Church; where the Church is, there is no death, but eternal life [Ubi ergo Petrus, ibi Ecclesia; ubi Ecclesia, ibi nulla mors, sed vita aeterna]. And therefore he added: “And the gates of hell do not prevail over it, and I give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Blessed [is that] Peter, over whom the gates of hell do not prevail, and before whom the door of heaven does not shut itself; on the contrary he destroyed the vestibules of hell, opened the celestial ones. Being placed on earth, he opened the heaven, closed the hell. There was in all this not a hint that what performed thos

STEVE RAY HERE: Commentaries on Twelve of David’s Psalms [381-397 A.D.]

[38, 25] “We saw the Prince of Priests coming to us, we saw and heard Him offering His blood for us. We follow, inasmuch as we are able, being priests; and we offer the sacrifice on behalf of our people. And even if we are of but little merit, still, in the sacrifice, we are honorable. For even if Christ is not now seen as the one who offers the sacrifice, nevertheless it is He Himself that is offered in sacrifice here on earth when the Body of Christ [the Eucharist] is offered. Indeed, to offer Himself He is made visible in us, He whose word makes holy the sacrifice that is offered [on the altar at Mass].”

[40. 30] “It is to Peter himself that He says, ‘You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church [Mt 16: 18].” Where Peter is, there is the Church. And where the Church, no death is there, but life eternal.”

DEAR BILL, COMMENTS IS WORKING AND YOUR COMMENT IS POSTED BELOW.

Dear Steve, The comment facility isn't working on the page where you discuss which bible translation to use and the difficulties involved in translation so I hope you don't mind me posting it here and also hope the comment is valid:

And the difficulties also occur in the English translation of the Missal. How we got 'And also with you' from 'Et cum spiritu tuo' is a mystery. It fits neither the literal nor the dynamic model where the sense has been completely lost. Similarly, the translation of 'For Many/For All' in the Eucharistic Prayer. In the Greek I the word used was polloi, not pante and in the Vulgate multos not totus. Again this fails both the literal and dynamic definitions and was presumably used by the translators to suit their own political/theological bias rather than translate accurately what Jesus is reported as saying the Gospel??

Praise the Lord Bro, I am Christina. i watched your talk at Magnificat about your conversion to Catholic. It was inspiring to hear because i was also convinced that Protestants were right in conversion of Catholics. thank you so much for your insights on this. Now i know i m on right Path.

Thanks be to God. Heard the warning talk at Steubenville regarding Islam. 4am public call to prayer/theocracy within a democracy? Surely against US law? An imam (Mario Joseph) who converted to Catholicism a good resource. Knows Koran backward and forward. Sends warnings too regarding the Love Jihad. Muslim men allowed to marry Christian women but allowed up to 4 wives and to beat, separate, divorce. Bad news. Says alert all the churches.

Hello Steve, Ive contacted you before and I want to get more resources on deliverance and healings from a Catholic perspective. My brother and I were born Catholic, attended a Catholic parochial school & high school. For about 8 years I began supporting Televangelists like Benny Hinn etc because of healing miracles. For about a year I’ve come back to the Catholic Church thanks to your videos. You referred me to St Andrews Bassette and I have been asking for his intercession along with our Blessed Mother for complete recovery. I also asked for St Dymphna for intercession due to nervous and mental stresses issues I have due to Tinnitus like symptoms. My brother has become a Bible Believing Christian and is fired up due to healing and deliverances. His wife wants to become a Chaplain. I want to be healed completely to share that the Catholic approach is also powerful and effective and also bring him back home to the Catholic Church. Is there any other resources that can help? Ps. One day we will meet because my goal is to go on one of your trips to Isreal..

Sorry but I don’t have any other resources off the top of my head. I’m actually running through an airport right now. I know there are a lot of sources and I just heard of a man who is being prepared for canonization soon who is healed tens of thousands of people who is a very humble man. Sorry I don’t know his name but a lot of this you could search on the Internet. Also, I would suggest you Visit my free Discussion Board at http://forums.avemariaradio.net/ I am sure that many people there will no other resources and be able to help you.

Good pm Steve,

ive been following your website and have purchased some of your books and audio topics.

I have a muslim colleague who obviously not believing on our Bible. He has some reference he mentioned as contradicting passage. One of them is about the time of Jesus birth. in Matthew chapter 2 – Jesus was born in the time of King Herod(4BC) but in Luke chapter 2 – Jesus was born during time of Cyrenius as Governor of Syria(6AD). He said there is a gap of 10 years.

Was there really a contradiction on these passage? I will appreciate your answer. Thank you.

El Vaticano II tuvo estas cosas entre las consecuencias. Quizás la más conocida de las separaciones postconciliares es la de Lefebvre. Siempre existe la opción cismática en la Iglesia, siempre. Pero es una de las opciones que el Señor deja a la libertad humana. No le temo a los cismas, rezo para que no existan, porque está en juego la salud espiritual de mucha gente. Que haya diálogo, que haya corrección si hay algún error, pero el camino del cisma no es cristiano.

Vatican II had these things among the consequences. Perhaps the best known of post-conciliar separations is that of Lefebvre. There is always the cismatic (schismatic) option in the Church, always. But it is one of the choices that the Lord leaves to human freedom. I am not afraid of cismas, (schisms) I pray that they do not exist, because the spiritual health of many people is at stake. Let there be dialogue, that there is correction if there is any error, but the path of the schism is not Christian.

My comment:

Pope Francis did not specify “separation” as schism. That he prays they do not exist implies that they might not exist. So he is still double speaking.

sources: https://nonpossumus-vcr.blogspot.com/2019/09/el-papa-francisco-afirma-que-mons.html?fbclid=IwAR0_Qs9tEg8SxdvSunmzrHyMyKMq6hh0Q4VpSMGHsFB8dy-LSMrUmmZAf48

& https://www.bing.com/search?q=spanish+to+english&form=PRDLR1&src=IE11TR&pc=EUPP_DCTE

elise Hougesen

Your travel radio spots note Mexico being safe and beautiful. I don’t see a 2019 or 2020 trip. Will one be scheduled?

