b'Thats very much by design, according to FatherKenney. Certainly, we do a lot of touring; we definitelyhave fun by sharing our meals and drinking good winetogether, he said. But we try to do it all through thelens of the spiritualhow are we going to be wooedand awed by God today, in the beauty of the tulips andlush landscapes we see, or as we visit these magnificentcathedrals and shrines?While in France, long-time Floridian George Mikusexperienced just such a special spiritual moment earlyone morning as the Marianist group prepared to takepart in daily Mass on the River Seine near Giverny, afamed site of artist Claude Monets gardens.Theres a mist rising over the water just after dawnas we gathered at the back of the boat. You look outand can almost imagine Monet setting up to paint overthereand then Mass begins, he recalled. It wasso specialits forever burned in my brain!George Mikus and his wife, Pat, a University ofDayton alum, have been on two additional Europeanriver cruises with the Marianists since 2014, and, likeMiller, they joined Father Kenney on the 2023 pilgrimageto the Holy Land. The Mikuses count these experiencesamong the best vacations theyve ever takeneclipsingeven bucket-list cruises to places such as Alaska, SouthAmerica, Australia, and New Zealand. For George Mikus, the family spirit that emergesover the course of each pilgrimage stands out. Yourealize these people are energetic, informative, and probably most of allfun! he said. Likewise,Pat Mikus has been equally impressed to encounterpilgrims coming from all different walks of life, different ages, different experiencesbut by theend, our time together seems to have just solidifiedthe group. Its hard to say goodbye! San Franciscos Terry ONeill has long enjoyedtraveling the world, even before retiring from herteaching position several years ago at the citys Marianist-sponsored Archbishop Riordan HighSchool. Her most memorable trips have included ariver cruise in western Russia and an excursion toFrance and England, marking the 75th anniversaryof the D-Day landing on the beaches of Normandy.But the chance to walk in the footsteps of St. Paul lastyearas part of the Marianist Mission pilgrimageto Greecestands out in her mind.One reason why I like Father Tims trips is thattheyre not mega-busloads of people getting off at eachsite, ONeill said. She also appreciates the spiritualtone he sets. Every day, when we got on the bus, weOld city of Jerusalem16 Call 1.800.348.4732'