Mount St. Sepulchre - Washington, D.C.

(CNS photos/Paul Haring)

Destination: Mount St. Sepulchre is a Franciscan monastery in Washington, D.C. The church and monastery were designated a National Historic Site in 1991. The church was dedicated in 1899. The site is also Commissariat of the Holy Land in America, which means the friars are responsible for collecting alms to help maintain sites in the Holy Land. (See page 1 of the March 27 Observer for more information.)
Daily Mass times vary. Sunday Masses are held  in English at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and noon, and in Spanish at 4 p.m.
Why to go: The grounds of the monastery feature dozens of replicas of significant Christian sites from Europe and the Holy Land, including many surrounding the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The church is the dominant structure on the grounds. It is not a replica of any one structure found in the Holy Land, but was designed with a number of architectural influences found in buildings there. Within, beneath and around the church are full-size reproductions of actual Holy Land sites, including churches, memorials, shrines, tombs and historical monuments.
Special events: A workshop about saving heirloom vegetable seeds is scheduled March 21. Cost is $20 per person or $35 per family. Info: Candace Hack at 812/535-2935 or chack@spsmw.org.
Ammenities: Tours of the Monastery and shrines are given daily on the hours at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. On Sundays, tours are given at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. The grounds of the Monastery are open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; no tour is required. The Catacombs can be visited only when on a tour.
A gift shop is open daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., except Monday.
Access: Walkways are generous, but the site is on a hillside.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are welcome for tours and walks around the grounds.
Info: Address: Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land, 1400 Quincy St., N.E., Washington, DC, 20017. Phone: 202/526-6800. Web: www.myfranciscan.org

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

Saint Mary- of-the-Woods, Indiana

(Photos: Sisters of Providence of
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods)

Destination: The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., were founded in 1840 by St. Mother Theodore Guerin. Their home today is the site of a college, and several shrines, including one for their founder. It is five miles northwest of downtown Terre Haute, Ind., off Indiana Rt. 150.
Masses are held at 11 a.m. on Sunday and at 11:30 a.m., Monday-Saturday at Church of the Immaculate Conception, where the shrine of St. Mother Theodore Guerin is housed (above). Call ahead for holiday Mass times.
Why to go: St. Mother Guerin and five other Sisters of Providence came to the United States from France to be educators, so it’s no surprise that there is a college, a high school and a pre-school where they began their work. But at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, you’ll also find an outdoor Way of the Cross, Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Providence (right), Blessed Sacrament Chapel, the 125-year-old St. Anne Shell Chapel, and a labyrinth for quiet contemplation. Whatever your reason for visiting, start at the Providence Center, where information is available and tours begin.
Special events: A workshop about saving heirloom vegetable seeds is scheduled March 21. Cost is $20 per person or $35 per family. Info: Candace Hack at 812/535-2935 or chack@spsmw.org.
Ammenities: O’Shaughnessy Dining Room serves Sunday brunch 10:45 a.m. until 1:15 p.m. Cost: $12.50 for adults; $11.50 for seniors age 55 and older; $6.75 for children 6-11; free for children younger than 6. There are also lunch and dinner buffets on other days of the week.
Access: While there is plenty of room to walk, most sites on the grounds are also accessible to the handicapped.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Saint Mary-of-the-Woods welcomes visitors of all ages. 
Info: Address: 1 Sisters of Providence Road; Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876. Phone: 812/535-3131. Web: www.spsmw.org

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

National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi - San Francisco, California

(CNS photo/Dan Morris-Young,

Catholic San Francisco)

Destination: The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi was the first parish established in San Francisco, in 1849. The church, which was closed for a time after the 1989 earthquake, was declared a national shrine in 1999.
Masses at the shrine are held daily at 12:15 p.m. Monday through Saturday, there  is an 11 a.m. rosary, noon Angelus, and 3 p.m. Chaplet of Divine Mercy. There is also Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass on Friday, and Benediction at 3:15 p.m.
Why to go: The shine, which is “located in San Francisco’s historic North Beach district, bears witness to Christ at the heart of the beautiful city named for the Poverello of Assisi,” according to its Web site.
Although Father Junipero Serra had already established a mission at the spot that would become San Francisco, by the time of the California Gold Rush, it was serving mostly Spanish-speaking Catholics from Mexico and Spain. U.S. Army and Navy officials “appealed to the bishops in Hawaii and Oregon, and to the Archbishop of Baltimore. The bishop of Portland in Oregon sent two priests from the Pacific Northwest, and U.S. troops stationed at the Presidio built a small shanty to serve as a church,” the Web site explains. The first Mass was held June 17, 1849.
Most recently, the church has opened a 78-percent scale, rock-for-rock, stone-for-stone, fresco-for-fresco replica of St. Francis of Assisi’s tiny Porziuncola church near Assisi, Italy. A rare rock from Assisi, Italy (see photo on page 1), which was used more than 800 years ago when St. Francis and his followers built the church where the Franciscan order was born, was installed on the altar of the replica.
Ammenities: The Franciscan Centre Gift Shop is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.– 5 p.m.
Access: Visitors will find that busses stop within a block of the church, and there are several city parking lots within  a six-block radius of the church. It is San Francisco, so parking is at a premium. And the church is near the financial district, so walking in the area is safe.
(Grand) Kid friendly: If yours is a family trip, children should behave as they would in any church. 
Info: Address: 610 Vallejo St., San Francisco, CA 94133 Phone: 415/983-0405. Web: www.shrinesf.org

- Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld 

Send your Catholic destinations ideas to SeasonedObserver@RockfordDiocese.org.

St. Paul the Apostle Church - Sandwich, Illinois

(Photo provided)

Destination: St. Paul Church in Sandwich is the only Rockford Diocesan church named soley for St. Paul, whose Jubilee Year is half over this month.
Masses at the parish are held Saturday at 5 p.m.; Sunday at 8 and 10:30 a.m.; Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.; and Wednesday through Friday at 8:30 a.m. There is a Spanish Mass at 12:15 p.m. on the third Sunday of the month.
Vigil/holy day Masses are at  5:30 and 7 p.m./8:30 a.m., 7 p.m. Sacrament of reconciliation is at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Why to go: A focused trip to learn more about your faith or a person of faith is called a pilgrimage. The traveler or student on a pilgrimage — a disciple — tries to achieve greater intimacy with a person or event which has had great impact on the church and the world.
For thousands of years, faithful of all religions have made pilgrimages to shrines. During this Year of St. Paul, Pope Benedict XVI has offered special indulgences for travelers to Rome and other sites designated by local bishops. Bishop Thomas Doran has included St. Paul Church as an official pilgrimage site in the Diocese of Rockford. Visitors who attend Mass, go to confession and receive Communion are eligible for the indulgence.
Special events: St. Paul Church can’t promise record-breaking numbers of pilgrims, but does plan special events throughout the year. There are plans for a showing of the “Eucharistic Miracles” display early this year. Call for details.
Access: There are a few steps, but there is also a ramp for wheelchair access.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Absolutely. In the photo, Father Jack Heraty and children from St. Paul Parish welcome pilgrims during the holy year. 
Info: Address: 110 N. Eddy St., Sandwich, IL. 60548. Phone: 815/786-9266.

--Compiled by Elsie Campbell Morrisey 

Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org.

(Observer photo by Amanda Hudson)

Editor's note: The Year of St. Paul is long over, and the indulgence is no longer available, but the church, renamed St. Paul the Apostle Parish in 2009, is still well-worth visiting. The historic pre-Civil War building has been moved, burned and restored -- twice -- since then. The new address is 340 W. Arnold Road, still in Sandwich. Mass times have changed, too. Learn more at the parish Facebook page, St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, or on its website, http://saintpaulscc.net/. (Updated Jan. 30, 2015)

Mission of San Xavier del Bac - Tucson, Arizona

(Photo provided)

Destination: The Jesuit missionary and explorer, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, first visited area that would become the Mission of San Xavier del Bac 1692.  Eight years later in 1700, Father Kino laid the foundations of the first church. He named it San Xavier in honor of his chosen patron, St. Francis Xavier, the illustrious Jesuit “Apostle of the Indies.” The present church was built between 1783 and 1797 by the Franciscan Fathers Juan Bautista Velderrain and Juan Bautista Llorenz. Francisan Friars continue to serve at the mission.

Masses at the mission are held at 6:30 a.m. Monday-Friday in Juan Diego Chapel; 8:30 a.m. Tuesday-Friday; 5:30 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Sundays from October through May. (Sunday Masses are one hour earlier in the summer.)

Why to go: If you visit the southwest, this is a stop worth making, both for its religious and historic value. As one of the oldest Catholic Churches in the U.S., it  represents a landmark of the faith in the continent. It also demonstrates the melding of the several architectural styles — Moorish, Byzantine and late Mexican Renaissance — with the traditional building materials of the Tohono O’odham, the native Americans for whom the mission was founded.

Restoration and maintenance work over the last 20 years has returned much of the building to its original beauty, both inside and out. The harsh desert climate, however,  demands continual attention to the state of the buidlings. An ongoing fund drive helps pay for the upkeep, so donations are happilly accepted from visitors.

Amenities: A gift shop is open daily (except Easter and Christmas) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Among items in the shop are crafts from the Tohono O’odham, renown for their fine basket work.