STEVE RAY HERE: We hope to take another group in a few years but don’t have one one the calendar yet. Stay tuned.

Steve, hi. Recently discovered your site and love it. I just bought Upon This Rock from Amazon and look forward to diving into it. I found your site through a Google search while looking for a book on Luther written from a Catholic perspective…a book that will clearly call him a heretic and demonstrate why. Surprisingly, I still cannot find such a book. I found a few articles here and there, and a few audio CDs only. A glance at Amazon shows dozens of books about Luther the hero, the mild-manner reformer, the common man who stood up to the evil Pope, etc. But no books about the schism he sowed. Catholic Answers is nice, but I find too many Protestants on there defending Luther on every post. Anyway, keep up the good work, and I will be reading Upon This Rock soon.

Steve Ray here: thanks for your kind words and I hope that you enjoy the book Upon This Rock. It took two years of my life to research and write. I have some books at home that you would appreciate about Martin Luther but I’m not at home right now so I don’t have access to give you titles and authors. If you send me an email at [email protected] I’ll try to remember when I get home to send you a few titles.

Thank you very much! God bless you, Sir! I watched your videos especially with your Indian people audience. I really appreciate the way you explained your conversion to the Catholic Church with your family. I am also a Roman Catholic member and once I studied theology for priesthood. I am now active in my parish because I did not pursue priesthood. I am now working as a Public School Teacher here in Mindanao, Philippines. I like the way you shared your life. I am also one of the defenders of faith here in our parish. I hope one of these days, God willing, we will meet in person. Thank you and God bless you and your family. Are you a Franciscan?

Hi Steve, You have been a great inspiration to me ever since I heard your conversion testimony cassette back in the mid 1990’s. As a Cradle Catholic, I have learned so much from your cassette tapes, VCR’s, and DVD’s. Now as a Glenmary Home Missioner, I do “Catholic Presence Outreach Ministry” in Hancock County TN which is .2% Catholic, and about 95% Baptist. By invitation, I have attended services at about 230 different protestant churches (primarily Baptist) in the past 8 years. I share about the Catholic Faith in their churches! I would really like to chat with you, and think we might have a lot to talk about. Maybe we could talk by phone. May God Bless You Always! Br. Craig Digmann – Glenmary Home Missioners

Hey Mr. Ray,

Hi again! We made a video in the likeness of you and I thought you may want to check it out. So here’s the private video link. I really think you’ll enjoy it. We put our heart and soul into it. So with our further ado, here is, “The Miracles of Jesus; A Steve Ray film” Contact me back and tell us what you think about ir video or whatever you feel is appropriate. Thank you and God bless.

• https://youtu.be/_VAaYwaYbEs

best, Ethan Elia

STEVE RAY HERE: Hey guys! What fun! My wife and I laughed and smiled our way through the whole thing. I especially liked the conclusion when Max is shaking off the potato chips!! We will send a short thank you by video later today.

One year ago, I viewed your conversion story. The next day, I went to confession and received the Body and Blood of Christ for the first time in 15 years. Thank you for what you do.

Hi Steve, I have all of my young adult children in their mid to late 20's who are cradle born Catholics and questioning their faith — the fact that they have questions is actually a big step . I also have a son-in who is not from any faith who is interested in finding answers. I have a daughter in law who is Christian and against my son pursuing his Catholic faith — she has so many questions about the Catholic Faith. I am a practicing Catholic but feel I am not the best to answer all their questions , I fear I may lose them all if I don't find someone to have an open discussion with them . I have prayed for some kind of a spiritual director for them . and funny but you keep coming up ! I just feel your wife and you are so much stronger in the faith bc you have walked that journey . I know you have said your job is to evangelize and we are in desperate need . I have talked to priests but to be honest my children etc have a harder time asking them . I know you have talks and speeches that I love !! I have talked to them and they said they would love to talk to someone personally . They are ALL wanting too — but I REALLY REALLY REALLY worried I won't find someone now that they are seeking ! Again have been praying and Our Lady keeps leading me back to you and your wife !! I know this is odd bc I have NO idea how that would work but maybe you have some local connections where I live to help . Please pray on this to Our Lady to see what direction we are to take . THANK YOU JUST FOR READING and Praying on this . Christy

STEVE RAY HERE: Your children are lucky-blessed to have a mother like you. Like I wrote in a personal e-mail, send me your mailing address and I will send you a bunch of my audio CDs to share with your kids and we will go from there.

Your the best Steve I'm a cradle Catholic who shares many traits with you, I once left the mother ship and got onto that raft you talked about and it took guys like you, Scott Hahn and Tim Staples guys who were on the other side of the fence that saw the beauty of the ins and outs of our home. Thanks Mate cause through God's grace, power was channelled through you and it got me psyched and pumped.

STEVE RAY HERE: Paul, Thanks for your kind words and encouragement. Welcome back to the one holy Catholic and apostolic church! God bless you real good!

Thank you for clearly defining why and when is’t okay to be critical this pope. I was afraid at first to think critically of him although I knew in my heart that something was very wrong, especially when you look at the people that he promotes and surrounds himself with. I met you at the Eucharistic Conference in Charlotte in ’07 or -08 where I did a book signing for my first book Son’s of Thunder, Only Saints Get To Heaven. Be not afraid of what other’s think when you speak the truth. Blessings. Robert Epperly

Steve, what do you make of the fact that the Jsh Talmud states that Jesus is a false prophet and is in hell burning in dung or semen and Mary was a prostitute who catered to carpenters?

STEVE RAY HERE: I would expect nothing less from people and groups who hated Jesus and denied he was the Messiah, especially by the time the Talmud was written and they began to see the future — the Christians gaining the predominance in society.

