'Catacombs by Candlelight' -- Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral, New York, N.Y.

Destination: “Catacombs by Candlelight” perhaps conjures images of a subterranean tour in Rome led by a guide wearing a headlamp. In New York, it’s the name of a history lesson told while exploring the cemetery and burial vaults of one of the city’s oldest Catholic churches. At the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, the tour’s tone is respectful and the candles are battery-operated LED models. 

Frank Alfieri, the basilica’s director of cemetery and columbaria, said the tours were established in 2017 to communicate the basilica’s historical significance; it has been an active mainstay of the lower Manhattan area for more than 200 years. 

The tours also are a form of evangelization. “Any time you can get somebody into a church, there is a possibility you can evangelize, even nonverbally. A church gives you a small glimpse of heaven,” Alfieri says.

Eight 80-minute tours are conducted five days a week for groups as large as 40. 

Photos: Top — Members of a tour group explore the catacombs of the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral in New York City Oct. 15 (OSV News photos/Gregory A. Shemitz).

Bottom — A tour enters the undercroft of the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral. 

Why to go: The candlelight tours “shine” for history buffs and visitors of faith alike. A highlight of the tour is the original grave of Haitian-born sainthood candidate Pierre Toussaint, declared venerable in 1996. He came to New York as an enslaved man. As a freeman, he was a successful hairdresser and devoted himself to helping the poor and sick. 

Historic headstones in the cemetery date back to 1803. In the catacombs, vaults contain the mortal remains of New York Catholics of Irish, German, French and Spanish heritage. A single ornate mausoleum was built for Gen. Thomas Eckert, a confidant of Abraham Lincoln and later an executive at Western Union.

Admission: Tickets range from $30-37. Check in at the TNY Kiosk in the courtyard of 32 Prince St.

Accessibility: The tour is wheelchair-accessible. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 

(Grand) Kid friendly: Of course — perfect for an adventurous child! They might enjoy seeing the three sheep who seasonally control the grass in the cemetery. 

Info: Address — Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, 263 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10012
Phone — 212-300-7682
Email — info@takeawalk.com
Website — https://takeawalk.com/old-cathedral-tours/

—By Beth Griffin, OSV News. Send Destination ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal -- Montréal, Quebec, Canada

 Destination: We suggested a visit to Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal in Montreal, Canada, in 2019 when it was to begin a $110 million (US$82 million) makeover  under a plan to make the popular site more attractive to tourists.

Now that the border is open, it may be time to plan a trip to see some items that are part of the free Year of St. Joseph exhibit at the oratory.

Masses are offered throughout the day in French and English at the oratory. Check the website for details.  

Photos: Statues (top) and tools (middle) are among the items in the basilica's Year of St. Joseph exhibition. (Observer photos/courtesy www.saint-joseph.org/en/)
Visitors (below) are seen outside St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal in 2017. (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz) 

Why to go: The Oratory Museum team has gathered paintings, statues, ex-votos and other works of art representing the world of St. Joseph and reveals the ties that unite the Congregation of Holy Cross to the patron saint of the universal Church. The oratory was founded in 1904 by St. Andre Bessette, known as Brother Andre. 

Accessibility: Elevators and reserved parking make it accessible to people with limited mobility.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, 3800 Queen Mary Road, Montréal (Quebec) Canada, H3V 1H6
Phone — 514-733-8211 
Website — https://www.saint-joseph.org/en/

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Vatican Museums -- Vatican City State

 Destination: Getting to Italy may be less than certain right now, but if you can get as far as Rome, the Vatican Museums reopened May 3 with restrictions. The stunning collections are well worth the price of admission.

Masses are offered throughout the day at the Vatican.Ask at the museum information desk for help.  

Photos: Top--Statues are seen above the exit to the Vatican Museums at the Vatican Feb. 3, 2021. The Vatican Museums reopened this week after a three-month closure as COVID-19 restrictions eased slightly in Italy. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Below-- A model of the Vatican City State was on display at the Vatican Museum in 2014. (Observer photo/Sharon Boehlefeld)

Why to go: The main museum on the grounds of the Vatican has several collections of artifacts, both religious and secular. But there are also archeological digs at the necropolis of the Via Triumphalis and at St. John Lateran in the city of Rome.  

Within the Vatican, museums include the Gregorian Egyptian and Etruscan museums, the lapidary Gallery, several papal rooms and the Sistine Chapel.

