Liturgical Living along the Rhine River

• a pilgrimage through Netherlands, Germany, & France

(+ Swiss highlights) •

June 3-13, 2025

The word “liturgy” simply means “the work of the people,” but its connotation, like a river, runs much, much deeper. To live liturgically means to recognize — with our life’s rhythms and practices — that there are seasons, traditions, and ways of being that expand far beyond our own time-bound perspective.

What’s arguably most true is that living liturgically means living in tandem with others, in communion with both our Maker and our neighbor, as a shared practice in becoming more fully human. It’s a way to live that’s simple to wade into and welcome to all, yet takes a lifetime (and then some) to unearth it all. What better way to learn more deeply what it means to live liturgically than with newly-formed friendships (who are probably like-minded kindred spirits), as we taste and see together what the historic cultures and God-breathed landscape of the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Switzerland has to offer?

Join Tsh & Kyle Oxenreider* on a pilgrimage down the Rhine River.

…Together, you'll learn from locals, trod on old soil, and spend time each day unpacking what you've learned — probably over a pint.

*along with friends Dr. Michael & Alexandra Foley and Haley Stewart!

“We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.”

– Hilaire Belloc

A Tidbit of What You’ll Experience:

Cheesemaking in Amsterdam
the epic 12th-century Cologne Cathedral
the Abbey of St. Hildegard von Bingen
fairytale cobblestoned medieval European villages like Strasbourg, Colmar, Mainz, & more
the Gutenburg Bible
a train excursion through the Swiss mountains
the rolling hills of the Black Forest region
Local wine regions, epic glaciers, basilicas, & beyond
…and much, much more!

Who Are You?

You appreciate Kyle & Tsh’s laid-back adventure style of travel — yet whether you're a seasoned nomad or you've never left the country, you're also a little unsure what it might be like to travel with a group of strangers. (It's understandable, and Tsh was honestly a little unsure what it'd be like to lead a group trip the first time, too!) But rest assured: there are no matching shirts here, and there's no one saying "We're walking, we're walking" through a crowd of tourists. When you travel with Kyle & Tsh, you're joining a likeminded group of pilgrims who value meaningful conversations in meaningful places, who want to savor the big and small pleasures of travel, who are willing to embrace the unexpected, yet who also relish the simple joy of a good conversation over a drink at the café.

All are welcome: young and older, men and women, single and married, religious and not, seasoned travelers and first-time abroad newbies. So long as you’re willing to learn about yourself, the world, and your place in it — you'll fit right in.

Pilgrims from Tsh’s summer 2022 trip to Italy

Pilgrims from Tsh’s summer 2023 trip to Ireland

Pilgrims from Tsh’s summer 2024 trip to Greece & Turkey

Meet Your Guides

Kyle and Tsh Oxenreider are explorers down to their bones, and ever since they met on a dirt road in war-torn Kosovo 20-plus years ago, travel has been in their family's DNA. They've lived abroad and traveled to well over thirty countries, and along the way they've learned a heckuva lot about home. Several years ago they took their three kids on a round-the- globe journey, spending a school year learning from the greatest textbook there is: the world. Kyle is a small business owner, and Tsh is a podcaster, teacher and author of six books, including At Home in the World: Reflections on Belonging While Wandering the Globe, and is a long-time podcaster currently hosting A Drink With a Friend. Together, they're experienced travel guides, and both of them are Catholic converts after spending most of their lives as devoted evangelicals, then Anglicans. Their favorite style of travel? Laid-back adventure. When you travel with them, you'll try new things and ask new questions about the world and your place in it, but not at the cost of unwise risk. We'll learn from locals, trod on old soil, and spend time each day unpacking what we've learned, usually over a local drink.

Michael & Alexandra Foley enjoy hosting the Drinking with the Saints podcast, giving talks, and leading pilgrimages when they’re not looking out for their six children, three chickens, one dog, and 30,000 bees. Michael is also a Catholic theologian and the author of over a dozen books, including the popular Drinking with the Saints series.

Haley Stewart has always loved a little adventure and attended the world’s largest Baptist university, where she surprised herself by becoming Catholic. She is a children’s book editor for Word on Fire and the author of seven books, including The Catholic Kids' Cookbook: Holy Days and Heavenly Food. She’s also the host of The Votive Podcast and loves to talk about faith, literature, and liturgical living. Haley lives in Florida with her four children and a scruffy goldendoodle named Samwise Gamgee, and can find a charming bookshop in any country.

FAQs

What is the group size?

Due to the boat size, this group is a maximum of 90 people.

When will group participants be revealed to each other?

You’ll connect via email a few weeks before departure.

What should I pack?

Layers are key to helping you pack as light as you can. Climates will vary as we traverse through valleys and mountains, and comfortable walking shoes are also a must! You may also want to toss into your bag something simple you enjoy wearing out for the evening. But on the whole, this trip is for ordinary pilgrims, and we recommend packing light.

Is this trip only for Christians? Or Catholics?

Not at all. Tsh and Kyle are Catholic Christians (as are the other hosts), and as such, their worldviews are a natural outflow of their faith. Naturally, the conversations throughout the week follow suit.

But as a participant, you’re not asked about your beliefs beforehand, you don’t have to sign some sort of doctrinal statement, and they embrace the idea that all of us are on our own unique journey. Will there be chats about the intersection of travel and faith? Yes, absolutely. But they trust that God knows where you’re at, and there’s no pressure to be anyone but you.

What's the investment?

The investment for the trip varies depending on your choice of room on our boat. The total includes stays in our award-winning river cruise boat and first-class hotels, most daily meals, included experiences, and more! See the brochure for more details.

Why do they partner with Select International?

Tsh has led trips on her own before, and they’re a lot of work to plan. As a full-time writer, teacher, and mother, planning a unique trip of this magnitude often feels like an additional full-time job! Select International has a longstanding track record of excellence in the travel industry (particularly with pilgrimages) and the people behind the scenes are fantastic. Plus, they’re able to make the trip more affordable than if Kyle & Tsh ran it on their own! They’ve loved working with them in recent years for their pilgrimages to Italy, Ireland, and Greece, and are thrilled to work with them again.