Delores and Ken you were amazing hosts. You were patient, flexible, fun, organized, well prepared and you both were always kind. This was my first retreat, and I went with no expectation.

I completely enjoyed all the activities of photography, meditation, expressive art exercises and the retreat program. Everything was well organised, informative and I loved it all! All the places were so special that you brought us to. You organized a lot for us!

We had a beautiful group of pilgrims, and every day was amazing. I felt cared for 110% of the time. You kept things meaningful, fun, and humorous. There was a lot of joy in Assisi, we laughed a lot!

The hotel was perfectly located, my room was comfortable and clean, the views were magnificent. The room we had for the activities, the breakfast every morning and the staff were really nice too!

You planned many activities all related to St. Francis in some way, they were all unique for me. I loved every one of them. Even Carole and I taking a wrong turn going on the path to the hermitage, not making it to the top, losing Carole’s phone only to have someone find it and return it to us when we were back in town.

I feel that when we go on this kind of trip, one has to go with an open mind and appreciate all the gifts every day brings. Love you!

I traveled to Assisi with Delores and Ken in October 2017. I know that a pilgrimage is more than a trip, but what I loved was that this was so much more than a pilgrimage.

While some may say that 10 days is a long time to spend in Assisi, Delores planned it so that we not only had time to explore the sites, but we had the time to step out of ourselves and explore our souls. She and Ken very easily created an atmosphere of love, trust, and stillness where I was able to meet God in others, in nature, and in my own heart.

Delores also uses her creativity to enhance the experience. Her use of expressive arts Is not something you will find on any other pilgrimage. She is a very gifted artist and photographer, and helped all of us see God in the beauty that was all around us.
Not least of all, Ken and Delores make a wonderful team. Their love for God, people, and Assisi shines through in the way they make all the pilgrims feel safe and welcome. I am absolutely convinced you would not get the same kind of personal connection in a larger group. If you want to truly discover Assisi, this is the couple to go with!

In the Autumn months of 2019 I had the privilege of joining Delores and Ken on their pilgrimage through the Umbria region of central Italy. From the moment we arrived in the town of Assisi and received a blessing from Delores as we entered the front gates, I could see the heartfelt love and passion that Delores and Ken have for providing the most memorable and meaningful experience possible. In joining a tour with Ken and Delores you will be embarking on a truly unique travel experience far beyond what can be found in any travel agency. Our pilgrimage included a very well planned schedule which made it effortless for the group to enjoy all the activities and destinations without having to worry about any of the details. Whether it’s the historically significant locations, unique restaurants, or hidden gems that would otherwise be overlooked by most travelers, Ken and Delores have created a one of a kind experience for those seeking more than just sightseeing. The contemplative portion and guided activities were truly unique and a special part of our trip. It not only brought our group closer together and added another dimension to the experience, but to this day i still use the techniques I learned during our time together. Their sincere desire in wanting to help each individual explore their personal goals and/or challenges is where they truly shine. Not only were Delores and Ken amazing hosts, but for our family, it felt like traveling with old friends.

You may come on this pilgrimage to enhance your skills as a photographer; you can if you allow it, leave with a new ability to see.

You may come on this pilgrimage to experience the path of Francis and Clare; you can if you allow it, leave with a renewed sense of your own path with God.

You may come on this pilgrimage to experience a deep spirit filled community of laughter, trust and love. You will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams.

This was our first pilgrimage and visit to Italy, and we are so glad that we decided to join the tour organized by Delores and Ken.

We experienced a rich and satisfying itinerary that included visits to all the major shrines associated with Saint Francis and Saint Clare, as well as contemplative and artistic exercises, cultural experiences, and delicious food.

Some special memories include visiting Francis’s little chapel inside the massive Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels, an evening “blue hour” photography session with Delores at the Basilica of Saint Francis, viewing the tomb of Saint Clare, visiting textile and stained glass studios in Perugia, sampling the gelato shops in Assisi, and enjoying a luxurious lunch al fresco on the shore of beautiful Lake Piediluco.

Delores and Ken are superb hosts and took exceptional care of us. I can highly recommend this pilgrimmage to anyone with a curiosity or reverence for Saint Francis and Saint Clare, and a desire to experience amazing Umbria.

Delores and Ken bring unique gifts to the planning and offering of the pilgrimage experience in Assisi, Italy.

They are people of strong faith and open hearts.
They invite and support each pilgrim to have his or her own authentic experience.

I have seldom had more fun and sharing with a group who had been strangers to me.

Delores and Ken planned a beautiful opportunity to walk in the footsteps of St. Francis and experience his legacy in the fellowship of other seekers. Everywhere you look in Assisi is like opening a Christmas gift.

I am very grateful. I would like the two of  you to know how much I appreciate your passion, commitment, creativity and hard work.

It is not possible to “go online” and find an experience like this to book.