Look Steve, you do good work, you are a brilliant man, yet unlike Christ, St. John the Baptist, and St. Maximilian Kolbe, you never name who the enemy is. Please go to the saint’s Wikipedia page and click on CONTROVERSIES. Then follow down to paragraph two. One might scoff at much of what’s on Wikipedia but in this case the facts are truly there. Remember: “One knows who their masters are by those they dare not criticize.” blessings and courage. RE

Robert, I am not sure what you are referring to for sure. But I was quite clear in what I said and no one except you seems to have misunderstood me. Some people expect me to be radical and say what THEY want me to say. I prefer a certain amount of prudence along with clarity.

Dear Mr. Ray,

I first met you at Franciscan University of Steubenville a number of years ago. I was hoping to meet you again this year at Franciscan University but that has been canceled. I shared with you that I was a convert to the faith, I entered Holy Mother Church on March 26, 2005. I told you that I was discerning a call to the priesthood but I was concerned I would not be accepted because of my age. You told me about a man you knew who was older when he was accepted and became a wonderful priest. I later emailed you and you told me that your wife would add my name to the list of people she prayed for. I wish to inform you that I received a phone call one evening as I was driving to a hockey game and it was a Bishop asking me to come to his Diocese and study for the priesthood. I entered the seminary at the age of 57 and I have now completed my pre-theology studies. This coming fall I will start my theology studies. I wanted to ask you for any advice you may have as I start my theology studies? I would also like to ask you if you know of any item or product that you feel would aid me in my theology studies? Thank you for all that you do for our Lord and His Church. Would you please keep me in your prayers as I will keep you in mine?

God Bless Craig Alexander

Looking forward to Sat morning. While in the navy, we would go to Subic Bay and pick up marines and take them to Viet Nam. Visited Manilla many time. Beautiful country with wonderful people. Thank you for what you do.

STEVE RAY HERE: Thanks Len! YOu have lived an interesting life!

Wow. Your talk with the Phillipino Catholics was outstanding. We Catholics in the states need to see this. We MUST be able to put aside our selfishness and anger and learn to defend our faith. Thank you for what you do.

STEVE RAY HERE: Thanks Leonard! It was fun and thanks for your generosity and kind words.

Hello Sir: Greetings from the Philippines. I am very thankful to your writings, it helped strengthen my FAITH as a Catholic. In one of your talks (i just watched it from YouTube, Peter, the Rock, the Keys, and the Chair), you mentioned about writing a book, about anything that is thrown off to the Catholics if it comes from the bible… that would be a great book if you can write about it. It will be more i think, reachable to understand. Something funny and witty, i think. Serious enough but just the same full of lessons. So many thanks to you, you have helped a lot of people in their Catholic faith more than you could ever imagine. Salamat po!

Hope all is well with you and your family. Kathy and I talk about our trip with you all the time. I have an updated paper on Islam. The e-mail I have from 2015 did not work. If you want to update it on your site let me know were to send it.

Bill Christian

I reverted to the Catholic faith last year. Among many other apologetic videos, your "Are you Born Again?" clip on YouTube was life-changing and helpful in my journey. I really appreciate how you address complicated issues. Thank you for your untiring work for the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

If possible, can you please email me your work address? I would love to share my reversion book with you.

Eddie Trask

STEVE RAY HERE: God bless you Eddie. Thanks for sharing your story! My address is Steve Ray, 3588 Plymouth Road #277 Ann Arbor MI 48105-2603

Steve as a cradle Catholic educated by the English Benedictines in the late 40’s I was fortunate enough to get as whiff of apologetics at Public School. at St. Gregory’s Downside. I’m now far away from there in Phoenix AZ. I found your wonderful videos on YouTube during the Virus.

Needing much more basics about our Faith, I’ve watched many of your videos some many times over for they are both full of information so well presented and entertaining in such easy to swallow bites. You are my Rock for the Flock.

For a slightly different and more serious experience, I watch the videos of Dr. Brant Pitre. In England he would be called, Peter, just as Ralph is often pronounced, Rafe. Unless you’re a lab dish…LOL. I wish I could say I watch Hahn but …

So there you have it. You’re my Rock for the Flock and Peter is flavouring.

Keep up the good work, I wish I’d found you sooner as I would have loved to go to the Holy Land with you and your wife. Bestens! David

Any chance of making one of your Holy Land pilgrimages in 2021 or 2022 a Holy Land II pilgrimage?

STEVE RAY HERE: Unhappily, for several reasons it would not be possible but maybe after things get back closer to normal. Thanks for asking and watch my site for updates. We will also send out periodic e-mail updates.

Hi Steve, I would like to see the article that you've posted about 500 reasons on why to be a Catholic and you left it on the door of the church where Luther posted his 95 theses. I cannot find it. Can you give me the link or a copy of it? Thank you and God bless!

STEVE RAY HERE: Thanks for writing. These were never written down and posted on my sites. And for all the reasons people submitted to me many were duplicates.

Happened is we were going to Germany in 2017 during the year of Martin Luther. Our group followed the footprint of Martin Luther throughout Germany and we argued with him along the way. Our point was to prove that the protestant reformation, or should I say “deformation” was a terrible thing for the church and brought a great schism.

Since he had nailed the 95 mL on the door of the church in Wittenberg Germany. I asked people then, to write out the reasons they are Catholic and send them to me. I printed them all out and wrap them in a scroll with a ribbon around it and I delivered it to the very same door of the Wittenberg church in Germany.

Here is a video of our group at the church when I delivered the messages in Germany https://youtu.be/EeKrXYlAnO0

TOPIC: Santa Claus

Hi Steve! Huge fan, read several books and love them both. Bought the DVD series too, amazing. Makes it all come to life. Fan-boying aside, I wondered what you thought about Santa Claus. My wife would like our kids to believe in Santa, I feel uncomfortable with it despite believing in it myself as a child and enjoying it. Do you have thoughts on this one way or the other?