For those unable to travel to Rome, the museums’ collections can be seen on their Instagram account at instagram.com/vaticanmuseums/ and with their online “tours” at museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/collezioni/musei/tour-virtuali-elenco.html

If you’d like to keep up with the museum, you can sign up for a newsletter in Italian or English by clicking on the plus sign on the top of the page near the right. The menu uses pictographs for searching, information, tickets and merchandise.

Accessibility: Some parts of the main museum could be difficult to get to for those with limited mobility. Ask about elevator access. The Vatican Museum Office of Services and Public Relations can answer email questions at help.musei@scv.va.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Vatican Museum, Viale Vaticana, 00165 Rome 

Phone — +39 06 69884676 or +39 06 69883145 

Website — https://m.museivaticani.va

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Update: National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton -- Emmitsburg, Maryland

Destination: We originally visited the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Md., in September 2009. But the shrine has recently received a number of relics of the saint from the Sisters of Charity of New York, which make it worth an update. In addition, 2021 marks the 200th anniversary of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s death.

Masses are being live-streamed on Facebook or the website on Sundays at 11 a.m., and Mondays through Fridays at 1:30 p.m. Check the website for changes.

Photos: St. Elizabeth Ann’s bonnet (top left) and wedding brooch (below left) are among new donations to the shrine.

Why to go: Emmitsburg was the home of Mother Seton from 1809 until her death in 1821.

In the northern bay of the basilica, beneath the altar, her relics are enclosed in marble in a small copper casket. A white marble statue shows her in the habit that she and her Sisters of Charity wore in 1809.

Additional new relics just donated include St. Elizabeth Ann’s rosary, bonnet, wedding brooch and her daughter’s christening gown.

(CNS photos/courtesy Devine Partners)

In addition to the basilica, the site includes the Stone House (circa 1750), which was the first permanent home of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and the site at which she founded the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph on July 31, 1809. In 1979, the house was moved from its original site to its present location.

The White House, built during the winter of 1809-1810 when Mother Seton needed an expanded home, is also at the site. She called it St. Joseph’s House.

Accessibility: Much of the campus appears to be accessible to the handicapped.

Hours: The Visitor Center and Museum are open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 12-5 p.m. The gift shop is closed, with plans to reopen by July 22.

Access: The shrine sites are open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. On Mondays, only the basilica is open. Check the Web site for holiday hours.

(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are welcome at the shrine, but check the Visitor Information Guidelines on the Web site for dos and don’ts.

Info: Address — The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, 333 South Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD 21727-9297
Phone — 301/447-6606
Web — www.setonshrine.org

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH: National Shrine of St. Joseph -- De Pere, Wis.

Destination: Just a few hours north of the Rockford Diocese is the National Shrine of St. Joseph on the campus of St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis. 

Masses are daily at noon, and Sundays at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.  

From March 10-19, the  solemn Novena to St. Joseph follows 6 p.m. confessions and 7 p.m. Mass.

Why to go: The National Shrine of St. Joseph is located in the oratory of Old St. Joseph Church on the St. Norbert College campus. The shrine and its perpetual novena were originally established on this site in 1888. 

French-Canadian  Catholics came to the De Pere area in the mid-19th century to work in the lumber mills. In 1870, a parish named in honor of St. Joseph was established to serve them.

Special events: The 134th annual Novena Mass in honor of St. Joseph on March 19  this year will be broadcast live on EWTN at 5:30 p.m. Bishop David Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay will preside and Father Don Calloway, MIC, will offer the homily. 

The shrine is offering an online conference about the Year of St. Joseph on March 19. The conference will feature the rededication of the shrine’s statue of St. Joseph. Speakers will cover a variety of topics, including a general overview of St. Joseph, life in his times, devotions to St. Joseph, and his special role as protector of the family. Learn more at http://box5320.temp.domains/~theyeav3/.

Hours: The shrine is open to the public 6 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.

Accessibility: Much of the campus appears to be accessible to the handicapped. Take a virtual tour of the site at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLTk10x63cQ.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — National Shrine of St. Joseph, Old St. Joseph Church, 123 Grant St., De Pere, WI 54115 

Phone — 920-403-3010 

Website — https://www.snc.edu/parish/shrine.html

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to sboehlefeld@rockforddiocese.org

YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH: Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph -- San Jose, Calif.

(Photo by David Leigh Ellis, commons.wikimedia.org)

Destination: Another of the U.S. basilicas named for St. Joseph is the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph in San Jose, Calif. 