Access: The site is fairly easy to get around, but there are not a lot of paved areas on the grounds.

(Grand) Kid friendly: There is plenty of room for walking on the grounds, and kids are welcome at the site, but there are no special areas for them.

Info: Address: 1950 W. San Xavier Road, Tucson, AZ 85746-7409. Phone: 520/294-2624. Web: www.sanxaviermission.org

--By Sharon Boehlefeld

Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org


 

National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows - Belleville, Illinois

(Photo provided by Our Lady of the Snows)

Destination: The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville is maintained by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. The Oblates were founded in France by St. Eugene De Mazenod in the year 1816. One of the largest orders in the world, it has grown to 4,500 priests and brothers serving in 71 countries. Oblates first arrived in North America in 1841. Work on the Belleville shrine began in the summer of 1958.
Our Lady of the Snows offers Masses in English at 7:30 a.m. and  11:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday, at 5 p.m. Saturday, and at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Spanish Masses are offered at 7 p.m. Sunday. A variety of other services are offered; check the Web site.
Why to go: Devotion to Mary as Our Lady of the Snows is one of the oldest practices of the church. It has direct ties to the legend about a marvelous snowfall in Rome in 352 A.D. The Illinois shrine features a number of devotional areas, many of them in beautiful outdoor settings. One is Annunciation Garden (above), which stands  on a hill overlooking the Main Shrine.
Special events: The shrine will host the Way of Lights daily, 5-10 p.m., Nov. 21, 2008, through Jan. 4, 2009. The lighted displays on the grounds tell the story of the birth of Jesus. Indoor activities including an interactive Children’s Village, puppet show, Christmas tree and  wreath display, community choirs, and more. Admission is free.
During Advent, Las Mañanitas will be marked with an 11:30 p.m., Dec. 11, serenade to Our Lady at Guadalupe
Hill, followed by a midnight Mass at Our Lady of the Snows Church. The celebration ends with pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread) and hot chocolate.
Amenities: A gift shop, hotel and restaurant on the grounds make short and long visits easy to plan.
Access: With retirement living facilities on the grounds, accessibility is important for residents and visitors.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Check out the play area in the Children’s Memorial Garden, where there are plenty of ways to burn off “car-ride” energy, and colorful pictures of the seven days of creation.
Info: Address: 442 South De Mazenod Dr., Belleville, IL 62223-1023. Phone: 618/397-6700 or 800/682-2879. Web: www.snows.org

--Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld

Send Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Marytown - Libertyville, Illinois

(Observer photo by Tony Carton)

Destination: Marytown, a community of Conventual Franciscan Friars consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a place of prayer and Eucharistic Adoration.It is home to the National Center for the Militia of the Immaculata, the National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe and its Kolbe Holocaust Exhibit, an overnight retreat house and pilgrimage destination, a conference center with full dining facilities, the largest Catholic gift shop and bookstore between Chicago and Milwaukee, 14 acres of outdoor shrines, and the offices of Immaculata magazine and Marytown Press.
Marytown invites the public to participate in all liturgical and devotional events. Mass: 7 a.m. and noon, Monday-Friday; 7:30 a.m. and noon, Saturday; 8:30 a.m., Sunday.
Why to go: Through God’s grace, Marytown is becoming one of the most vibrant centers of Catholic renewal in the Midwest.
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament chapel at Marytown is one of the most beautiful religious sites in America. Patterned after the Roman basilica, St. Paul Outside-the-Walls, its breathtaking stained glass, mosaics and marble work offer spiritual symbolism that instructs and inspires its visitors while drawing every pilgrim’s focal point to the 5 feet, 2 inches tall monstrance above the high altar.
During the Jubilee Year 2000, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops designated Marytown as the National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe honoring the Polish saint and Franciscan priest, patron of journalists, families, prisoners, the pro-life movement, those afflicted with chemical dependency, eating disorders, and the media communications. The Kolbe/Holocaust Exhibit commemorates his life of charity and heroic death in the Auschwitz death camp.
Special events: Retreats for men, Oct. 31-Nov. 2, and for women, Nov. 28-Nov. 30. MI Teen Village meets every third Wednesday of the month; contact lrawls@miyouth.org or call 630/404-0138
Amenities: Bookstore and gift shop offers a large variety of religious gifts and literature. Open 9-5 Monday-Saturday, 9:30-3:30 Sunday.
Access: Strollers and wheelchairs are welcome to the  non-smoking environment with ample, free parking.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Absolutely, with plenty of room for exploring and interesting things to find. It is not unusual to find friars willing to teach even the most proficient budding soccer star how to really play the game.
Info: Address: 1600 West Park Ave., Libertyville, IL 60048-2593. Phone: 847/367-7800. Web: www.marytown.com

--Tony Carton

Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org