No travel company, even the “Religious” ones or groups led by a local religious could bring the richness that Delores and Ken bring to the pilgrimages they lead. They are beyond any expectations!

The creative times, the quiet meditative sits. the sharing that only a small group with Delores will give you.

A truly blessed experience … each day brings new and inspiring experiences.

The friendships and bonds created in Assisi are God given and will go on for a lifetime.

The beauty of this place will take your breath away and the experience of it will be life-changing.

The gift of Delores will move your heart …

I am so grateful to God for the grace of this holy place!

Thank you St. Francis and St. Clare for continuing to walk with us.

I have heard many accolades about Italy throughout my life. I anticipated good food, warm people and beautiful landscapes. My expectations were totally exceeded!

The peace of Assisi is unsurpassed. Beauty spoke to me here like no other place on earth.

I am filled with gratitude to be here with others who seek God who is the ultimate healer.

Assisi has a magnetism, a deep spirituality that compels me to return.

Taste and see the goodness of the Lord in this extraordinary, special place.

Delores I am eternally grateful that you invited me and put your heart into our time together.

Greetings fellow seeker, I traveled with Delores and Ken on their 2016 pilgrimage to Assisi for three reasons that I felt the universe had planned for me, it would take too long to explain here and are relevant mostly to myself. I did not know or understand why I was called to participate but trusted that I was indeed supposed to.

Upon arriving in Assisi, I only knew St. Frances as the birdbath saint (as quoted from Fr. Richard Rohr) and knew nothing of St. Clare. I went with an open mind and an open heart and discovered so much more. I have come to have deep fondness for both saints. The Franciscan Way has helped me to better participate in my Catholic faith.

Delores secured wonderful guides, Marco and Alfredo, who brought so much meaningfulness to our pilgrimage! .They are both animated and passionate about their work. They shared much of themselves as far as life in Assisi now; regarding politics, social structure and just about anything you wondered about like … Are Italian men really mama’s boy’s?

Delores has a beautiful way of bringing the experiences to life through readings, discussion and art. I have continued to create in new ways from my inspiration from her as well as all the wondrous and magnificent sights. It has been fascinating to witness how my understandings of my time there unfolds in the most unexpected ways.   

Ken took care of all the logistics and we traveled to many beautiful places without incident. It was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend it.

Monica, Mark and I really enjoyed the pilgrimage and we won’t ever forget the experience. Not to mention the fact that we are all better photographers as well.

I thought the pilgrimage was a wonderful in the way that you combined the history and life of Saint Francis with the beauty and elegance of the area around Assisi.

The Italian countryside is breathtakingly beautiful and this trip was a deeply moving spiritual experience on so many levels. The emotional and spiritual force you feel walking through all the great historical basilicas, cathedrals, churches and chapels is indescribable. You cannot help but feel humbled.

We were truly blessed to experience Assisi and to walk in the footsteps of St. Francis and St. Clare with Delores and Ken. They are an exceptional husband and wife team.

This pilgrimage far exceeded our expectations!

Delores and Ken handled everything with such great care and genuine concern that this pilgrimage be the best experience possible, for each and every one of us.

This trip was most definitely filled with many memorable moments of awe.

I had the privilege and blessed opportunity to travel with Delores to Assisi, Italy. It was one of the most memorable trips of my life and I’ve visited 22 countries. She planned every detail which enabled me to enjoy a stress-free pilgrimage. She is very knowledgeable about the area and could answer any questions I had. There was time for prayer, being still, trying new food and enjoying gelato!
I encourage you to make time to participate in this once, maybe twice, in a lifetime pilgrimage. You will not be disappointed.

Our hosts Delores and Ken did an amazing job of building community by offering and creating a beautiful space to connect and relax in Assisi, Italy.

The gift of pilgrimage is to go away and experience new things and listen to how God is calling.
We had this opportunity many times.

We were traveling up the mountain and we stopped to experience the beauty of St. Francis retreat house in the mountains. We were encouraged to think of St. Francis walking up the mountain. This was very meaningful for me.

We were fortunate to be able to attend a German Mass with another group of pilgrims who were German. The songs were sung loud and clear by our fellow pilgrims. Somehow at this mass, I connected to my German, Lutheran grandmother who died when my mother was a child. I looked around and thought these are all my people. I experienced a profound realization that we are all Beloved Children of God.

I am most grateful for my time and experiences in Assisi with Delores and Ken and our fellow pilgrims.

Oh my. Everything is beautiful in Italy, even the alleys. The light gives me shivers.

In the spring of 2016, I was privileged to journey on a contemplative pilgrimage to Assisi, Italy led by Delores Montpetit. She is a Spiritual Director, professional artist and photographer who was a classmate from Richard Rohr’s Living School for Action and Contemplation. The trip was the experience of a lifetime and opened me to so many things, most particularly God’s Presence in nature and beauty and the power of the contemplative practice of expressive art. I came home feeling like I had new eyes and a new heart, opened in ways I had never imagined. The program helped me to step into my gifts of creativity that I had not explored in years. When I was back home I was sharing one of my drawings with a professional artist. He was moved to tears when I explained the meaning to him. What a beautiful, spirit filled time we had. I feel blessed and loved. I plan to return to Assisi with the two of you again!

