Trip Information
**Mexico 2020 has filled up!
We have applications to fill our 25 spots on the Mexico 2020 trip. There are several people on the waiting list so please be sure to reserve your space.
Coronavirus Updates
We continue to watch the latest news about the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the US. They are guessing that 2-4 months will be the time-frame for the spread and containment of the virus. This means there is still a strong likelihood that our trip will be unaffected. Prices for tickets are very good right now and airlines are offering to waive fees for changed schedules. We are moving forward with our plans and asking for everyone to please submit their deposits.
Package Description
This travel package includes the price of airfare, travel to and from the airport, and accommodations in Mexico City and Silao. Most of our meals are included in the plan but some will take place while traveling or seeing the sites. We need to eat good tacos! We will travel in small groups around the city of Mexico, using taxi's and Uber. These costs will be divided up among the small groups. Tourist sites are included in the price although tips at any time are not included.
We recommend bringing at least $150 of spending money. There will be a short time for purchasing souvenirs but the primary purpose of the trip will be an immersion into the culture and encounters with people we meet along the way. Memories and experiences last forever.
Our principle is to minimize prices up front and let our missionaries share some of the costs along the way.
Who can come?
This trip is designed for young adults (20's and 30's) who are adventurous, excited about travel, comfortable in a Spanish-speaking environment, and interested in connecting Gospel values and faith in Jesus Christ to real-life experiences to friends, missionaries, and other disciples along the way.
If you don't fit these qualities but still think the trip is for you, please contact us first. Our application process will help us pick our best candidates and ensure that we will work as a team and maximize the experience for everyone.
Elements of Catholic Spirituality
We will have daily prayer time together along with the celebration of the "source and summit of our faith," which is the Eucharist. Celebrations of Mass will take place either in our travel centers or in local churches. It will be essential that our missionaries participate in the celebration of the Mass and assist as lectors, singers, and altar servers.
We plan to have daily small group time to make sense of our experiences and ask questions about meaning and proper response. The attitude of Jesus himself is our model for looking at others who are different than ourselves or finding points of connection to others along the way. Maybe your smile and conversation another person becomes an opportunity for them to think about our most important relationship with our loving God.
In addition to daily Mass and small group time, we will offer two short retreats as well as two mission days. While the theme of our whole trip fits with Pope Francis' idea of "missionary disciples," there will be specific mission activities. We want to learn about other mission and evangelistic activities of those we meet. What are they doing, how are they organizing, what motivates and animates them? We also hope to be able to work together to provide an evening of retreat, adoration, praise and worship, teaching or whatever else in order to enrich the lives of others. We want to come back from this trip uplifted after uplifting everyone we meet.
It is natural that our travelers will have different life experiences, different questions, and different doubts. God sees us as we are and invites us to take a step forward. This trip is a step towards God, trusting that He will meet us along the way and that the Spirit will move us onward.
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8
Registration deadline and $$
The sooner we fill the trip the sooner we can lock in our tickets from Richmond (RIC). Earlybirds get the biggest discount on the trip. Look for sponsors to help fund your trip. We are already seeking out sponsors to help make this low price possible.
Feb 24 - first registration deadline. ($799)
March 2 - second deadline ($849)
March 9 - third deadline ($899)
March 16 - final deadline ($949)
DEPOSITS: please send your minimum deposit payment of $300 by check or Paypal (team@blueeagleministries.org)
- Pay to: Church of the Sacred Heart
- Send to Fr. Joe Goldsmith
- 9300 Community Ln
- S Prince George, VA 23805
Accommodations
We will stay in two different locations. Each participant can expect a double-occupancy room with either a private or shared bathroom. We cannot guarantee that there will be AC in the rooms. The beds will come with pillows and sheets. You can let us know if there is a roommate preference.
Location 1: Centro de Peregrinos, Ciudad de Mexico
Location 2: Centro de Retiro, Cristo Rey, Silao
Mission
The Blue Eagle mission for this upcoming trip includes:
- To practice relationship building and servant leadership within intercultural travel opportunities.
- To provide young adults with a clearer perspective on the history of the Catholic Church in Mexico and the importance of Guadalupe as the “Star of the New Evangelization.”
- To learn from the experiences and day-to-day struggles of other Catholics in the living out of Gospel values.
- To rediscover and reinforce the team’s spiritual gifts in order to be more confident disciples of Jesus Christ and more active participants in the life and mission of our parishes.
Who are the coordinators?
Fr. Joe Goldsmith (Administrator of the Catholic Cluster in Prince George, Hopewell, and Dinwiddie) will be director and chaplain of the trip. Our group will consist of 5 coordinators and 20 participants. We will divide into groups with each group having a coordinator assigned. Once the coordinators are confirmed, we will list them here.
Travel Safety
We will consult with the latest travel advisories from the US department of travel. Mexico City and surrounding areas are quite safe as are American cities. Though we will have contact with some local ministries and parishes, there is nothing in our itinerary to put us in danger. However, travel anywhere involves some elements of risk. Therefore we will insist upon teamwork and communication as well as smart travel skills. Once in Mexico we can secure our passports and travel with photocopies or cell pictures of them.
Questions?
Feel free to contact us with a question at team@blueeagleministries.org
Once our group is formed, we will begin communicating with WhatsApp and GroupMe. We will post any FAQ's here as well.