Trimuph of the Two Hearts Shrine -- Hinckley, Ohio

(Observer photo/Sharon Boehlefeld)

Destination:  A little off the beaten path — south of I-80 — is one of the newest shrines in Ohio, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady of Grace Parish developed and maintains the shrine.
Masses at the parish are at 4 p.m.. Saturday; 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday; and 8 a.m. Monday through Friday.
Why to go: The Marian Society suggested the shrine in the 1990s. Building began in 1997 on a structure intended to resemble a stable with a view of rolling Ohio hills.The statue of Mary with the adult Jesus at the center  of the shrine is made from one log.
Stations of the cross, which can be lit at night, line a sloping, uphill walk to the shrine itself. Landscaping around each station and small gardens in the grassy area surrounding the shrine are tended by people who are acknowledged on small signs.
Special events: At 7 p.m. Thursdays, the parish prays a rosary for peace.
(Grand) Kid friendly: It’s a great spot for a break in a drive to say some prayers, take a walk and have a picnic lunch ... with or without the grandkids.
Accessibility: The shrine and stations are all wheelchair accessible.
Info: Address — Our Lady of Grace Church and Shrine,    1088 Ridge Road, Hinckley, Ohio  n  Phone — 330/278-4121 n Website — http://ologchurchandshrine.org
— Sharon Boehlefeld
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

House of Mary Shrine, Yankton, S.D.

(Observer photo/ www.thehouseofmaryshrine.org)

Destination: Located 6 miles west of Yankton, SD, on South Dakota Rte. 52, the House of Mary Shrine is located near Lewis and Clark Lake and Campground. If this is your summer to follow the trail of these early American explorers, don’t miss this stop on the trail of Catholic missionaries and pioneers who followed them.
Masses are at 9 a.m. Saturday and, from May to September, at 9 a.m. Mondays.
Why to go: Ed and Jean English bought some land in 1957 near what is now Lewis and Clark Lake, says the shrine website. When they took a priest to tour their parcel, he told them to set some apart for “an edifice to God.” Plans for a retreat center fell through, but area Catholics kept the land in their minds and their prayers.
First, they put up three crosses. Then, in 1970, a group asked Bishop Lambert Hoch of Sioux Falls, S.D., to build a shrine to Mary. He said yes.
Over the years, a bell tower, statues, shrinettes, the Way of the Cross, the Living Waters, the rosary, Mary’s Entrance and the Chapel of St. Joseph have been added, along with the Little House of Mary.
The Little House of Mary features a stained glass window showing Mary surrounded by the rosary with the Holy Spirit hovering over her. The hand-beveled crystal window was designed by Nick Brogenrief and funded by the South Dakota Catholic Daughters of the Americas.
Special events: The Divine Mercy Chaplet and rosary are prayed before Masses at 8:30 a.m.; a patriotic rosary is prayed Sundays at 4 p.m. A May crowning is held the first Sunday in May, a candlelight Rosary Rally around the Rosary Pond the first Sunday in October, and a celebration of the Feast of the Holy Innocents on Dec. 28.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Like plenty of outdoor shrines, The House of Mary provides kids with a great opportunity to get out of the car, stretch, take a walk and say some prayers with the family. But keep in mind, it’s billed as a quiet place for prayer.
Info: The House of Mary Shrine, PO Box 455, Yankton, SD 57078 n Phone — 605/668-0121 n Website — www.thehouseofmaryshrine.org/
— Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Rockford Diocese Holy Doors Elgin, Galena

(Observer file photos)

