In 1859, a woman appeared to a young Belgian immigrant near Champion, Wisconsin – in the heartland of America – and revealed herself as “The Queen of Heaven.” Her message: “Gather the children of this wild country and teach them what they need to know for salvation.” A small chapel built on this site began attracting the local immigrant population; they brought to Our Lady their concerns in times of sickness and uncertainty, or when drought threatened their crops…and in the ensuing years, blessings, even miracles, began to flow.
Known only to locals until relatively recently, the site of this apparition – the only Church-approved Marian apparition in the U.S. – is now a designated National Shrine. Europe has its Fatima, its Lourdes, its Czestochowa…and we in the United States have the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Champion, Wisconsin.
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion is a bright star set in a gleaming constellation of Catholic shrines, monasteries, and chapels spanning the state of Wisconsin. Because of its Protestant roots, America has never had a strong tradition of pilgrimage, but along this route of national shrines and sacred sites, you will find in Wisconsin a land of rich Catholic heritage, culturally and spiritually – a land where the tradition of pilgrimage is growing and beginning to flourish. Now is the time to experience these Catholic riches along the farm roads and forests of Wisconsin.
Come with us on a journey to Discover Mary in the Heartland, and learn about Mary’s message to the souls in this country as she leads us to her son, Jesus.
Pilgrimage Overview
Day 1: Arrive & ascend Holy Hill Basilica and learn about the “Wisconsin Way”
We will head north for Holy Hill where we will visit the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians and participate in a private Mass with fellow pilgrims.
We will meet the Discalced Carmelite Friars who are entrusted with the care of this sacred place and will hear the rich history of this Basilica set atop a high hill overlooking 400 acres of forest. There will be a chance to explore the Basilica and walk the Stations of the Cross.
From Holy Hill, we will travel to our hotel in the city of Manitowoc on the shore of Lake Michigan where we hope to meet Fr. Andrew Kurz, the priest who started The Wisconsin Way. Fr. Kurz, if available, will share with us how his dream of starting a pilgrimage route through Wisconsin, comparable to that of the Camino de Santiago in Spain, became a reality. He will share stories about the graces pilgrims have received on their journey along the Wisconsin Way and offer insights into the rich history of Catholicism and the deep roots of Marian Devotion in this beautiful state.
Day 2: Meet the Monks at Holy Resurrection Monastery & Taste Wisconsin Cheese
After breakfast in the morning, we will leave Manitowoc for the historic town of St. Nazianz, arriving at the Holy Resurrection Monastery where we will join the monks for Divine Liturgy and then enjoy lunch in their refectory prepared by Abbott Moses, the chief baker and Culinary Institute of America-trained chef. After lunch, one of the monks will offer a reflection on monasticism and Byzantine Catholic spirituality after which, weather permitting, we will go for a short walk along the Wisconsin Way from the monastery to the chapel of our Lady of Loreto then back to the monastery.
We will visit a farm that houses a very special private chapel, the Mary Queen of our Hearts Chapel. The owner of the farm will share her story which explains the origins of this private chapel.
In the afternoon, we will visit an authentic Wisconsin cheese shop and museum to sample fresh curds and discover the traditional art of cheesemaking.
In the evening, we will enjoy traditional Wisconsin cuisine at a historic dining spot in downtown Manitowoc.
Day 3: Shrine of Our Lady of Champion and a winery
After breakfast, we will head to Champion to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion where we will attend Mass at the site of the first and only Church-approved Marian apparition in the United States.
After Mass at the Shrine, we will have the opportunity to hear the story of Our Lady’s visitation to Adele Brise and to better appreciate the historic roots of Catholicism brought to Wisconsin by early immigrants. There will be time for silent prayer and reflection followed by lunch at the Shrine’s cafe.
After lunch, pilgrims may be able to participate in enrollment in the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary at the Shrine in a brief ceremony. We hope that this will provide each person with a tangible way of entrusting themselves to Mary on their journey toward Christ. Anyone who enrolls will receive a certificate after the ceremony.
From the Shrine, we will head down the road to the Curran Spirituality Center. Completed in 2015 the Curran Spirituality Center is a charming Devotional Chapel and Rosary Prayer Garden open year round and is one of the spiritual places along Wisconsin Way pilgrimage.
We will continue to a local vineyard and winery founded and owned by Catholics that supplies grapes for the annual blessing of the wine at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help. We will tour the vineyard and partake of tastings in the winery accompanied by seasonal charcuterie and local cheese.
On the way home, we will visit roadside “rogation shrines” in the local area and learn how these important chapels were an integral part of the lives of Catholic immigrants in Wisconsin.
Watch the video below to see what our pilgrims say about our Wisconsin: Discovering Mary in the Heartland Pilgrimage
Day 4: National Shrine of St. Joseph and Mary
After breakfast, our pilgrimage continues onward to the city of Green Bay into the heart of the Catholic Diocese in which the apparition of Our Lady of Champion was deemed “worthy of belief” by Rome, making it the first and only Church-approved Marian apparition in North America.
Mass, on this feast day of St. Joseph the Worker, will be in the center of Green Bay at the National Shrine of St. Joesph.
After Mass, we will visit the Norbertine Monastery in De Pere where we will have a private visit of the St. Norbert Abbey Church and Crypt.
We will then head towards the Shrine of Our Lady of Champion stopping along the way for lunch. Once we arrive to the Shrine of Our Lady of Champion, we will have the opportunity to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy in the Main Church, visit the History Center, the Apparition Chapel and Oratory.
Day 5: Farewell
After breakfast, we depart for Milwaukee where we will visit the Basilica of Shrine of St. Josaphat and attend our final private Mass together. St. Josphat is a patron saint of Unity. He died trying to heal the Great Schism — between the Orthodox and the Catholics. After Mass, we will have lunch in downtown Milwaukee and visit other Catholic churches as times allows. We head towards Chicago in the mid afternoon for early evening flights from Chicago O’Hare Airport .