Thanks and God Bless you and your family. Jordan

STEVE RAY HERE: Jordan, thanks for writing and your kind words. And I’m glad that my humble efforts have been a blessing to you and your family. It is the grace of God and it makes my heart sing.

My parents and my wife and I had a middle ground. I think we met a good compromise. We talked about Santa Claus and had a lot of fun with it but we let the kids know when they’re old enough that it was just a fun story. We didn’t want to lie to our kids so that they would trust us when we told them Jesus and Mary were real.

But we always had a lot of fun with it. My dad used to run around the house after dark on Christmas Eve jingling bells and we all said “Santa Claus is coming, Santa Claus is coming”. we all knew it was dad and that the presents under the tree were from dad and mom, but we sure had a lot of fun running around the house shouting and screaming and enjoying the story.

It was fun, but when we were old enough we all knew it was just a fairytale but it was a fun one.

I think if you do it that way you have a happy medium and the kids know you’re always honest with them but you can also have fun as a family. I hope that helps.

Sir Steve, I am a Roman Catholic from the Philippines I always see your videos about teaching about Catholic Faith. Thank you so much for that, you enlightened us very much. But I have some question for you, please explain tome Matthew 24:32. Why is it that only the FATHER alone knows the time not even the SON knows. The you very much from the Philippines

STEVE RAY HERE: That is a good question but also an easy one to answer. And Philippians chapter 2 we are told that Jesus humbled himself and became a man. By doing so he gave up or relinquished for a time some of his attributes divinity. Before the incarnation he was spirit and everywhere but his man he gave that and became localized in the physical body. He gave up some of his prerogatives I’ve been God in order to become men. Where is the passage from the Philippians…

Philippians 2:5–7 (NAS): Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself [i.e. laid aside His privileges], taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

Catechism 472 This human soul that the Son of God assumed is endowed with a true human knowledge. As such, this knowledge could not in itself be unlimited: it was exercised in the historical conditions of his existence in space and time. This is why the Son of God could, when he became man, “increase in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man,” and would even have to inquire for himself about what one in the human condition can learn only from experience. This corresponded to the reality of his voluntary emptying of himself, taking “the form of a slave.”

Hope that helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oDxae-raW8

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As Catholics, we believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as one God. Was Jesus pelting the sodomites with fire and brimstone? YES HE WAS. Our Bishops must denounce homosexuality.

STEVE RAY HERE: There is no condoning unrepentant homosexual sin and it’s promotion. Excommunication yes, strong action, yes! But we leave it to God to rain down the fire and brimstone ?

I was surprised and pleasantly pleased at the message that came out from the Pope in the Vatican two days ago.

To introduce Catholicism to a non-Catholic, what book of the Bible would you recommend they read

STEVE RAY HERE: I would suggest the Gospel of Saint John. After that maybe the Book of Acts.

I listened to your video on homosexuality and i want to thank you for that . My son is living with a guy and my husband and myself are beyond upset . I’m not sure on what we should do we told our son we don’t expect and never will . Just want to hear what you had to say . Thank you ! Sharon

STEVE RAY HERE: Sharon, I can only imagine your dismay. My prayers for you and your husband, and your son. At this point, he already knows what you think of his lifestype. The best you can do is love him a man made in the image of God and your son. You will not “change” him by anger, rejection or criticism.

As long as he is clear on your position and why, I would love him and embrace him and be a lifeline if and when he decides to reform his life.

Here is an article I wrote that will help you: Six Rules: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/six-rules-for-dealing-with-non-catholic-family-and-friends

Six Rules audio: https://catholicconvert.com/?s=6+rules

Hi Steve, In 2019, I had 30 Masses said for the poor souls in Purgatory in honor of Pope St. Gregory the Great. If I remember correctly, he did the same for one of his friends. Later that year, I was attending Mass at the tiny adoration chapel next to the Divine Mercy Parish. We would Adore Our Lord prior to/and or after daily Mass. One morning later that year, the Priest announced that it was the feast of Pope St. Gregory the Great (Sept. 3rd). I was happy to hear it. When Mass ended, I left the Chapel and suddenly had thoughts of intentions for the Holy Rosary within a couple minutes. I remember thinking: I need to write these down or I will forget them. They are as follows: In reparation for desecrated Hosts… In reparation for sacrilegious receptions of the Holy Eucharist… In reparation for unbelief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, especially among Catholics… In reparation for lukewarm receptions of the Holy Eucharist… For a great increase in belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, and for a great increase of love for Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. In July '20, I added: In reparation for all of my sins to the last intention. Other intentions can be added to these. They seem to make the Holy Rosary easier to pray. Our Great Queen is often pictured holding the Child Jesus in one arm, and the Holy Rosary with the other. She is holding the Holy Eucharist with one arm and the Holy Rosary with the other. What a great weapon Mary has given to us to combat the problems in our world and Church. The Immaculata will step on the head of the ancient enemy. I think She will be holding the Rosary when she does it. Hope you like this Reparation Rosary. I consider it a gift to be shared. God bless you. Steve

STEVE RAY HERE: Very nice. Thanks for sharing Stephen. God bless you!!

Dear Steve, do you have any of your videos in Spanish ? Thanks

STEVE RAY HERE: Thanks for asking. We do not have our videos and movies dubbed in Spanish but all of them have Spanish subtitles. You can easily turn them on before watching the video so you can read it in Spanish. Hope that helps!

I hope you are doing well and safe. I just want to say I enjoy listening and watching your videos in YouTube. I pray that God continuously bless you, your family, and your ministry.

I just want to ask your help. My son asked me a question wich I don’t know how to answer correctly. His question is, “does God get tired? Why did he rested on the seventh day of creation?”

Thank you in advance for taking time in answering my question. May God bless you!

STEVE RAY HERE: Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. I’m glad that my humble efforts have been of assistance to you and your family.