Destination: Eight churches in the Rockford Diocese have been selected to be part of a Jubilee of Mercy pilgrimage.
Why to go: As Bishop David Malloy has explained (see his column, Dec. 4), visiting these selected churches during the Year of Mercy — Dec. 8, 2015-Nov. 22, 2016 — will entitle the pilgrims to an indulgence.The diocese has designed a pilgrimage “passport” to record your journey. Download a copy at www.rockforddiocese.org/jubileeofmercy/files/Pilgrimage-Passport.pdf
Each of the deaneries of the diocese has a holy door. Here are the Elgin and Freeport deanery parishes. (See the Dec. 4 Seasoned Observer for the Rockford Deanery and Jan. 8 for the Aurora and DeKalb deaneries.)
Elgin — St. Thomas More: On March 23, 1959, Bishop Loras T. Lane created the new parish of St. Thomas More by dividing St. Laurence Parish and giving the new parish 15 acres to build a church. The founding pastor, Father Walter C. Roberts (1959-1970) arrived at St. Thomas More on Friday, April 10, 1959, and celebrated the first Sunday Masses two days later at the Highland Avenue School gym. Father Richard Rosinski, pastor, opened the holy door Dec. 13. The holy door is accessible 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, during Mass times on the weekend, or by appointment.
Info: Address — St. Thomas More, 215 Thomas More Dr. Phone — 847/888-1682  Website —  www.stthomasmorechurch.org
Galena — St. Michael: Galena, in the Freeport Deanery, is the home of St. Michael Parish, the oldest parish in the Diocese of Rockford. Bishop Joseph Rosati of St. Louis appointed a pastor here in 1832, five years before the first parish was established in Chicago. On Aug. 22, 1832, Father John McMahon (1832-1833) was appointed as the first resident pastor in what is now the Diocese of Rockford. It was also served by Father Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP, an early missionary in the Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin tri-state area. In 1993, St. John Paul II declared Father Mazzuchelli venerable, the first step toward sainthood. Father David Reese, parochial administrator, opened the holy door Dec. 13.
Info: Address — St. Michael, 227 S. Bench St. Phone — 815/777-2053 Website — www.catholicgalena.org
(Grand) Kid friendly: All the churches in the pilgrimage welcome children.
— Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Rockford Diocese Holy Doors -- Rockford

Destination: Eight churches in the Rockford Diocese have been selected to be part of a Jubilee Year of Mercy pilgrimage. As Bishop David Malloy has explained (see his column from the Dec. 4 issue of The Observer), visiting these selected churches during the Year of Mercy — Dec. 8, 2015-Nov. 22, 2016 — will entitle the pilgrims to an indulgence.
Why to go: The diocese has designed a pilgrimage “passport” to record your journey. Download a copy at http://www.rockforddiocese.org/jubileeofmercy/files/Pilgrimage-Passport.pdf to record your visits.
Two of the pilgrimage parishes represent the Rockford Deanery. They are the Cathedral of St. Peter and the chapel of the Poor Clare Monastery.

Cathedral of St. Peter

Cathedral of St. Peter: Bishop Malloy will open the holy door at the cathedral at 10:45 a.m. Dec. 13.
In the early days of Bishop Peter J. Muldoon’s episcopacy, Rockford was in one of its periods of expansion. There was much building going on, particularly in the north end. Many of the Catholics living north of Auburn Street had a long distance to travel to St. Mary Church. On June 4, 1915,  property was bought in the Auburndale subdivision and a small frame chapel was built on it later that year. The cornerstone for the current church was blessed by Bishop Loras T. Lane in August of 1958 and the church was dedicated on May 15, 1960. On Oct. 11, 1970, Bishop Arthur J. O’Neill designated St. Peter as the cathedral for the diocese.
Info: Address: Cathedral of St. Peter, 1423 N. Court St., Rockford. Phone: 815/965-2765  Website:  www.cathedralofstpeter.org

Poor Clares Corpus Christi Chapel

Poor Clares Chapel: Father David Vogel will open the holy door at 7 a.m. Dec. 13.
Bishop Peter J. Muldoon wanted a community of contemplative sisters within the diocese.  Repeatedly he requested Mother Mary Theresa, of the Poor Clares in Cleveland, to open a foundation in Rockford. Finally in March, 1916, two Poor Clare sisters arrived in Rockford to establish a community here. A residence on North Avon Street was converted into a monastery and was used until 1920, when growth of the community necessitated the purchase of the present property on South Main St.
Info: Address: Poor Clare  Monastery, 2111 S. Main St., Rockford Phone: 815/963-7343 Website: http://www.cloisteredlife.com/poor-clares/

(Grand) Kid friendly: All the churches in the pilgrimage welcome children.