Masses are being celebrated outdoors and require reservations. Anyone older than 6 must wear a mask. Times are Monday-Friday, 12:05 p.m., live-streamed; Sundays 8:30 a.m. English live-streamed, 10 a.m. Spanish live-streamed, 11:30 a.m. English live-streamed, and 1 p.m. Spanish.         

Why to go: The first pueblo church was built on the site in 1803.  Made of adobe and wood, it was named in honor of St. Joseph, the patron saint of the pueblo. On the feast day of St. Joseph, March 19, 1876, the cornerstone for the fifth and present church building was laid. It was opened and dedicated on April 22, 1877. In 1981, the Vatican divided the Archdiocese of San Francisco, establishing the Diocese of San Jose. After renovations, it was dedicated as the Cathedral of St. Joseph on Nov. 4, 1990, and received basilical status in 1997. The basilica’s stained glass windows and Latin frieze on the ceiling are more than 140 years old.

Accessibility: Much of the grounds appear to be accessible to the handicapped.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph, 80 S. Market St., San Jose, CA 95113
Phone — 408-283-8100
Website — https://www.stjosephcathedral.org/

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH: Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral -- Bardstown, Ky.

(Observer screengrab/Sharon Boehlefeld)

 Destination: As we begin the year of St. Joseph, we find few basilicas are named to honor St. Joseph, but one is the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown, Ky. 

Masses are being offered at 4 p.m. Saturday; 7, 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday; and 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. Check with the web site before you go to be sure things haven’t changed. 

Why to go: The church cornerstone was laid in July 1816, according to the parish website. St. Joseph was the first cathedral west of the Allegheny Mountains and is listed by the U.S. Library of Congress as a national landmark. 

St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral campus is adjacent to Spalding Hall and Flaget Hall of what was originally St. Joseph College, which are all on the National Historic Register. Pastors served as president of the college. 

Paintings and other gifts from Europe donated by Pope Leo XII, Francis I — King of the Two Sicilies — and King Louis Phillippe of France, decorate the building and speak to the French beginnings of the diocese.

The cathedral was consecrated in 1819, though the interior was not fully completed until 1823. When the Episcopal See was moved 40 miles away to the fast growing city of Louisville in 1841, St. Joseph’s changed from a Cathedral parish to a parish church with the title “Proto-Cathedral.”

In 1995, Bardstown was named a Titular See by the Vatican for its contributions to Catholic Church heritage in America. Once again, Bardstown has a bishop, though in an honorary capacity. 

In 2001 Pope John Paul II declared St. Joseph a minor Basilica.

St. Joseph has nearly 5,000 parishioners.

Accessibility: Much of the grounds appear to be accessible to the handicapped.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral, 310 W. Stephen Foster Ave., Bardstown, KY  40004
Phone — 502-348-3126
Website — https://stjosephbasilica.org/

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Santuario de Chimayo -- Chimayo, N.M.

 Destination: If you haven’t heard of the “holy dirt” of New Mexico, the place to find it is Santuario de Chimayo or the Shrine of Chimayo.

Masses are being offered Sundays at 10:30 a.m. inside and at 12 noon in an outdoor Mass area. Daily Masses are not being offered. Check with the web site before you go to be sure things haven’t changed.

Photo: The chapel at Chimayo, N.M., is called the “Lourdes of America” for its holy dirt. (Observer screengrab/Sharon Boehlefeld)

The chapel at Chimayo, N.M., is called the “Lourdes of America” for its holy dirt.

Why to go: There are two significant chapels at Santuario de Chimayo, according to its website. The first, the Lord of Esquipulas Chapel, is also the site of el pocito, the small pit of holy dirt. Near the main chapel paintings of saints, holy cards, letters of thanks and crutches are mounted to walls as evidence of cures attributed to the holy dirt. A strange buried cross was discovered on the site on Good Friday in 1810. (For more about the site’s history, visit https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/646/article/holy-dirt.)

Photo: Photos surround a crucifix inside the historic El Santuario de Chimayo Church is pictured in Chimayo, N.M., July 29, 2020. Known as the "Lourdes of America," hundreds of thousands of people visit the adobe chapel built between 1813 and 1816 where, some believe, the dirt inside has healing powers. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)

A second chapel is the Santo Niño de Atocha Chapel. Built in 1857, it is the destination of what is a strong and growing Easter pilgrimage tradition which now spans several generations. U.S. soldiers and sailors who prayed to the Santo Niño during the Bataan Death March started the pilgrimage when they returned to the United States after WWII to give thanks for surviving the march.

Hours: The shrine is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but with limited availability. The Santuario gift shop is open but the Santo Niño gift shop and welcome center are not. Masks  and social distancing are required. The restrooms are also closed.

