Maternity BVM Parish - Bourbonnais, Illinois

(Observer photos by Sharon Boehlefeld)

Destination: There are several reasons you might be in the neighborhood of Maternity BVM Parish in Bourbonnais. You might pass it on the way to Bears Camp next summer. You might be in the area for the Sugar Creek Symphony and Song opera festival, an August event. Or you might at anytime be on a personal pilgrimage to visit important places in the life of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. Any option is good reason to visit the parish or go to a weekend Mass.
Mass is offered at 7:30 a.m. weekdays; 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and 7:15, 9 and 11 a.m. Sundays.
In the photo (right), a plaque on a sundial near the grotto includes the name of Fulton J. Sheen. His college class donated the sundial to the parish (left).
Why to go:  The lovely interior of the 1850’s church, its French history clear in its design, has recently been refreshed. The parish traces its history to 1837 when priests began to say Masses for early French-Canadian settlers. Eventually, the first parish became the campus church for St. Viateur’s College (later Viator), Archbishop Sheen’s alma mater. History rooms behind the altar feature cases of artifacts and lots of framed photos and other memorabilia. Father Richard Pighini, CSV (in photo at top), has recently begun a drive to replace the church organ to ensure the parish’s tradition of excellent liturgical music remains intact.
Accessibility: There are a few steps to negotiate, but the grotto is level.
(Grand) Kid friendly: It’s an active parish attached to a school, so kids are always welcome.

Info:  Address: Maternity BVM Church, 308 E. Marsile St.,  Bourbonnais, IL  60914. Phone: 815/933-8285 Web: www.mbvmchurch.org

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

Notre Dame des Cyclistes Chapel - Labastide-d’Armagnac, France

(CNS photos/Regis Duvignau, Reuters)

Destination: If you plan an active vacation in Europe, you may want to include Notre Dame des Cyclistes (Our Lady of Cyclists) chapel in France.
The website doesn’t list Mass times, so you may need to plan for that elsewhere.
Why to go: Father Joseph Massie, a cycling enthusiast, founded the chapel in 1958. It was declared a French national shrine for cycling and cyclists under the protection of Mary by Pope John XXIII. The chapel includes a collection of cycling memorabilia (top). The chapel is a popular stop for pilgrims who cycle through France on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
Accessibility: It’s a bikers chapel, but if you can drive there, you can probably get inside. The chapel is open to the public May 1-Oct 15, but hours are limited: in July and August, 10 a.m.-noon (except Sunday and Monday) and 3-6 p.m.; in May, June, September and October, 3-6 p.m. (except Monday).
(Grand) Kid friendly: Cyclists of any age are welcome.

Info:  Address: Les Amis de Notre Dame des Cyclistes, Maison de la Culture, Place Royale, 40240 La Bastide D’Armagnac, France. Phone: 05-58-44-67-56. Web: www.notredamedescyclistes.net. (Note: The site is in French, although some browsers will translate the home page to English. Some English information is available at http://cartemarialedumonde.org/en/sanctuary/notre-dame-cyclistes.)

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

St. Joseph Apache Mission - Mescalero, New Mexico

(Photos/www.stjosephmission.org)

Destination: St. Joseph Apache Mission Church is a historic church in Mescalero, N.M., that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
Masses are celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Sunday and “usually celebrated Tuesdays through Fridays at 12 noon in the side chapel,” according to the website.
Why to go: When Father Albert Braun, OFM, came to Mescalero, N.M., as a young friar in 1916, he saw a need to replace the old adobe church that served its Apache parishioners. But his work was delayed when he went to Europe as a chaplain during World War I. When he returned to New Mexico, in 1920, with only $100 of Army pay in his pocket, he began working to build a neo-Gothic stone church. With help from volunteers — ranging from an architect to his fellow friars — the church was completed using local stones and timber. It is undergoing renovation, a project that began in 1999 and continues today.
The mission is owned by the Diocese of Las Cruces and operated by Franciscan Friars of the Province of St. Barbara.
Accessibility: Parking is near the front door. The church is open daily and visitors are welcome.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are always welcome.
Info:  Address: St. Joseph Apache Mission, 626 Mission Trail, P.O. Box 187, Mescalero, NM 88340. Phone: 575/464-4473. Web: www.stjosephmission.org and https://sbfranciscans.org/ministry/st-joseph-apache-mission

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

St. Anthony Relics, St. Anthony of Padua Parish - Rockford, Illinois

(Observer file photo)