Watch for more Year of Mercy pilgrimage stops in future blogs.
Learn more about the pilgrimages and other jubilee events at The Observer’s The Year of Mercy blog at http://observer.rockforddiocese.org/year-of-mercy

— Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld

Send Destination ideas to SeasonedObserver@rockforddiocese.org

Take the Train Vatican City to Castel Gandolfo

(CNS photo)

Destination: Pope Francis’ desire for a church whose doors are wide open isn’t just a metaphor for encouraging a greater spirit of welcoming. He also has told the Vatican staff to lift the locks on places and spaces that were long closed to the general public -— the latest being the papal summer home in the hilltop town of Castel Gandolfo.
Masses are available all over Rome, but aren’t part of the tours.
Why to go: The head of the Vatican Museums, Antonio Paolucci, said the pope told him he did not want the rich botanical and architectural treasures of the papal gardens and villas to be wasted.
The tiny train station of the smallest country in the world is now open to ticketed tour goers so anyone can take a specially chartered train that leaves every Saturday for a round trip journey to Castel Gandolfo, just 13 miles away. Tourists can choose two itineraries and must book ahead online at museivaticani.va.
It’s the first time the apostolic palace, which houses the still-private papal apartments and the observatory dome of the pope’s Jesuit astronomers, has officially opened to the public.
Six large rooms display papal portraits, historical clothing and liturgical vestments. People can get an up-close look at a “sedia gestatoria,” or portable papal chair, popes’ embroidered cloth slippers and a gold and silver desk set used by Pope Pius VIII. Visitors also can venture onto a huge balcony to admire Lake Albano — an ancient volcanic lake.
Both itineraries have tourists leave the papal property right at lunchtime for three to four hours of “free time” in town before a late afternoon train back to Rome.
Options: A full-day ticket for $45 starts with a two-hour visit to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. After a one-hour walk through the Vatican Gardens, there is a one-hour train ride from Vatican City to Castel Gandolfo with a one-hour mini-train ride through the pontifical gardens. An $18 ticket includes only train transport and entrance to a museum space created in the apostolic palace.
Accessibility: It’s Italy, so most places will have stairs, cobblestones and hills to negotiate.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Of course.
Info: Web — museivaticani.va

— Catholic News Service
Send Destination ideas to SeasonedObserver@rockforddiocese.org

Vatican Splendors - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

(CNS photo)

Destination: Planning to head to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September? Make time to see works of art and rare artifacts from the Vatican while you are there. Philadelphia is the only announced destination for the exhibit, which will be on a two-city North American tour.
While there are no Masses at the Franklin Institute, check www.worldmeeting2015.org/plan-your-visit/places-worship to find some. 
Why to go: More than 200 works of art, 40 percent of which have never been shown publicly anywhere, are part of the “Vatican Splendors” exhibit opening Sept. 19 at Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute. (If you don’t go right away, you’ll have time to visit the exhibit later. it’s running through Feb. 15, 2016, in Philly.)The nearly 10,000-square-foot exhibit, organized into 11 galleries, will consist of significant objects collected by Vatican Museums over the span of 2,000 years.
It includes objects from the ancient St. Peter’s Basilica and tools used in the construction of the 16th-century basilica and the Sistine Chapel; artwork by Michelangelo; historical maps, signed documents and a bas-relief sculpture; works by Baroque masters such as Bernini and Guercino; intricately embroidered silk liturgical vestments; uniforms of the papal Swiss Guard; artwork that dates to the first century; and bone fragments of SS. Peter and Paul as well as relics discovered at their tombs.
The photo shows a statue of St. Paul from the Vatican collection.