Accessibility: Much of the grounds appear to be accessible to the handicapped.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Santuario de Chimayo, 15 Santuario Dr., Chimayo, NM 87522 
Phone —  505-351-9961 or 505-351-4360
Website — https://www.holychimayo.us/ 

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Arte Poli Gallery -- Rome, Italy

Destination: Should travel restrictions open in time, anyone heading for Rome may want to schedule a stop to see an exhibit only a few steps from the Vatican, on the 42nd anniversary of the election of St. John Paul II.

Masses are not held at the exhibit, but there are plenty of options in Rome. Check the internet before you go. 

Photo: Alessia Giuliani and her father, Giancarlo, both photojournalists, are pictured in front of their exhibit of photos from the pontificate of St. John Paul II in Rome Oct. 16, 2020. Both photographers contributed photos to Catholic News Service for many years. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Why to go: The exhibit opened to celebrate the Polish-born pope, and a father-daughter team of photographers who helped document his pontificate. 

Giancarlo Giuliani began covering the Vatican as a photojournalist in 1961. His daughter, Alessia Giuliani, joined him in 1999. 

The COVID-19 lockdown and ongoing restrictions meant that most of the events planned in Rome to mark the centenary of St. John Paul’s 1920 birth were canceled or postponed. 

But at the Arte Poli gallery, from Oct. 16 to April 2, 2021, visitors can glimpse the late pope’s personality through the Giulianis’ photographs and through objects the pope used, speeches written in his own hand and sculptures of him loaned to the exhibit. 

For the elder Giuliani there is no doubt who was his favorite pope to photograph. St. John Paul “was an actor,” who was comfortable in front of the cameras and who “would let us work,” he said. 

Giancarlo Giuliani, a contributing photographer for Catholic News Service for many years, accompanied the pope on 103 of his 104 foreign trips.

Hours: The gallery is open Tuesday-Friday,10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-6 p.m. Details about entrance and booking guided tours are available by phone or email.

Accessibility: Ask when you organize your visit.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Galleria Arte Poli, Borgo Vittorio 88, zona Basilica di S.Pietro, ROMA 
Phone —  39-06- 68309510 or 39-33-81363298
Website — https://www.poliartesacra.com/en/index.php
Email — galleria@progettoartepoli.com

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story; CNS contributed

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit -- Detroit, Mich.

 Destination:  “On July 24, 1701,” explains the history on the parish website, “25 canoes glided to a stop at the foot of a high bluff which ran along a narrow part of the Detroit River ... . French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and his party of 50 artisans, 50 soldiers, and two priests began construction of Fort Ponchartrain du Detroit. Among the first log structures was a tiny chapel which they dedicated on July 26, the feast day of Ste. Anne, mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus.”

 On Sept. 20, the basilica parish founded a guild  to look into the possibility of sainthood for one of its early pastors, Father Gabriel Richard. The guild is exploratory, and not yet  part of the official sainthood process.

Masses are being offered at 10 a.m. in Spanish and 12 noon in English on Sundays. See the website for the parish’s COVID regulations.

Photos: TOP--On July 15, Pope Francis elevated the Mission San Buenaventura in Ventura, Calif., to the rank of minor basilica. (Observer screen grab); MIDDLE-- The Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit is  in Michigan. (CNS photo/James Silvestri via Detroit Catholic); BOTTOM--A detail of a mural of Father Gabriel Richard is inside the TCF Center in downtown Detroit. (CNS photo/Detroit Catholic)

Why to go: The only parish operating continuously longer than the Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit is St. Augustine in Florida. 

Among the basilica’s features is the Shrine of Ste. Anne de Detroit. The website says it “has been a place of pilgrimage for the faithful for many years, and was named the official (Detroit) Archdiocesan Shrine of Ste. Anne in 2017 by Archbishop (Allen) Vigneron.”

The current church is the parish’s eighth and was built in 1886. It contains a number of items from the previous 1818 building that was constructed while Father Richard was pastor. Born and ordained in France, Father Richard is buried in the basilica. 

During the War of 1812, Father Richard opened field hospitals, and advocated for Detroit’s French and American community among the British. He was captured in 1813, but freed three weeks later — some say at the demand of the Shawnee chief Tecumseh. 

Amenities: Walk-in visitors are not allowed but tours are available by calling ahead and asking to be added to a group. The tour fee is $3 per child, $5 per adult.

