Welcome to The Faithful Traveler’s Blog. I’m Diana, your host both here and on our show, The Faithful Traveler, which we are currently developing.
So, you might be asking, “What is The Faithful Traveler, and why are you blogging about it?” (Or, you might not…) Well, the answer is easy: The Faithful Traveler is a travel show, destined for TV and DVD players worldwide, in which I explore Catholic shrines and places of pilgrimage throughout the U.S. (and maybe, someday, beyond). During the show, I’ll explore the art, architecture, history, theology, and tradition behind each site, and give you tips on how you can make your own pilgrimages to these locations, some of which might just be in your own backyard! (Well, not literally… unless you’re really lucky!)
Now, why are we blogging about it? Well, I always find it interesting to know how something works: how did it come about? What went into the creation of something I like, like a movie, a book, etc. I always love the backstory. I figured other people might be interested, as well. Plus, this is a great way to get you all excited for the day when we start airing the show or making the DVDs available for purchase. And, it’s always a way to ask for prayers. Because what we really need—well, don’t we all?—are prayers. We can’t do much without them.
So, as this is my first post, let me tell you a little about us, and how we decided to work on this little project we call The Faithful Traveler.
As a cradle Catholic (a Catholic from birth), I have always been drawn to Catholic churches in my travels. To me, a church is always home, always familiar. And it doesn’t matter in which foreign city I find myself, I can always walk into a church and feel, well, safe. I’m sure many of you feel the same. So, as I grew up, and started traveling the country and the world, I explored more new and amazing churches that just blew me away—architecturally, artistically, and spiritually. As I write more in my blog, I’ll share some of these stories with you.
My husband David and I met in New York City in August 2001. And since his conversion to the faith shortly before our marriage in 2003, we have been exploring churches and shrines together. It’s been wonderful being able to do so, since his vision of each location is so different from mine, given his newly found faith.
I once heard the great Catholic philosopher, Peter Kreeft, say that he writes the books that he wishes to read, but can’t find. I suppose that’s what motivated David and I to create The Faithful Traveler. When we started planning our honeymoon to Paris, France, and the Loire Valley, we really wanted to incorporate our faith into our sightseeing—you know, a little Tour Eiffel, a little Rue de Bac. At the time, it seems like all we ever watched on TV was the Travel Channel, and no surprise, there was nothing on that channel that, we felt, gave Catholic places of historic and spiritual interest a fair look. And when we got home and did some research, we found that most of what was out there, focused on Europe and beyond.
Since we were (and are) living in the Philadelphia area, where there are five shrines, including two to Philadelphia saints, we thought, “Hey! What about the places in the U.S.?” Having lived in other American cities, I knew there were plenty of amazing shrines all around us, so many that we could spend years exploring them before we even got the chance to go to Europe!
And so, The Faithful Traveler was born. We hope our show will appeal to Catholics of all ages, because we all have so much to give. The youth is, naturally, the vibrant future of the Church, so excited to learn and spread the good news! While older Catholics have a strong love for the Church, one which they continue to embrace and share with the youth. And then, we can’t forget the Catholics who don’t really know too much about their faith. What about them? Well, we thought, what better way to teach them than to do it in a fun, interesting, and appealing manner? With great music, and a technically savvy presentation, we hope to present the wonders of the Church in a way that will appeal to all—strong Catholics, questioning Catholics, and non-Catholics, alike.
So that’s our mission. Will you pray that we succeed? We know we can only do it with His help, and let me tell you, we see His hand every day in little ways… and we are eternally grateful. So keep us in your prayers, and let us know what you think. We look forward to reaching you all in some way, and hope that it will lead you to make your own faith-filled travels.