Hours: There will be daytime, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., and evening, 5-9 p.m., exhibit hours with different non-member ticket prices for each session. Group rates are also available. Onsite parking is limited. Check the website for details.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Absolutely.
Info: Address — The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th St. Philadelphia, PA 19103  Phone — 215/448-1200 Web — https://www.fi.edu/exhibit/vatican-splendors

— Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld; CNS contributed to this story
Send Destination ideas to SeasonedObserver@rockforddiocese.org

The Ringling Museum - Sarasota, Florida

(Photos provided)

Destination: If you are planning vacation to Florida, consider a stop at The Ringling, the State Art Museum of Florida. Its story begins in 1911 when the circus impresario John Ringling and his wife, Mabel, bought 20 acres in Sarasota and poured their love tor the Florida city, for Italy and art, into the property. In addition to the art museum, of course, there is also the Circus Museum on the grounds.
While there are no Masses on The Ringling grounds, there are several parishes to select from in Sarasota. Click on Find a Parish at http://dioceseofvenice.org
Why to go: In the vast collection of The Ringling museum, there is a significant number of religious art. Its website says the museum’s 31 galleries feature “old masters, contemporary art and exhibitions from around the world.”
But art’s not the only reason to visit The Ringling. Ca’ d’Zan, or “House of John,” in the Venetian dialect, is the  Ringling’s 56-room mansion, billed as “a testament to the American Dream of the Roaring Twenties.” There are also the Bayfront Gardens, the Historic Asolo Theater and an education center.
Hours: Most days The Ringling is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m; Thursdays until 8 p.m. Ca’ d’Zan closes at 5 p.m.and the Bayfront Gardens are open 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. Admission varies, but includes seniors (65 and older) is $23; children 6-17, $5.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Did we mention the Circus Museum?
Info: Address — The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, FL 34243 Phone — 941/359-5700 Web — www.ringling.org

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

Shrine of St. Gianna Beretta Molla - Warminster, Pennsylvania

The Catholic World Meeting of Families will be held in Philadephia, Pennsylvania, Sept. 22-27, 2015. Learn more about the meeting at www.worldmeeting2015.org/. This is one of several shrines in the Philadephia area that we’ll highlight before the meeting.  

(Observer screen shot)

Destination: If you are driving to the World Meeting of Families (or renting a car while there), you may want to plan a side trip to the Shrine of St. Gianna Beretta Molla. But the shrine is only open on weekends, so plan accordingly.
Masses at Nativity of Our Lord Parish, where the shrine is located, are 5 p.m. Saturdays; 8, 10 a.m. and noon Sundays; 6:30 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday.
Why to go: St. Gianna Beretta Molla was a mother who gave her life that her child might live. She and St. Pope John Paul II have been selected patrons of the meeting. A physician, she well understood the choice she was making. The shrine houses special relics — a pair of gloves that belonged to the saint. They were presented to the shrine by her late husband with one condition. He asked that they be available to people to touch and handle instead of being locked behind glass. His request provides a rare opportunity for those who visit the Shrine of St. Gianna.
Shrine hours: Two sets of hours for veneration of the unsealed relics of St. Gianna are listed on the website. In a pop-up on the home page, they are listed as  the second Saturday of every month, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Shrine hours are 3:30-5 p.m. Saturdays and after Masses until 2 p.m. Sundays. Group arrangements are available by reservation.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are always welcome, but should behave as they would at any parish.
Info: Address — Shrine of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, Nativity of Our Lord Church, 625 West Street Road, Warminster, PA 18974 Phone — 215/657-3101 Web — http://saintgianna.org

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

A Virtual Tour of Basilica of St. John Lateran - Rome, Italy

(Observer photo by Sharon Boehlefeld)

(Observer screen shot)

Destination: Wishing you could make a pilgrimage to Rome, but just can’t make it? You can still see one of the most important churches in the history of the faith, the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome if you have a computer and an Internet connection.