Accessibility: Ask when you call for a tour.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit,  1000 Sainte Anne St. Detroit, MI 48216  

Phone — 313-496-1701 

Website — https://ste-anne.org/

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story; CNS contributed

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Mission Basilica - San Buenaventura Ventura, Calif.

(CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec)

 Destination:  Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, celebrated Mass at the new Mission Basilica San Buena-ventura in Ventura, Calif., July 15. The mission became the first basilica in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the 88th in the United States when Pope Francis elevated it on July 15.

In addition to Archbishop Gomez, also celebrating the Mass were Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron, Father Thomas Elewaut, pastor of the mission parish, and Father Leon Hutton, pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Ventura. 

Masses are being offered in the garden. Mass times as of Aug. 25 are Sunday English Masses at 7:30 and 9 a.m. and Spanish Masses at 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Daily garden Masses are at 7:30 a.m. Monday-Friday. Saturday Evening Vigil Masses are not being celebrated pending further notice.

Why to go: The church at Mission San Buenaventura is the second oldest house of worship in the three counties comprising the Archdiocese of Los Angeles — Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara — according to the archdiocesan website. The founding of the mission, it says, traces to a decision on Palm Sunday, March 30, 1749, made by the Franciscan priest Junípero Serra to journey to the new world as a missionary. The canonization of Father Serra was celebrated by the mission parish community 266 years later in November 2015.

Founded on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1782, Mission San Buenaventura is the ninth and last of St. Junípero Serra’s missionary foundations along El Camino Real. 

Mission Basilica San Buenaventura remains an active parish serving about 1,600 families as well as a pilgrimage center, which thousands of visitors come to annually.

Amenities: The mission’s Museum and Archival Center chronicals the history of its founding and the development of the area. 

Accessibility: Generally, the mission is accessible..  

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Mission Basilica San Buenaventura,  211 E. Main St., Ventura, CA 93001 • Phone — 805-643-4318 • Website — https://www.facebook.com/sanbuenaventuramission/.

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Virtual Visits Catholic Holy Sites Online

(CNS photo/Debbie Hill) 

 Destination:  There are several places important to Catholics that are offering some kind of virtual visit or live streaming service. Many of these online sites are also appealing for donations since lockdowns and restrictions have seriously reduced a major source of income from pilgrimages and tourism.

Online Masses may be available at some of these places. Check the individiual websites.

Photo: A worshipper wearing a protective mask lights a candle as she visits the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem's Old City May 26, 2020, the day it reopened after being closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Where to go: 

• The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land oversees 55 sanctuaries in Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan. Visitors at www.custodia.org/en/sanctuaries can get a more in-depth look at these sacred places, especially the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, revered as the site of Jesus’s tomb, in Jerusalem.

• The Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal offers a livestream of the chapel and live daily broadcasts of praying the rosary and Mass at www.fatima.pt/en/pages/online-transmissions. The same link also provides a gallery of pictures, videos and “sounds,” including an audio library of Marian hymns.

• The website of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi offers a huge list of online opportunities, all in Italian, but still visually enriching, like a livestream of the tomb of St. Francis with an option of sending a prayer petition at www.sanfrancescopatronoditalia.it/web-cam-cripta-di-san-francesco-assisi and a livestream of daily Mass in the basilica at www.sanfrancescopatronoditalia.it/messa-diretta-streaming-oggi.

There is a 360-degree virtual tour of the basilica at www.sanfrancescopatronoditalia.it/basilica/ and of the tomb at www.sanfrancescopatronoditalia.it/visita-virtuale-tomba-san-francesco/. The 13th-century basilica had to be painstakingly restored, including its frescoes by Giotto, after a devastating earthquake in 1997.

• While a special online exposition of the Shroud of 

Turin was held April 11 for prayer and contemplation during the coronavirus epidemic, the recorded event, with commentary in English, can still be found online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7BmsSE_4Wk.

Accessibility: Everything is accessible online.  

(Grand) Kid friendly: Watch along with them.

Info: See websites with locations in descriptions.

— Carol Glatz, CNS; Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story.

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Oldest Catholic Churches - San Miguel Chapel -- Santa Fe, N.M.

(Photos/San Miguel Chapel)

Destination: We’re finishing off our series on the oldest Catholic churches in the U.S. with San Miguel Chapel in Santa Fe, N.M., founded sometime in the 17th century. It is yet another indication of the Spanish introduction of Catholicism to the new world.

Masses offered at the chapel are a Latin Mass at 3 p.m. and an ordinary form English Mass at 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Photos: Exterior (top) and interior (below) of San Miguel Chapel.