Your son has a good question, but it is based on the poor translation of the Hebrew text into English. The word “rest“ is in Hebrew “ceased from his labors“.

It does not mean that God is tired or that he needed to take a nap. It simply means that he finished his work and it was ceased and done. When he looked at his finished work he ceased his creating, labors and said it is very very good.

God is omnipotent, omnipotent and omnipresent. It is impossible for God who is pure spirit to ever be tired and need a nap. But when he starts a work and he completes it at the end he ceases from his labors.

I hope that helps

I would like to inquire about your schedule next August 16, 17 and 18th of 2024. I am putting together a Marian Conference for Stevensville, Montana parish – Saint Mary’s. Backstory: August 15th, is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the parish will typically have a small event and hike to the peak of St Mary in the Bitterroot mountain range on the Sunday following and have mass in small sections as everyone hikes to the top for the consecration – sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.

I am proposing that I seek out speakers and a music artist to attend this event. Why? Because when Fr Peirre Jean DeSmet first came to Montana in 1841, there were 2 apparitions of Mary to two young natives that he writes about in his book “Origin, Progress and Prospects of the Catholic Mission to the Rocky Mountains”. Bishop Vetter and Bishop Thomas knew of these events and all the locals do, but no one outside of Stevensville and a few in Missoula know about this. I would like to tell as many people as possible! I would hope for success and then have this event every few years to commemorate the events. I have support from the Saint Mary Historical Mission, and Fr David Severson, the local priest.

Speakers that are on my list to contact: Bishop Vetter (Helena Diocese) Archbishop Sample (Portland, OR I’ll be visiting with him in Billings May 5, 6th of next month with Scott Hahn). Steve Ray (Catholic Convert speaker for EWTN and Relevant Radio and tour guide) Michael O’Neal (Miracle Hunter, EWTN program) Donna Cori (extremely talented music artist) Jamie Thietten (singing at the Eucharistic Congress in Billings next month) Fr David Severson – confirmed Yes And any of the Jesuits priests out of Missoula, MT

I don’t know if I want to do a Friday evening, all day Saturday, then hike to the top of the mountain (have mass) and everyone leaves on Sunday evening. Or just do a Saturday of talks and singing until 7pm, then have two masses on Sunday one in the parish and another as a hike to the top of the mountain. I’m not sure of the cost or the structure of events yet, just trying to nail down spots on the calendar.

Station owner of EWTN affiliate.

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Peter, the Rock, the Keys, and the Chair – Steve Ray

Biblical scholar and Holy Land pilgrimage leader Steve Ray delves into the Jewish roots of the papacy, namely “the keys”, “the rock”, and “the chair”. Ray, a former Baptist, draws from his trips to the Holy Land to bring to life the commissioning of Peter as the first pope using vivid historical and contextual highlights. 

Click Here to purchase this talk as an mp3, CD, or DVD.

Click Here  to purchase the full set of available talks from the 2009 Deep in History Conference.

Study Questions:

-What’s the best way to study the Bible, according to Ray?

-What is the “Fifth Gospel”? Do you agree?

-How does the description of Caesarea Philippi help you better understand Matthew 16:13-20?

-What is the importance of the renaming of Peter? Were there things Ray pointed out that you had never considered before?  

-What are the keys, according to Scripture? (see Isaiah 22:22) How does Old Testament dynastic succession correspond with Apostolic Succession? Why does it matter what Peter and the Apostles thought as Jews when they heard Jesus speak of “the keys of the Kingdom”?

-Have you ever considered to what the “Chair of Moses” in Matthew 23:2 was referring? How did Ray clarify the Jewish understanding of the Chair of Moses? How does this help you understand the Catholic “Chair of Peter”?

-Have you ever felt the pressure of “being your own pope,” as Steve Ray describes?  

-How does the Holy Spirit speak infallibly through sinful men?

Vocabulary:

Mishna and Talmud: The Mishna is the name for the sixty-three tractates in which Rabbi Judah set down the Oral Law, in which Jewish law is systematically codified. The Talmud is a compilation of discussions and commentaries on the Mishna’s laws made by rabbis.

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The Catholic Travel Guide

Steve Ray Catholic pilgrimages

Afraid to travel to the holy land.

We said it elsewhere, but will say it again here.  Ask someone near the end of their life and they will probably tell you they don’t regret the things they did nearly as much as the things they did not do .  

Never is it more true than when someone postpones a trip to Israel because they, or some well-meaning friend or relative, decide it is “ just to dangerous to go there right now “.

Having traveled there many times in the last 20 years, we have heard that song before.  Yet thousands, or perhaps hundreds of thousands, of pilgrims have traveled there safely and brought back memories for a lifetime. How sad that some of those people who put it off never got to go and missed out on such a wonderful experience. 

We just saw a post from Steve Ray, who conducts Catholic tours to the Holy Land, about his group arriving (safely, of course) in Israel to start their pilgrimage.  The airports in Israel have security that is second to none….in fact it is the best in the world.  And the holy sites are safe and secure.  So if you feel that urge to go then there will never be a time more safe than “now”, whenever now happens to be.

 By the way, we have no connection to Steve Ray, but like to follow his blog .

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Footsteps of Jesus – Holy Land Pilgrimage

Watch the Gospels come alive as we set out on this true pilgrimage of faith and retrace the progressive stages of the life of Jesus from his younger days in Nazareth and his public ministry in the Galilee, unto his passion, death and resurrection in Jerusalem. As we together respond to Jesus’ call to ‘follow me’, prepare to be deeply moved, as we behold with our eyes what our minds for so long attempted to imagine.

Tel Aviv (1 night) • Caesarea Maritima • Haifa • Mt Carmel • Nazareth (2) • Mt Tabor • Cana • Sea of Galilee (2) • Mt Beatitudes • Capernaum • Magdala • Jordan River Baptismal site • Jericho • Jerusalem (4) • Bethlehem day

• 10 Days / 9 Nights
• Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
• Optional Jordan 3-night extension

Meal Code: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner

DAY 1 ARRIVE THE HOLY LAND

Welcome to the Holy Land, affectionately known as the land of the ‘fifth Gospel’.