Why to go: The Basilica of St. John Lateran was the first Christian cathedral in Rome, ordered by Rome’s first Christian emperor, Constantine the Great. It became the pope’s own cathedral and, for the first 1,000 years of Christian history, it was his official residence. Constantine gave the property, which had belonged to the Laterani family (hence, the name St. John Lateran), to Pope Melchiade (311-314). Over the years, it has suffered damage and been restored several times. When the papacy returned to Rome from Avignon, France, in the 14th century the residence was in such bad shape, the pope moved to the Vatican, which had been a pilgrimage church until then.
Today, St. John Lateran remains one of the four patriarchal basilicas that make up the “Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome,” as designated by the Vatican. The others are St. Peter’s Basilica, the Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls and the Basilica of St. Mary Major. The other three churches are two minor basilicas — St. Lawrence Outside-the-Walls and Holy Cross of Jerusalem — and a shrine, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love.
In the top photo, a crowd gathers in front of St. John Lateran Cathedral the weekend of the canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II in April 2014.
The tour begins with an overhead view of the cathedral (bottom photo). The facade in the top photo is the eastern exterior, number 13 in the photo.

How to go: To take the virtual tour of St. John Lateran, go to the website and click on the numbers in the photo. As each “room” opens, slowly move your cursor to the right or left, up or down. Stop any time and the image will focus. Take your time examining the stunning views and listening to the choir singing.

Info: http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_giovanni/vr_tour/index-en.html

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

Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Catholic World Meeting of Families will be held in Philadephia, Pennsylvania, Sept. 22-27, 2015. Learn more about the meeting at www.worldmeeting2015.org/. This is one of several shrines in the Philadephia area that we’ll highlight before the meeting. 

(Photo http://cathedralphila.org)

(CNS photo/Nancy
Phelan Wiechec)

Destination: On April 8, 1808, Pope Pius VII established Baltimore as the first archdiocese in the United States and created four new dioceses: Philadelphia, Boston, New York and Bardstown, Kentucky. This September, the now-Archdiocese of Philadelphia will be the host of the World Meeting of Families and Pope Francis will be there. 
Regular Mass times at the cathedral are Saturday 7:15 a.m., 12:05 p.m. in the chapel and 5:15 p.m. in the basilica; Sunday 8 a.m. English and 12:30 p.m. Spanish, chapel; 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., basilica; Monday-Friday, 7:15 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. Mass times may vary if you go during the World Meeting of Families, so check locally.
The photos show the second-story windows and art (left) and the dome (right) of the cathedral.

Why to go: The historic church, open since 1864, features a carved walnut organ screen casing in the choir loft. The website says, “The richly ornamental screen is the design of Otto Eggers, who also designed the Jefferson Monument, the Mellon Art Gallery, and the National Gallery of Art, all in Washington, D.C.”
Anti-Catholic sentiment was high in Philadelphia when construction began on the cathedral, so it was designed without windows at street level to discourage vandals. The design is based on the Lombard Church of St. Charles (San Carlo al Corso) in Rome, and is an example of Roman-Corinthian architecture. Cast bronze doors leading to the narthex and bronze handrails were added in a 1950s renovation.
There’s an audio tour of the cathedral basilica for MP3 players. It’s about 20 minutes long and you can download it free from the Visitor Information page (under About on the home page).

Special events: The cathedral basilica is celebrating its 150th year and three more choral concerts are scheduled in May. Details are at http://cathedralphilaconcerts.org/events/

(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are always welcome.

Info: Address: Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, 18th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Phone: 215/561-1313 Web: http://cathedralphila.org/

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

Serra Missions - California

(CNS photo/Bob Mullen)

Destination:  Pope Francis has announced that Blessed Junipero Serra will be canonized this year. If you plan a trip to California in the future, now would be a good time to plan stops at the nine missions in Southern California founded by the Spanish missionary. In all, the Franciscans founded 21 missions in California.
Father Serra founded seven:

• San Diego de Alcalá, July 16, 1769
• San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, June 3, 1770
• San Antonio de Padua, July 14, 1771
• San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, Sept. 1, 1772
• San Juan Capistrano, Nov. 1, 1776
• Santa Clara de Asís, Jan. 12, 1777
• San Buenaventura, March 31, 1782

