Shrine of St. Joseph -- St. Louis, Mo.

 Destination: St. Louis is quite a long drive for a weekend trip, but if you set aside a few days this fall or winter to enjoy St. Louis’ indoor attractions, you may want to visit the Shrine of St. Joseph in St. Louis, Mo.

Mass is offered at 11 a.m. on Sundays. The second Sunday of each month includes a rosary and devotional prayer to St. Padre Pio before Mass. Mass is also held at noon for the first Friday of each month as well as holy days of obligation. Check the website for the most recent COVID-19 regulations.  

Photos: Above -- The exterior of the Shrine of St. Joseph in St. Louis, Mo. (CNS photo/ Lisa Johnston, St. Louis Review) 
Below -- The Altar of Answered Prayers is inscribed with “Ite ad Joseph,” which means “Go to Joseph.”  (Photo/Mark S. Abeln)

Why to go: The Shrine of St. Joseph was founded in 1843 by the Society of Jesus. It was originally built to serve the neighborhood’s German immigrants. A parish school operated until the 1950s. Upon the school’s closing, the shrine was tended by a group of about 20 parishioners as the surrounding area deteriorated.The shrine was set for demolition in the 1970s but was restored by a lay organization, The Friends of the Shrine of St. Joseph. 

The shrine is full of artwork, including an ambo hand-carved by a Jesuit priest. Its most notable monument is the Altar of Answered Prayers, built and dedicated to St. Joseph after his intercession during a cholera epidemic in 1866. 

The shrine is the site of a Vatican-authenticated miracle in the Midwest. In 1864, German immigrant Ignatius Strecker suffered an injury while working at a local soap factory. Despite close to nine months of every known treatment, he was given two weeks to live. 

Strecker dragged himself to the shrine at the urging of his wife and arrived as a missionary priest was blessing the sick with a relic of Bl. Peter Claver. Strecker was allowed to kiss the relic and made a full recovery within two weeks.  The miracle was authenticated in 1887 and Bl. Peter Claver was canonized in 1888. 

Private and group tours are available for free. Contact 314-231-9407 or book a tour at the shrine’s website. 

Accessibility: The shrine is accessible to those with limited mobility. Street parking is available.  

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Shrine of St. Joseph, 1220 N 11th St., St. Louis, MO 63106
Phone — 314-231-9407
Website — https://www.shrineofstjoseph.org/

— Megan Peterson compiled this story. More pictures and information can be found at Rome of the West, hosted by Mark S. Abeln.

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis - St. Louis, Mo.

(Observer screen grab)

Destination: The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis is in the heart of the city, blocks from the famous arch. It’s well worth a stop no matter why you travel to St. Louis, Mo.
Masses are offered Monday-Friday, 7 and 8 a.m., 12:05 p.m.; Saturday: 8 a.m., 5 p.m. (vigil); Sunday: 8 and 10 a.m., 12 noon and 5 p.m. There are other prayer services offered, too. Check the website.

Photos: (Top) A portion of the home page at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis website shows the exterior of the Missouri church. (Below) (CNS photo/Crosiers)
A mosaic of a scene from the Pentecost was completed in 1988 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. Mosaic work began in the 1920s and was stopped during the Depression and wars.

Why to go: While not brand new by any means, this is the newer church dedicated to St. Louis in the city. Then-Archbishop John J. Glennon broke ground for the cathedral in May 1907 and the cornerstone was laid on Oct. 18,1908. The first Mass was offered exactly six years later on Oct. 18, 1914. Archbishop Glennon consecrated the cathedral on June 29, 1926, the centennial of the creation of the St. Louis Diocese.
On April 4, 1997, Pope John Paul II designated the Cathedral of St. Louis a basilica, a place of worship of special distinction. He visited the basilica 20 years ago, on Jan. 26, 1999. During his visit, he blessed the door in the rear of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis after it was sealed. It would be reopened on Christmas Day 1999 to begin the celebration of the second millennium.
The extensive artwork in the basilica is one reason to visit. A mosaic project begun in the 1920s and finished in 1988  adorns walls and ceilings in the basilica. Cardinal Glennon is featured in an ordination mosaic in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