Upon arrival at Tel Aviv , we will be transferred to our local hotel to gather ourselves and prepare for the amazing days ahead.

Tel Aviv overnight (D)

DAY 2 DAY 2: TRAVEL VIA CAESAREA MARITIMA & MT CARMEL TO NAZARETH

Theme: Prepare the way This morning we journey north to the crusader port of Caesarea Maritima to see the port city built by Herod the Great and once the Roman capital of Israel. It was here the centurion Cornelius was baptized by Peter, becoming the first gentile convert to Christianity (Acts 10), and where Festus tried Paul (Acts 25: 6-12). Visit the impressive excavations, the amphitheatre, and the Herodian port. Continuing our journey, we come to Haifa , the largest city in Northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country. The Mediterranean Sea wraps around three sides of the city with intoxicating blue and gold beaches.   We firstly visit the Stella Maris Monastery at Mount Carmel where in the lower cave, Elijah was said to have meditated on His victory over the false prophets of Baal ( 1 Kings 18:1-40 ).

After lunch at a spectacular restaurant overlooking the sea, we visit the House of Grace , a Catholic ministry that works with the most marginalised members of Haifa: Christians, Jews and Muslims who are in need of counselling, guidance, and material aid. We will listen to an inspiring talk about this ministry.

Later today, arrive into Nazareth , the hometown of Jesus’ childhood.

Nazareth overnight (BLD)

Day 3 NAZARETH & MT TABOR

Theme:  The Formative Years of Jesus

Our spectacular morning begins at the Basilica of the Annunciation where a traditional cave becomes the focal point to Mary’s response to the Angel Gabriel “Let it be done to me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). After a guided tour and our private Mass, we will visit the adjacent Church of St Joseph to commemorate the life of Mary’s beloved spouse.

Not far away, we enter the nearby Synagogue Church , a Crusader structure said to be built on the site of the synagogue where Jesus read the Messianic passage in Isaiah 61 ”   The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me, to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

Continue on to Nazareth Village , an authentic re-creation of the village life of Nazareth as in the days of Jesus. Here we will take a parable-rich walk back in time along the path which brings to life the environment and atmosphere which shaped Jesus’ early years and ministry. Complete our memorable visit with a fascinating Biblical Meal lunch in the authentic setting of a first century house.

In the afternoon, we journey east to the foot of Mt Tabor before ascending by dedicated taxis up the narrow winding road leading to the majestic summit. Here in this breathtaking setting, Our Lord’s divinity shone forth in the Transfiguration (Mt 17:1–2) as we better understand Peter’s words ‘Lord it is good for us to be here’ .

This evening, pilgrims may take the opportunity to join in the candlelit procession, rosary or adoration back in the Basilica of Annunciation (subject to parish schedule).

Day 4 NAZARETH VIA CANA, MT BEATITUDES & TABGHA TO SEA OF GALILEE

Theme: Mountains of the Lord Departing Nazareth today, we travel to and ascend Biblical Mt Precipice , which offers an incredible view of Nazareth and the Jezreel valley. This is the site of the rejection of Jesus, described in Luke 4:29-30, where the people of Nazareth tried to push him from the mountain. In 2009 Pope Benedict XVI celebrated a Mass here with 40,000 people in attendance. We notice too the Olive Tree planted earlier by Pope John Paul II as a symbol of peace between religions.

Travel on to the village of Cana where Jesus, at the request of His Mother, performed His first miracle transforming the water into wine at the wedding feast ( Jn 2:1-12 ). Here, married couples will have the opportunity to renew their wedding vows.

Continue east towards of Lake Galilee … “Go to Galilee and you will find him there” ( Mt 28:7 ). On arrival, we come to the Mount of Beatitudes to enjoy some reflective time and to wander through the Church and tranquil gardens to ponder Jesus’ message of the Sermon on the Mount ( Mt 5:1–12 ).

Journey then to Tabgha , site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Mt 14:20), before an important stop at the Church of the Primacy of Peter where Jesus challenged Peter and each one of us ‘Do you really love me, feed my sheep’. Here we will spend some quiet time to reflect and pray by the shore of the lake.

Sea of Galilee overnight (BD)

Day 5 SEA OF GALILEE & SURROUNDS

Theme: The Public Ministry of Jesus Following breakfast, we travel to Capernaum , the centre of Jesus’ teaching and healing and home to Peter the Apostle (Mt 4:12–20).

Onwards to Nof Ginosar Kibbutz to see the preserved remains of a first century fishing boat from the days of Christ. We then set off from the shore in a traditional sailing vessel to encounter one of our most memorable pilgrimage highlights – a Private Mass floating quietly in the centre of Lake Galilee . Here we will recall the miracles of Jesus calming the storm and appearing to the apostles walking on this very water. After Mass, we will continue back to the shore for our special ‘ St Peter’s fish’ lunch .

Journey on to the panoramic Mt Arbel lookout to view Lake Galilee and the entire Golan Heights. From here, a spectacular highlight awaits the more agile, as we descend by foot along a unique stretch of the ancient Jesus Trail frequented by Our Lord in his many visits between Nazareth and Capernaum. This well-worn shepherd’s path through the Valley of the Doves offers a rare and genuine opportunity to prayerfully tread the actual footsteps of Jesus down through the rustic pass between the mountains that have changed little since the days of the Gospels. (N.B. Weather and personal fitness dependant / or optional afternoon at hotel.)