Why to go: The earliest record of the existence of San Miguel Chapel is from 1628, and it was built sometime before that year. The parish website says oral history says it was built around 1610. A fire in 1680 destroyed the first building, and it has been rebuilt and restored several times over the past 400 years. 

The parish was established as the “Hermita de San Miguel,” and was built on the site of an ancient kiva — a gathering place — of the Analco Indians. Tlaxcalan (Tas-cal’-en) Indians, who  are believed to have built the church, came to New Mexico from old Mexico in 1598 with the Spanish. At that time, the parish served a small group of Tlaxcalan Indians, laborers, and Spanish soldiers who lived in the area on the south side of the Santa Fe River.

The wooden altar screen, or reredos, at the front of  the chapel is one of the oldest in New Mexico. An inscription dates the screen to 1798. Credit for the work is given to “Laguna Santero,” an anonymous artist who was active and influential in New Mexico between 1796 and 1808. 

Hours: The chapel is open before and between Sunday Masses and  from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Accessibility: The chapel is at ground-level, so it shouldn’t be too difficult for anyone to enter.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — San Miguel Chapel of Santa Fe, 401 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87501

Phone — 505-983-3974

Website — http://sanmiguelchapel.org/

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine -- San Juan, Texas

(Observer screen grab)

Destination: If southwest Texas or northeast Mexico is on your itinerary this winter, consider planning a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine. They are more than ready for visitors.
Masses on Saturday are 6:30 a.m. in Spanish, 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. bilingual, 5:30 p.m. in English; Sunday 7 a.m., 1 and 7 p.m. in Spanish, 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. bilingual, 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in English; weekdays 6:30 and 11:30 a.m., 5:30 p.m. bilingual. The basilica even schedules regular Masses with mariachi music on Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., and Sundays at 9 and 11 a.m., 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m.
Photo: A replica of the Jalisco statue of Our Lady of Los Lagos sits in a niche behind the altar in the Texas basilica.
Why to go: The veneration of Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos is spreading in the Rockford Diocese thanks to the growing numbers of Catholics with roots in Mexico. The original statue from Mexico drew hundreds at four parishes in the Fox Valley in late September and early October. But this Texas basilica is among the first to be dedicated in her honor on what is now U.S. soil.
The miracle of the statue is the reason for its importance. According to the shrine website, it took place in 1623 at San Juan de Los Lagos in Jalisco, Mexico. A daughter of a traveling acrobat fell during practice and was killed. A native woman who was caretaker at the church urged the parents to place the image of the Virgin Mary over their daughter’s body and pray for Mary’s intercession. They did so and the child came back to life.
In 1949, the pastor at St. John the Baptist Parish in San Juan received permission from the bishop to promote the veneration. He commissioned a copy of the original statue (top of column) from a Guadalajaran artist. While its first two homes were destroyed, it now sits in a niche above the altar in the shrine, which was dedicated in 1980.
Amenities: Pilgrim services include a hotel, cafeteria and retreat center. Check the website for details.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Of course.
Info: Address — Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle  National Shrine, 400 N. Virgen de San Juan Blvd., San Juan, Texas 78589
Phone — 956/787-0033
Website — http://www.olsjbasilica.org//
— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story.
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe - Mexico City, Mexico

(CNS photos)

Destination: We usually think of Our Lady of Guadalupe in December near her feast day. But any time is a good time to make a pilgrimage to the basilica dedicated to her in Mexico City.
Masses in the new Basilica are offered at the main altar every hour on the hour, 6 a.m.-8 p.m., every day of the year. There are also eight Masses in the San Jose Chapel on weekdays (five on Saturdays and Sundays) and in the crypt.
Why to go: The circular basilica houses the original image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. It was bult on the site of a 16th-century church that was finished in 1709.
Built between 1974 and 1976, the new basilica’s circular floorplan makes it possible for the image of the Virgin to be seen from anywhere within the building. It can accomodate up to 50,000 people.
There are nine chapels on the upper floor and crypts, with 15,000 niches and 10 chapels on the lower level.
On the grounds where the new Basilica is located there are also many other buildings, including the original chapel on the exact site of the apparitions to St. Juan Diego, the Church on the Hill (Capilla del Cerrito), and the Old Basilica consecrated in 1709, as well as other chapels.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Of course.