(CNS photo/Crosiers)

Before you go, be sure to check the website for one of many concerts scheduled at the basilica throughout the year.
Amenities: A gift shop is open 10 a.m.–4 p.m. daily except New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Accessibility: Most of the basilica, including the gift shop, is wheel-chair accessible but the mosaic museum in the lower floor is not. A ramped, electronically-assisted entrance is on the west side of the basilica.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Usual church behavior is expected.
Info: Address — Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, 4431 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108
Phone — 314/373-8200
Website — http://cathedralstl.org/

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

Our Lady of the Lake - Branson, Mo.

(Observer photos/Sharon Boehlefeld)

Destination: If you have never been to Branson, Mo., or simply have never been to Our Lady of the Lake Parish for Mass, it’s well worth adding to your trip itinerary.
Masses  are Saturdays at 5 p.m. in English and 7 p.m. in Spanish; Sundays at 8 and 10:30 a.m.; Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 a.m.; Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.; First Fridays at 10 a.m. and First Saturdays at 9 a.m.
Why to go: The parish website explains: “We are about 5 percent Catholic across southern Missouri, with 550 active families, and routinely welcome 2,500 to 3,000 ‘Parishioners-For-A-Day’ to the Lord’s eucharistic table each weekend. Our ‘Parishioners-For-A-Day” join us at daily Mass and eucharistic adoration in our Blessed Mother Teresa Chapel.”
Photos - Above: The exterior of the church from the overflow parking lot across the street.
Left: The interior of the church showing the altar along the right wall.
Right: The tabernacle is next to a small area for quiet prayer.
In a community dedicated to tourism and entertainment, it will be no surpise that the music at this parish is a bit better than average for the size of the parish.
A parish of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Our Lady of the Lake has grown from holding “sporadic summer time Masses for visiting fishermen and campers, to a bustling family of Catholic Christians who welcome several thousand visitors every weekend,” according to the diocesan website.
The Catholic faith, it continues, was planted in Taney County, Mo., in 1915. The parish was dedicated in 1936 by Msgr. James J. McCaffrey. Its first home was a stone structure vacated by Farmers Bank. But the burgeoning tourist base of the local economy led to a need for a much larger church. A new church was dedicated in 1971 by Bishop William Baum. Still, as tourism continued to grow, the building grew too small.
In 1993, Msgr. Philip A. Bucher envisioned a church that would serve the parish’s unique needs for many years to come.
Today, that chuch welcomes 150,000 “part-time parishioners” to its three weekend Masses over the course of the year.
Events: As an active parish, expect the usual kinds of events during your visit. Check the bulletin at the parish website for details.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Of course.
Info: Address — Our Lady of the Lake Parish, 203 Vaughn Dr., Branson, MO 65616-2542
Phone — 417/334-2928
Website — http://www.ladyofthelakeparish.org/

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

Saint Louis Art Museum - St. Louis, Missouri

(Photo provided/ Saint Louis Art Museum)

Destination: To see an exhibit of religious art by Federico Barocci (ca. 1533–1612), you might want to take a short trip on “Route 66” to see the St. Louis Art Museum. Barocci was a devout Catholic from Urbino in northeastern Italy, also the birthplace of the painter Raphael.
Mass options are many in the area. Check www.masstimes.org to find a church near your motel or hotel.
Why to go: “Our exhibition has the largest collection of Barocci drawings and paintings ever brought together in the Western Hemisphere,” says Matthew Hathaway of the museum staff. “Virtually the entire exhibition is religious art, with much of it coming from the Vatican and from churches in and around Barocci’s home town of Urbino.
“The artist is regarded as revolutionary in his treatment of many standard, religious scenes. And art historians — including our European art curator, Barocci expert Dr. Judith Mann — consider him to be the archetypical counter-reformation artist,” Hathaway adds.
Access: Handicapped-accessible parking is available in the public lots near the main entrance to the museum.
Admission: The museum is free. The museum will be closed on Christmas, but open New Year’s Day.
(Grand) Kid friendly:  Absolutely; the museum hosts family tours every Sunday.
Info: Address: Saint Louis Art Museum, One Fine Arts Dr., St. Louis, MO 63110. Phone: 314/655-5493.  Web: www.slam.org

- Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld
Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Editor's note: This exhibit closed in 2013. Check the museum website to see if other religious exhibits are planned.We have removed ticket prices and information about the exhibit.

