Holy Spirit Spartans Abroad

09/11/2026

09/11/2026

Have you been dreaming of travel? ✈️
Are you a 9–11th grade student at Holy Spirit High School? 💙🌟💙
If so, great news!!! Planning is underway for our June 2028 trip!
Please RSVP for an informational meeting on Tuesday, September 29 at 6:30 pm!
Even better news…if we get more than 30 RSVPs, I’ll have the opportunity to give out 4 $500 travel scholarships!!
Can’t make the meeting but want to hear about the trip, just click the RSVP link and tell me you want to hear more!
RSVP HERE:

06/29/2026

We made the most of our final day in Paris! First stop was a morning visit to Versailles where we saw the palace from the outside and peeked at the gardens. Some of our group chose to pay the entry and explore the gardens, while others opted to explore the charming town of Versailles. It was a market day, so lots of sights, sounds, and smells in the town square! After that, we rode into Montmartre, a beautiful, artistic area of Paris, where we visited Place du Tertre and explored the winding, hilly roads. Then, it was off to Île de la Cité where we had to say goodbye to our amazing driver and then we finally got to enter Notre Dame (it had been closed for 2 days due to the heat) while a Mass was going on. After the visit, we had some time to explore and eat dinner, then it was time for our final event, the Seine River cruise!

06/27/2026

Last night was a little taste of Paris…today, we had A very full (and hot!🥵) day exploring! We picked up our local guide at Arc de Triomphe and then saw many many sights, some while on the bus and others where we got to get off for photo ops. We saw L’Arc de Triomphe, of course, L’Hôpital des invalides (gold domed building) which is the final resting place of Napoleon, the Tuileries Gardens and the Palace that Catherine De Medici built there, heck, we even saw a green parrot just hanging out with the pigeons! The n we drove by Place de la Concorde, where many beheadings took place during and after the French Revolution (the large Egyptian obelisk marks the Place de la Concorde), le Tour d’Eiffel, The Garnier Opéra House, and tried Flammekueche for lunch. After lunch, we visited Fragonard Perfume where we learned a lot and mixed our own scent, had some free time to shop, and then we weee back on the bus to Île de la Cité for some dinner! Tomorrow will be our last full day and we have some fun adventures planned!!

06/26/2026

Today was a travel day from the Brittany region to Paris, but we managed to squeeze in some sightseeing and fun! First was a stop at Notre Dame de Chartres, a beautiful cathedral with the largest collection of stained glass windows in the world which houses parts of the Virgin Mary’s veil. After exploring the cathedral, we had some free time for lunch and an ice cream treat courtesy of Ramona! Then it was back on the bus where we were dropped off right next to Notre Dame de Paris! Unfortunately, it closed early today due to the extreme heat and will remain closed tomorrow, but we hope to be able to go inside on Sunday. The kids got to explore the Latin Quarter a bit and eat dinner in Paris and we caught our first glimpses of the Eiffel Tower!

06/25/2026

Happy Birthday to Mr. Geiger from France!!!🇫🇷

06/25/2026

The heatwave in Europe is really no joke! It has been incredibly hot with both the UK and France breaking records for the highest temps ever recorded and today was no exception! It was a tough one, but we still managed to do and see quite a lot! We climbed to the top of Mont St. Michel and visited the Abbey. Then, we cooled down and napped on the bus as we travelled to St. Malo where we ate lunch and followed a guided tour of the walled city. After our tour, we had some free time and then went to dinner, where we sent Mr. Geiger a special Happy Birthday message! We are on our way back to the hotel now where I am sure we will all enjoy the AC and a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow, it’s off to Paris!!

06/24/2026

Our final stop of the day was to the beautiful beach town, Arromanches. This is where some of the United Kingdom service members landed and built a mulberry (or temporary) harbor which made it possible to bring more artillery and machinery into the region after the invasion. You can still see remnants of the breakwater and bridges. There was a second mulberry harbor created at Omaha beach, but nothing remains in that location. It was striking to see people enjoying a beautiful beach day while surrounded by so much history. It is also remarkable to note that throughout the Normandy Region, it is very common to see American, Canadian, and British flags flying alongside the French flag at homes and businesses. The people of this region have never forgotten the sacrifices made during that time.
Now we are on the road to the Brittany Region. More to come tomorrow!

06/24/2026

From Omaha Beach, we travelled to the American Cemetery at Colleville. In appreciation of the efforts of the American military, France gave this piece of land to the United States. When you visit the American Cemetery, you are on American soil. At the start, there is a very large statue depicting American youth rising from the waves. Let’s not forget that many of the lives lost were not much older than the students I’m traveling with. Behind the statue is the Garden of the Missing, listing the names of 1,557 American service members who lost their lives in the region but whose remains were never found or identified. Interestingly some remains are still being found and identified and as they are, a rosette is placed next to their name on the wall. In the center, is a chapel. The vast area is filled with so many markers, it takes your breath away to see it. The markers, some in the shape of a cross and others in the shape of the Star of David for Jewish service members are all lined up as if in parade formation. It is a beautiful tribute and a very somber place.