Photos: Top -- Travelers approach the modern Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe  on a pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Dec. 12, 2017, in Mexico City. (CNS/Carlos Jasso, Reuters) 
Middle left -- The Church of Christ the King (Templo Expiatorio de Cristo Rey), also called the Old Basilica  of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Antigua Basílica de Guadalupe) is lit for evening prayer. it stands near the modern basilica on Marian Square in Mexico City. (CNS photo/David Maung)
Middle right -- The original image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is housed in the modern basilica. (CNS photo/David Maung)

Info: Address — Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Plaza de las Américas 1, Villa de Guadalupe, Villa Gustavo A. Madero, 07050 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Phone —  01(55)5118-0500.
Website, English (unofficial, but helpful) — http://www.sancta.org/basilica.html
Website, Spanish (official) — http://basilica.mxv.mx/web1/-home/index.html

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story.
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi - Santa Fe, N.M.

(Observer photos/ sacredheartcocathedral.com)

Destination: Founded as a parish in 1610, the same year the city of Santa Fe was founded, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi  sits on the site of the original 17th century parish. The current church was established as a cathedral in1853 and elevated to basilica  in 2005.
Mass times are Sunday, 8 a.m. (Spanish), 10 a.m. and 12 noon; Monday- Saturday, 7 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.
Why to go: One reason to plan a stop is to see the oldest statue of the Virgin Mary in the U.S., brought from Spain in 1685. Today the image rests in an adobe chapel dedicated to Our Lady La Conquistadora. The chapel is all that remains of a 1714 church, bullt after the Pueblo Indian Revolt of 1680.
The Franciscans who established the parish arrived in the area that would become Santa Fe in 1598. They accompanied Spanish settlers who had come north from Mexico City.
When Bishop John B. Lamy deemed the adobe church inadequate to growing needs, he brought French architects and Italian stonemasons to Santa Fe to build a Romanesque church in 1887.
The new cathedral was built around the adobe church. When the new walls were complete, the old church was torn down and removed through the front door.
The stained glass windows in the lower bay are from France and depict the Twelve Apostles.
Dedicated in 1887, the Cathedral’s spires were never completed due to lack of funds.
(Grand) Kid friendly: The cathedral welcomes children. If you want to prepare them for the visit, check the virtual tour at https://www.cbsfa.org/89.
Info: Address — Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, 131 Cathedral Place, Santa Fe, NM, 87501
Phone — 505/982-5619 
Website —https://www.cbsfa.org/
—  Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story.
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart -- Charleston, W.V.

Destination: With a parish history dating back to the late 1700’s, the Basilica Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart began as a parish serving 63 families in 1866. Mass was celebrated at various locations for several years until the first church was built in 1869. On Christmas in 1897, the first Mass was offered in the present church.
Mass times are Sunday: 8 a.m., 10 a.m. (Solemn Mass), 12 noon, 5 p.m.; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 8 a.m.; Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 12 noon; Wednesday: 5:30 p.m.; Saturday 5:30 p.m.
Photos: The Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (above) and a detail of its Annunciation statue (below) ((Observer photos/ sacredheartcocathedral.com). 
Why to go: On June 20, 2010, Bishop Michael J. Bransfield of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston celebrated a Mass for the investiture of Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral Church as a Minor Basilica. In honor of the 150th anniversary of the parish’s founding, the diocese began extensive renovations of the basilica.
Among improvements were a new altar and ambo, as well as new flooring, new steps to the high altar and other interior upgrades.
The basilica is also a pilgrimage site for the diocesan Shrine of the Santo Niño, and the Annunciation and Tree of Life gardens.

In 2007 Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral commissioned artist John Collier to design and create bronze statues of the Annunciation and the Tree of Life with the Crucified Christ. In 2008 the  statues were installed in the gardens in front of the church.
(Grand) Kid friendly: The basilica is an active parish with a school, so kids are always welcome.
Info: Address — Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1114 Virginia St. East, Charleston, WV 25301
 Phone — 304/342-8175
Website — http://sacredheartcocathedral.com/
—  Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story.
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Basilica of St. Josaphat -- Milwaukee, Wis.

(Observer photos/www.thebasilica.org)