Vatican Splendors - St. Louis, Missouri

Photos © Cittá del Vaticano

Destination: Vatican Splendors: A Journey through Art and Faith, will be exhibited May 15-Sept. 12 at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, Mo. It is one of only three U.S. stops on its 2010 tour.
Why to go: Nearly 200 works of art and other significant objects, many of which have never before left the Vatican, are part of the exhibit.
Archbishop Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis, in a letter to area bishops, noted, “The opportunity to spread the good news of our faith through the educational content of this exhibition is unprecedented. The art objects are presented in recreated environments chronicling our Church’s history from St. Peter the fisherman to Pope Benedict XVI, with special displays celebrating the life and works of the Servant of God, Pope John Paul II.”
Photo shows detail of “The Holy Family with Two Angels,” Bologna, Italy, 16th century oil on canvas from the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Vatican City State.
Hours: Vatican Splendors will be open daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and on Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Special events: A variety of activities are already planned during the exhibit’s stay in St. Louis. For example, on Saturdays and Sundays in May and June, there are string and choral concerts. Most start at 11 a.m. Check the Web site for more activities.
Access: The museum is accessible to the handicapped. With advance arrangements, it also provides sign language interpreters and makes other special arrangments. Call 314/361-9017 for details.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are welcome at the museum. If you want to make a visit more educational, download either of the teacher’s guides on the Web site. There is one geared for religious educators and another, with equally interesting information, for public school educators.
Tickets: Prices vary, so check the Web site. Buying timed tickets in advance is a good idea for a show like this. Check for group rates, too.
Info: Address — Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63112-0040. Phone — 877/2VATICAN (282-8122). Web — www.vaticansplendors.com or mohistory.org

- Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld
Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

National Shrine of Mary, Mother of the Church - Laurie, Missouri

(Photo provided)

Destination: The National Shrine of Mary, Mother of the Church is midway between I-70 (at Boonville) and I-44 (at Lebanon) on Missouri Rte. 5 near Laurie, Mo. It is in the heart of the Lake of the Ozarks vacation area.
Daily Mass is at 9 a.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend; Saturday Masses are at 5 p.m. (inside) and 8 p.m. (outside); Sunday, at 8 a.m. (outside) and 10 a.m. (inside). Fall and winter Masses are at 5 p.m Saturday.
Why to go: Commonly known as the Mother’s Shrine, it features a 14-foot, stainless-steel sculpture, standing in a natural amphitheater and overlooking a waterfall that flows into a reflecting pool with fountains. It is surrounded by the shrine’s Mothers’ Wall.
Father Fred J. Barnett began construction on the shrine in the mid-1980s to honor Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and to handle the overflow summer crowds at Masses. It was dedicated in 1988 as Mary, Mother of the Church.
The sculpture of Mary, set in 1992, was created by Don Weigand, Chesterfield, Mo., and commissioned by John Fabick and the Fabick Charitable Trust.
The Mothers’ Wall holds names engraved in polished black granite. Among the names already listed on the wall are the mothers of Pope John Paul II and the late Jane Wyman. The first name was engraved on the Mothers’ Wall on April 1, 1999, and more are being added.
Amenities: There is a gift shop that offers memorabilia from the shrine and the nearby St. Patrick churches (there are three in the vicinity.)
Access: The rolling landscape features plenty of paved walkways, but they are dotted with frequent steps. Most are two or three steps high.
(Grand) Kid friendly: It’s an outdoor shrine that can provide kids with plenty of stretching space.
Info: Address: National Shrine of Mary, Mother of the Church, P.O. Box 1250, Laurie, Mo. 65038. Phone: 573/374-6279. Web: www.mothersshrine.com

- Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld
Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org