(It would also be a good time to learn more about the Serrans, an organization of about 20,000 members throughout the world who are dedicated to fostering and promoting vocations to the Catholic priesthood and religious life through activities and prayer. For information in the Rockford Diocese, call Mike McKee at 630/896-6834 or email him at MMckee5@aol.com.)
Mass times vary at the missions, most of which remain active parishes.
The map (left) shows all of the Franciscan missions in California. The statue of Blessed Junipero Serra (right) stands outside Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano, California.
Why to go:  Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala was founded July 16, 1769, and was the first to be established by Father Serra in what is now the state of California. The current church was built in 1931 and is north of San Diego’s downtown area. Blessed Serra, who will be canonized later this year by Pope Francis, founded the first of California’s 21 missions.
(Grand) Kid friendly:  Grandchildren will love the chance to see where real Church history was made in some of the earliest missions in the New World.
Info: Because there are so many missions, we’re referring you to a California historical site. You can also search online for individual parishes. Web: www.mtycounty.com/pgs-missions/the21missions.html

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

Basilica and National Shrine of The Little Flower - Royal Oak, Michigan

 (CNS photo/courtesy National Shrine of the Little Flower Parish)

Destination: The National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak has been raised to national prominence again, being designated by the Vatican as the second minor basilica in Michigan and the 82nd in the United States.
Masses are 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Saturdays; 7:30, 9, 10:45 a.m., 12:30, 4 (Spanish) and 6 p.m. Sundays; and 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. weekdays.
Why to go: In 1998, the U.S. bishops designated it as a national shrine to St. Therese of Lisieux, known as the “Little Flower.”
The basilica honor was conferred by the pope through the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments after a years-long application process.
The Chapel of the Little Flower, which connects the tower and church at the National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak, Mich., features dozens of first-class relics of saints and visitors find it provides a peaceful place for prayer.
With its Art Deco-style architecture, it features an octagonal-shaped church with the altar in the center of the congregation. The placement of the altar dates to the early 1930s, making the shrine’s church one of the first in the Detroit Archdiocese to adopt such an orientation.
Extras: A gift shop is staffed by volunteers, but you can look at items online through the website. Tours are also available; get the details on the website.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are always welcome.
Info: Address: The National Shrine of the Little Flower, 2100 W. 12 Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI 48073-3910. Phone: 248/541-4122. Web: www.shrinechurch.com

- Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld; CNS contributed to this story
Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Grotto of the Redemption Shrine - West Bend, Iowa

(CNS photo/courtesy Catholic Globe)

Destination: If this looks familiar, don’t be surprised. We’ve sent you to West Bend, Iowa, before. (See August 2008 in our archives.) What’s new is Bishop R. Walker Nickless of Sioux City, Iowa, has signed a decree making the Grotto of the Redemption a diocesan shrine. It is only the second shrine in Iowa and is the largest grotto in the world. Father Thomas Hart, who is rector of the grotto, is starting paper work to ask the USCCB to make it a national shrine.
Masses are offered at 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday at SS. Peter and Paul Parish, around which the grotto was built.
Why to go:  The grotto, on the National Register of Historic Places since 2001, is a composite of nine separate Grottos, each portraying a scene in the life of Christ, the story of the fall of woman and man, our divine redemption through Christ, and Mary’s presence in the redemptive process. Its builder, Father Matthias Dobberstien commented, “If your messages are carved in stone they are well nigh imperishable. The imperishableness is the outstanding feature of the Grotto.”
As a young seminarian, Father Dobberstein became critically ill with pneumonia. As he fought for his life he prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for him for the grace of health. He promised to build a shrine in her honor if he lived. The illness passed, the student completed his studies and after his ordination he came to West Bend as pastor in 1898. For over a decade, he  stockpiled rocks and precious stones until the actual work of his promise began to take shape in 1912.
Among specimens at the grotto are agate, amethyst, azurite and malachite, barite and barite rose, drusy quartz, calcite, fluorite (found primarily in Southern Illinois), geode (Iowa’s state rock), jasperm petrified wood and quartz.
Extras: The gift shop is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday. Hours are seasonal, so check the website before going.
(Grand) Kid friendly:  Yes, with plenty of room for exploring, as long as they remember this is a shrine. Climbing the stairs is OK; shouting is not. Taking pictures for school projects is definitely OK.
Info: Address: 300 N. Broadway Ave., West Bend, Iowa 50597  Phone: 515/887-2371  Web site: www.westbendgrotto.com

 - Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld and Tony Carton; CNS contributed to this story
Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

St. Mary’s Basilica - Phoenix, Arizona

(CNS photos/Nancy Wiechec)

Destination: St. Mary’s Basilica, a Phoenix landmark since 1914, is marking its 100th year. The basilica built in the Mission Revival style is the city’s first Catholic Church and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its parish community dates back to 1872.
Masses are offered 5 p.m. Saturday; 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday (11 a.m. Mass is interpreted for the deaf); and 12:05 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Why to go:  This parish in Arizona actually has links to Illinois. According to its history (at its website), St. Mary’s traces its history to the Sacred Heart Province, “which provided early leadership to the church. The Franciscans of the Province of the Sacred Heart trace their roots from the Province of the Holy Cross, Padersborn, Westphalia, Germany (Saxony Province.) In 1858, at the invitation of Bishop Henry Damian Juncker of the Diocese of Alton, Illinois, nine friars were sent to minister to the German-speaking immigrants settling in the Midwest region. The German Friars assumed charge of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Teutopolis, Illinois on Oct. 3, 1858, and thus established the basis for the Sacred Heart Province. ... By 1879, there were 202 friars that made up the Province of the Sacred Heart. The year 1896 saw the friaries of Sacred Heart Province located in the Far West organized into a dependent commissariat. In 1915, the friaries of Sacred Heart Province on the west coast and in Arizona were canonically established in the Province of Saint Barbara.”
From this heritage, the parish in Phoenix developed.
The parish, still in the care of Franciscan friars, has an active  Secular Franciscan Order.
Extras: The gift shop is closed Monday-Wednesday, but open 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are welcome, as they would be to any church.
Info: Address: St. Mary’s Basilica, 231 N. Third St, Phoenix, AZ 85004. Phone: 602/354-2100. Web: www.saintmarysbasilica.org

- Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld; CNS contributed to this story
Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace - Honolulu, Hawaii

(CNS photos/Darlene Dela Cruz, Hawaii Catholic Herald)

Destination: The Vatican has designated Honolulu’s Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace as a minor basilica in recognition of its historic and spiritual significance. The Honolulu church is the United States’ 82nd minor basilica, including two in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico and one in the territory of Guam.
Masses are offered Saturday at 7 a.m., noon, 5 p.m.; Sunday at 6, 7:30, 9 and 10:30 a.m., noon and 6 p.m.; weekdays at 6:30 a.m. and noon.
Why to go:  Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva said he hopes the cathedral basilica, which now holds the relics of St. Marianne Cope and St. Damien de Veuster, will “grow as a spiritual destination for visitors from all over the world. It has been a place of prayer, worship and celebration of the sacraments for generations,” he said, “but its status as a basilica will give it more attention as a place of pilgrimage for visitors and residents alike.”
Among its distinctions, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, dedicated in 1843, claims to be the oldest cathedral in continuous use in the United States. It is the church where St. Damien was ordained a priest in 1864 and which greeted St. Marianne Cope when she arrived in Hawaii in 1883. Besides the relics of both saints, the cathedral also contains the graves of Bishop Louis Maigret and Bishop John J. Scanlan.
According to the Hawaii Catholic Herald, “It is the only U.S. cathedral that can claim the presence of a reigning monarch, King Kamehameha III, at the laying of its cornerstone.”
(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are welcome, as they would be to any church.
Info: Address: Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, 1184 Bishop St., Honolulu, HI 96813-2838 Phone: 808-536-7036. Web: www.cathedralofourladyofpeace.com

- Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld; CNS contributed to this story
Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org