Sea of Galilee overnight (BLD)

Day 6 SEA OF GALILEE VIA JERICHO TO JERUSALEM

Theme: Desert Encounters Begin our day in Magdala , home of Mary Magdalene, who became the first recorded witness of the resurrection of Jesus (John 20:18). Recent archaeological discoveries have made Magdala an important pilgrimage essential as we explore the remains of the town famous for its fishing industry and visit the Church of Duc In Altum, named after the words of Jesus to Simon Peter “put out into the deep” and famous for its boat altar.

Departing Lake Galilee this morning we journey south along the Jordan Valley towards Jericho.

Soon we arrive at the Jordan River Baptismal site (Qasr Al Yehoud), an archaeological discovery said to be the actual location where Jesus was baptised. Celebrate a special Mass here as we renew our own baptismal promises.

Onwards to Jericho , the ‘City of Palms’, which is the oldest inhabited city in the world and most famous oasis dating back to around 9000 BC. Stop by the famous Sycamore tree used to commemorate the powerful story of the tax collector Zacchaeus. Across the valley we look up to view the Mt of Temptation, the site of Jesus’ fast of 40 days and there are enough stones to illustrate Satan’s words “If you are the son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves” . After a lunch stop in Jericho, we drive to St George’s Monastery lookout to marvel at the cliff-hanging 5 th C complex carved into a sheer rock wall and still occupied today.

Travel towards Jerusalem along the Jericho Road, as we remember the parable of the Good Samaritan and journey through desert hills and dry rocky landscape. Finally, we ascend up into Jerusalem – the City of our God and the Mountain of His Holiness.

Jerusalem overnight (BLD)

Day 7 BETHLEHEM & SURROUNDS

Theme: Commemorating the Birth of Jesus

We travel out today to Ein Karem this morning and ascend the hill to the Church of the Visitation where Mary visited Elizabeth and proclaimed her Magnificat prayer – ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord’. Visit the nearby Church of St John the Baptist to pray before the grotto of his birth.

Continue to the Shepherd’s Field to celebrate a joyous Christmas Mass in a local cave to commemorate the appearance of the angels to the shepherds on that first Holy night ( Lk 2:8–16 ).

In Bethlehem this afternoon, we will enter the spectacular Church of the Nativity , the oldest complete church in the Christian world (6 th century) and birthplace of Our Lord and Saviour. Bow low and enter the grotto through the Door of Humility as we descend to the Holy Manger where a silver star in the floor marks the actual spot where Jesus was born.

Proceed to St Jerome’s Cave where in 386 AD the saint spent 30 years producing the first vernacular version of the Bible! Before returning to our hotel for a rest we have the opportunity to visit the Christian Co-Op store.

Jerusalem overnight (BD)

Day 8 JERUSALEM

Theme: The Passion of Jesus We proceed to the Mt of Olives this morning where we will firstly visit the Church of the ‘ Pater Noster ’ commemorating the site where Jesus taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer (Mt 6:7–15). We then enjoy a panoramic view over the city and a spectacular photographic opportunity. As we commence our walk down the Palm Sunday Road, we wander past the tombs of the Prophets Haggai, Malachi and Zechariah before arriving at the Dominus Flevit for Mass. This church was built on the site where Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem (Lk 19:41–44).

We then continue down to the Garden of Gethsemane , where we will enter the Church of the Agony containing the rock upon which Jesus is said to have prayed before His arrest. Prepare then for a memorable pilgrim highlight, as we gain private group access inside the adjacent ‘Garden of Betrayal’ for an extended time of prayer and reflection surrounded by ancient olive trees dating back to the time of Christ.

From here we see the path Jesus was taken along as a prisoner while ascending Mt Zion to the house of the High Priest Caiaphas. Here, at the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu , Our Lord was interrogated and imprisoned, while Peter denied Jesus three times. Continue to the Cenacle, room of the Last Supper and the Church of Dormition where Our Lady was assumed into heaven.

After a rest before dinner, we will meet representatives of the Bereaved Parents Circle – this is a joint Israeli-Palestinian organisation made up of more than 600 bereaved families. Their common bond is that they have lost a close family member to the conflict. Instead of choosing revenge, they have courageously chosen a path of reconciliation which is sure to touch us deeply.

Day 9 JERUSALEM

Theme: The Death, Resurrection & Ascension of Jesus

We commence early this morning our Stations of the Cross , beginning from the Antonia Fortress where Jesus was condemned to death. See the Lithostrotos (pavement) in the Ecce Homo convent.

Visit nearby the Flagellation and Condemnation Chapels as we pray and follow in Our Lord’s footsteps along the actual Via Dolorosa to the site of Calvary where we will celebrate Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre . Walk the stairway climbing to the actual site where the Cross of Jesus once stood. The glass panels reveal the natural rock below which we may reach through to touch with our pilgrim hands the rock of Calvary. Finally, we may have the opportunity to enter the Tomb where Our Lord rose from the dead for a jaw-dropping moment of pilgrimage.

This morning we travel to the vicinity of the Temple Mount to view the Dome of the Rock , El Aqsa Mosque and the Western Wall . Then we come to the Church of St Anne , said to be built over the birthplace of the Virgin Mary, and visit the adjacent Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the paralysed man (Jn 5:2–9).

Finally we come to the Israel Museum to view the Second Temple scale model of Jerusalem as it was in the time of Jesus. This model will help us to understand the layout of the Old City of Jerusalem as it was in the time of Jesus. We will also visit here the Shrine of the Book to view the Dead Sea Scrolls .

Remainder of the afternoon at leisure.

For a special evening of pilgrimage, we will enjoy a Final Celebration Dinner with spectacular views over all of Jerusalem.

Day 10 DEPART THE HOLY LAND

We are transferred to the airport for our homebound flight connections or onto the Wonders of Jordan extension. (B)

All tour inclusions and order of daily arrangements remain subject to change due to any unforeseen circumstances, which may arise, or at the discretion of the tour leadership.