Destination: If you head to Milwaukee for any reason, you might want to schedule a stop at the Basilica of St. Josaphat, named the third basilica in the United States.
Mass times are Sundays, 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon; Saturdays, 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.; Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.; Wednesday, noon.
Why to go: St. Josaphat Parish began in 1888 as an offshoot of Saint Stanislaus Parish and became the largest Polish parish in Wisconsin.  The Poles were Milwaukee’s second largest immigrant group after Germans, only some of whom were Catholic. The first St. Josaphat Church burned to the ground in 1889 and the second soon proved too small. The community broke ground for a new church in 1896 and finished  it in 1901.
The architect designed a church that was meant to be a smaller version of St. Peter’s in Rome, with a cross-shaped floor plan and huge central dome.
The plans were nearly complete when Father Wilhelm Grutza, the pastor, learned the Chicago Post Office and Custom House needed to be torn down. He bought it for $20,000. The Chicago building was dismantled and the salvaged material brought to Milwaukee in 500 railroad flatcars.
When it was finished, the basilical had a dome that in the U.S. was second in size only to the capital in Washington, D.C.
Despite using salvaged materials, cost overruns left the parish in debt. In 1910, at the request of the archdiocese, the Conventual Franciscan Friars took over administration of the parish, and the debt was retired in 1925.
Amenities: The basilica and visitor center are open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., for visits and tours. There is also a tour every Sunday following the 10 a.m. Mass.
(Grand) Kid friendly: The basilica welcomes families.
Info: Address — The Basilica of St. Josaphat, 2333 S. Sixth St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53215
Phone — 414/645-5623 \
Website — www.thebasilica.org
—  Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story.
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception - Mobile, Ala.

Destination: If your snowbird or summer travels include a car trip to the southeast, plan a route through Mobile, Ala., to see its Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. It was designated a basilica in 1962.
Masses are offered several times every day at the basilica. Check the website (below) for details.
Why to go: Pre-dating the Civil War, the cornerstone was laid in 1835 and the completed cathedral was dedicated in 1850. Its website says, “An heroic challenge was set by Bishop (Michael) Portier in laying foundations for a church 162 feet in length and 90 feet in width.” Over the years, Alabama Catholics tried to keep the promise of its original plan, “sometimes following the original plan, but also in response to circumstances such as the fire of 1954 that could have destroyed the whole structure.” There are strong midwestern ties to the cathedral basilica, too.
In 2001, exterior maintenance included repairs and facade cleaning. In 2003, interior restoration “included artistic enhancements by the Conrad Schmitt Company of New Berlin, Wis.” Among them were gold-leaf on the columns, repainting of the vaulted ceiling, which includes the fleur de lis and the shamrock, representing the French and Irish heritage of the Catholic population of Mobile, and new Carrara marble on the floor of the main aisle and the two side aisles.
Its original organ, completed in 1858, was destroyed in the 1954 fire. In 1957, a new organ, custom-built by Wicks Organ Company of Highland (Ill.) was installed. In 2000, the Wicks Company restored the organ console with new keyboards, pedalboard, key and pedal contacts, and drawknobs.
(Photo courtesy The Catholic Week of the Archdiocese of Mobile)

(Grand) Kid friendly: The basilica welcomes families

Info: Address — Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (office), 2 South Claiborne St., Mobile, AL 36602
Phone — 251/434-1565
Website — http://www.mobilecathedral.org
—  Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story.
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

St. John Cantius Parish - Chicago

(Observer photo/Johnny Boehlefeld)

Destination: For a trip into the history of the Church, especially if you’re interested in the Polish Church that gave us Pope St. John Paul II, go no further than St. John Cantius Parish in Chicago. Whether you’re heading in for a ballgame or the theater on a Sunday, it would be worth going in early enough for Mass at the parish.
Masses are offered on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. — Latin Low Mass), 9 a.m. — English, 11a.m. — Latin; and 12:30 p.m. — Latin High Mass); Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. — English, 8 a.m. — Latin Low Mass; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. — Latin; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. — Latin Low Mass; 5 p.m. — English.
Why to go: St. John Cantius (also known as St. John Kenty), born in Poland, was a special favorite of Pope St. John Paul II. St. John is a patron saint of teachers, students, priests and pilgrims.
The Chicago parish in his name was founded in 1892 and construction began in 1893. At its largest in 1918, it had about 23,000 parishioners and 2,500 children enrolled in the school. But the parish was buffeted by road construction in the city, and later by the Great Depression. but faithful Catholics continued to attend Mass there and support the parish.
In addition to the Latin Masses, the Church’s musical traditions remain alive at St. John Cantius, which has seven parish choirs that take part in Masses and prayers throughout the day.
Visitors may join the members of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius in singing the Divine Office. (See website for times.)
(Grand) Kid friendly: As with any church, children are welcome.With some advance study (check http://www.sanctamissa.org/), a visit to St. John Cantius is a chance for kids to learn how Mass was offered “in the day.”
Info: Address — St. John Cantius Parish, 825 N. Carpenter St.. Chicago, Illinois 60642-5499
Phone — 312/243-7373
Website — http://www.cantius.org/go
— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story.
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org