Delores planned such an incredible pilgrimage the first time I went in 2016 that I joined her and Ken again in 2019! Everything about the experience was enhanced the second time around. I had a heart connection with the other pilgrims and the places we visited that I may not have been capable of the first time. The grounding I experienced due to; a level of familiarity with Assisi, my deepening heart connection with you Delores, as well as Ken and your own enhanced vulnerability. What a powerful, yet gentle example you set. You are such a remarkable team.

Thank you Delores, for your persistence in becoming the woman God created you to be. For your willingness to have His tender heart, with its divine capacity for suffering, love and joy, so that we could all be a part of this amazing blessing. Ken added much to our time together. I am in awe of his spiritual gifts and maturity. He is so thoughtful and humble with a beautiful servant’s heart. Thank you both for seeing God in me as I see God in both of you! I am feeling recharged, inspired and so, so grateful. Love to you both, dear friends.

In the fall of 2019, I had the good fortune of joining Delores and Ken on a Visual Art & Contemplative pilgrimage through the central part of Italy. Initially I hesitated in going because I am not a photographer, and the word “artist” is not even in my vocabulary. I chose tp participate in the Rome Bonus tour for 3 days where we toured St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican Museums,the Coliseum, the Vatican Gardens and a trip to Papal Summer home by train. In Assisi, there were daily activities ranging from a walking tour of Assisi which included touring the Basilica of St.Francis, to day trips to Perugia, Greccio, Spello and Cortona. There were a wide range of activities and subjects to visit including a weaving facility, a stain glass factory, wine tasting, olive oil tasting and Mosaic Ruins.In addition, there was time set aside daily for meditation and reflection using a number of techniques that I was not familiar with, photography and art.The daily activities complemented each other and the time we spent together brought the group closer together. Delores and Ken were excellent hosts always interested in everyone’s well being and comfort.Their laid-back nature and patient demeanor greatly added to the trip’s atmosphere and success.The pilgrimage was very well organized and allowed everyone ample time to enjoy all the activities. The hotel in Assisi was great and central to our activities. I sincerely enjoyed this trip and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to combine seeing the stunning beauty of Assisi and the surrounding countryside at a leisurely pace with time to reflect on life and it’s meaning through photography and art as well as the spirituality of St Francis.

Thank you Delores and Ken for the most amazing time of my life. I soaked in everything that was offered to me and also let go of things that weren’t previously nurturing my soul. Delores you showed me how to look inward and up close through prayer, meditation and photography. You also made sure that we were introduced to the best gelato in Italy! I will carry everything, forever, that I have learned here. I highly recommend that anyone, no matter what faith you are, if any, to come and experience Assisi on this beautiful Contemplative Pilgrimage. Thank you Delores and Ken for your guidance and compassion, and for making sure that we were all given the chance to see what you have come to know in this beautiful place of Assisi.
with love and blessings.

This pilgrimage experience, with you as our facilitator Delores, has helped me to remember how important it is to take the time for reflection and prayer. Our times of creativity and reflection has helped me to slow down and remember how God is present and accessible all the time. I had great moments of joy and laughter with the other participants. I also found moments of solitude, often when walking, when i could rejoice and recognize how much i have received from God.
I want to continue to journey with St. Francis, to learn about his closeness to all of God’s creation and to discover what is the call that lies there in for me. I would like you to know how much I appreciate the thought and preparation that you and Ken put into this journey/pilgrimage…. and I deeply appreciate your acceptance of every pilgrim.

I took a Pilgrimage to Italy with two excellent Hosts, Delores Montpetit and her husband Ken Skuba with lots of fun, laughter (even dancing in the rain) and spiritual insights through love and contemplation.
Our drivers and tour guides were helpful and knowledgeable about the historical sites visited.
We created art as a form of meditation. This helped me to experience spiritual growth.

Delores gave us tips on how to look and really see using photography and our choice of subject matter which led us on a very spiritual experience of Assisi.
The tour of Basilica of St Francis was most memorable for me and San Damiano. There was much more.
Day trips were great, one was lunch with wine tasting in sunny Spello, so delicious.
Another excellent meal was on the shore of a beautiful lake, then a boat ride.

The accommodations were very good, they were clean and the staff were friendly and helpful.
Our day trip excursions went smoothly thanks to Ken’s help.

I highly recommend a Contemplative Pilgrimage with Delores Montpetit to anyone who would like to experience the wisdom and teachings of St. Francis and St. Clare, the joy of creating through expressive art and photography, and grace filled spiritual encounters in a laid back atmosphere of fun, laughter and acceptance.