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Dates & Prices

3 – 12 September 2024

Single Room

AUD $2190 Supplement

AU- --> - --> Tel Aviv

Tel AvivTel Aviv

• Prepaid Tipping

AUD $AUD $15 PPPD** --> AUD $15 PPPD**

8 – 17 October 2024

26 November – 5 December 2024

4 – 13 February 2025

6 – 15 May 2025

2 – 11 September 2025

14 – 23 October 2025

25 November – 4 December 2025

*Per person, twin share

**Per person, per day

Costs are indicative and must remain subject to possible change in the event of significant exchange rate variations, tax & hotel changes or minimum group size factors beyond Harvest’s control. Refer to Harvest Terms & Conditions.

• ACCOMODATION & MEALS: Based on Superior Standard / 4-Star accommodation • Meals as specified in Itinerary
• TOURING & TRANSPORTATION: Deluxe Air Conditioned Coach • Professional Pilgrimage Escort / Local Guides • Sightseeing and Entrance Fees
• OTHER: Fully Escorted by Pilgrimage Chaplain • Porterage at hotels (where available) • Harvest Backpack, Pilgrims Journal and Travel Wallet

Not Included

• International Airfares
• Other meals not listed
• Passport and Visa Costs (if applicable)
• Items of a personal nature including phone calls, laundry, beverages, etc.
• Travel insurance

Wonders of JORDAN extension

Petra (2 nights), Dead Sea (1).

DAY 10 JERUSALEM TO PETRA

Travel east this morning crossing into the Holy Land of Jordan.

Visit St Georges Church in Madaba with its precious 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land comprised of more than two million pieces.

We continue on and travel south to the magnificent ancient trading city of Petra known as the ‘Red Rose City’ and one of the new Seven Wonders of the World .

Petra overnight (BD)

DAY 11 PETRA EXPLORATION

This morning we enjoy a breathtaking guided walking tour through the ruins of ancient Petra – the city that the Nabateans carved out of solid rock dating back to 300 BC! Our visit will follow a passage through the Siq , a chasm created in a prehistoric earthquake. It is one of the special moments to walk through this canyon which dramatically opens up before your eyes to reveal the Treasury Building (Al-Khazneh) – a never to be forgotten experience. We will see also the Roman Theatre , Corinthian tomb along with churches, homes and many other buildings from this fascinating period.

DAY 12 PETRA VIA MT NEBO TO DEAD SEA

Travel north today where we will ascend Biblical   Mt Nebo  for a spectacular Mass. Here, at the site where the Old Testament opened its door to the Land of the New, Moses looked over into the Promised Land and blessed Joshua who was to lead the Israelites under God’s protection (Joshua 1:6-9). It has been possible for archaeologists to identify this sanctuary, thanks to the records left by two pilgrim-visitors of the fourth and fifth centuries of their travels in this region.

His Holiness Benedict XVI, on his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2009, said this while here on Mt Nebo:  “Here, on the heights of Mount Nebo, the memory of Moses invites us to ‘lift up our eyes’ to embrace with gratitude not only God’s mighty works in the past, but also to look with faith and hope to the future which he holds out to us and to our world.”  We too can seize this opportunity to thank God for our journey thus far and anticipate the blessings that are to come.

We then arrive at the Jordanian side of the  Dead   Sea  to check-in to our beautiful hotel located down on the shore. Here we will unwind and take the optional opportunity to float in the salty waters said to have healing qualities.

Dead Sea overnight (BD)

DAY 13 DEAD SEA TO AMMAN

Depart Dead Sea today for Amman airport for our homebound flight connections. (B)

Meal Code: (B) = Breakfast (L) = Lunch (D) = Dinner

“The tour was well organised, the accommodations was excellent. The tour guides were knowledgeable and were an enormous source of information. Border transfers were easily arranged. It was great to travel in an unknown area without any worries.”

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Moscow Metro 2019

Will it be easy to find my way in the Moscow Metro? It is a question many visitors ask themselves before hitting the streets of the Russian capital. As metro is the main means of transport in Moscow – fast, reliable and safe – having some skills in using it will help make your visit more successful and smooth. On top of this, it is the most beautiful metro in the world !

. There are over 220 stations and 15 lines in the Moscow Metro. It is open from 6 am to 1 am. Trains come very frequently: during the rush hour you won't wait for more than 90 seconds! Distances between stations are quite long – 1,5 to 2 or even 3 kilometers. Metro runs inside the city borders only. To get to the airport you will need to take an onground train - Aeroexpress.

RATES AND TICKETS

Paper ticket A fee is fixed and does not depend on how far you go. There are tickets for a number of trips: 1, 2 or 60 trips; or for a number of days: 1, 3 days or a month. Your trips are recorded on a paper ticket. Ifyou buy a ticket for several trips you can share it with your traveling partner passing it from one to the other at the turnstile.

On every station there is cashier and machines (you can switch it to English). Cards and cash are accepted. 1 trip - 55 RUB 2 trips - 110 RUB

Tickets for 60 trips and day passes are available only at the cashier's.

60 rides - 1900 RUB

1 day - 230 RUB 3 days - 438 RUB 30 days - 2170 RUB.

The cheapest way to travel is buying Troyka card . It is a plastic card you can top up for any amount at the machine or at the ticket office. With it every trip costs 38 RUB in the metro and 21 RUB in a bus. You can get the card in any ticket office. Be prepared to leave a deposit of 50 RUB. You can get it back returning the card to the cashier.

SamsungPay, ApplePay and PayPass cards.

One turnstile at every station accept PayPass and payments with phones. It has a sticker with the logos and located next to the security's cabin.

GETTING ORIENTED

At the platfrom you will see one of these signs.

It indicates the line you are at now (line 6), shows the direction train run and the final stations. Numbers below there are of those lines you can change from this line.

In trains, stations are announced in Russian and English. In newer trains there are also visual indication of there you are on the line.

To change lines look for these signs. This one shows the way to line 2.

There are also signs on the platfrom. They will help you to havigate yourself. (To the lines 3 and 5 in this case).