Destination: As part of the 750th anniversary of the discovery of the remains of St. Anthony of Padua, the Rockford parish named in his honor will host two of his relics during a one-day visit on June 14. St. Anthony’s feast day is June 13.
Masses will be celebrated at noon and at 6 p.m. at the parish, opening and closing the visit of the relics.
Why to go: In 1263, St. Bonaventure discovered the remains of St. Anthony of Padua.
The Franciscan Friars, OFM, of the Pontifical Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, in Padua, Italy, have allowed a  U.S. tour of the saint’s relics with stops in Illinois and Wisconsin. The Messenger of St. Anthony magazine organized the tour.
One relic, part of a gold-plated bust of St. Anthony, designed and created by Italian artisans for these special visits in America, will be placed on a stand near the altar to allow people to see it at close range, and even to touch it. It consists of layers of skin of our beloved saint.
The other relic is one of St. Anthony’s floating ribs. It is kept in a reliquary which will be placed on the altar.  
Accessibility: St. Anthony’s front entrance has several steps, but there is parking and an entrance for the handicapped on the Kent Street side of the church.
Ammenities: Il Santo gift shop will be open during the relic visit. The shop is in the parish hall in the church basement.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are more than welcome to visit the relic and say prayers with the adults who will be there.
Info: About the relics — Address: The Franciscan Friars of the Anthonian Association and the Messenger of St Anthony 52-29 83rd St, Elmhurst, NY 11373. Phone: 347/738-4306. Web: http://www.saintanthonyofpadua.net. About the host church — Address: St. Anthony of Padua Parish, 1010 Ferguson St., Rockford, IL 61102. Phone: 815/965-2761. Web: www.stanthonyrockford.org

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

Editor's note: The relics have moved on from Rockford. Check the Franciscans' website about other exhibit sites. St. Anthony of Padua Parish, however, is happy to welcome visitors.

St. Katharine Drexel Mission Center and National Shrine - Bensalem, Pennsylvania

(Photo courtesy of the Archives of the
Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament)

Destination: The St. Katharine Drexel Mission Center and National Shrine is just 20 minutes from Philadelphia, at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, the religious order established by St. Katharine Drexel in 1891. Historically, the apostolate of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament has been primarily with African and Native American peoples.
There is no daily Mass schedule on the website, but check http://masstimes.org/ for area churches.
Why to go: St. Katharine Drexel’s story is told through an exciting collection of furniture, photo displays, and artifacts. There is a five minute video which makes St. Katharine Drexel’s life come alive. Pilgrims can pray, reflect and leave written prayer intentions in the Apache Burden Basket located next to St. Katharine’s crypt. The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament pray daily for these intentions.
The shrine area, which holds the entombed remains of St. Katharine Drexel, was built in 1949. The bas relief of the angels above the tomb was designed by Mother Mary of the Visitation, SBS, and Kathleen Dorsey.
Events: There is an open house scheduled May 15, but if you plan to be in the area that day, the sisters would like to know you’re coming. Email them at skdcenter@comcast.net.
Accessibility: All facilities are wheelchair accessible.The shrine is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, but it is closed on major holidays.
Ammenities: There are a gift shop, auditorium, indoor cafe and open air patio. A covered entrance accommodates busses and cars, and there is a large parking lot.
(Grand) Kid friendly: The Motherhouse grounds and the Mission Center offer visitors a serene place to pray, relax, learn, and converse — something to keep in mind.
Info: Address: Saint Katharine Drexel Mission Center and National Shrine, 1663 Bristol Pike, Bensalem, PA 19020. Phone: 215/244-9900. Web: http://www.katharinedrexel.org/Mission_Center.html

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

De Young Museum - San Francisco, California

 (Photo/www.missionandshrine.org)

Destination: The de Young Museum in San Francisco is hosting the first exhibit outside the Vatican dedicated solely to the Catholic Church’s collection of indigenous art and artifacts.
“Objects of Belief from the Vatican: Art of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas” runs through Sept. 8 at the museum in Golden Gate Park.
To fit a Mass into your trip, check http://www.masstimes.org.
Why to go: From the Vatican Museums’ collection of 80,000 Vatican ethnographic objects, Ethnological Museum director Jesuit Father Nicola Mapelli chose 39 that represent the collection’s breadth. All are unique pieces and most have never left the Vatican before, he said.
“What is important for us is that these objects are cultural ambassadors. They can tell the story of the people who gave the objects to the pope,” said Father Mapelli, who since 2009 has traveled to Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America, Australia and elsewhere to find descendants of the artists who sent objects to Rome.
The exhibit “will show to the people of California the love and appreciation that the Catholic Church has for the cultures and religions from all over the world,” Antonio Paolucci, director of Vatican Museums, wrote in a Jan. 22 letter to San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone.
The Ethnological Museum sent many of its best known and treasured pieces to San Francisco. Access: Depending on where you go on the grounds, there are some stairs to manuever.
Accessibility: The de Young is wheel chair accesible and a few are available to borrow at the museum. Parking is limited. Public transportation might be a good idea.
Amenities: There are a cafe and a store at the museum.
Admission: There is a $10 admission fee for adults ($7 for 65 and older) and $6 for college students and children 13 and older. There may be additional costs for some exibits or programs.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Check the website’s Education tab for activies for children and families.
Info: Address: de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., San Francisco, CA 94118. Phone: 415/750-3600. Web: http://deyoung.famsf.org

- By Valerie Schmalz (CNS) and Sharon Boehlefeld

Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Editor's note: This exhibit is closed, so we have removed the images that illustrate the collection described. Check the museum website when you plan your trip to see if there are other exhibits of interest to you.

Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche - St. Augustine, Florida

 (Photo/www.missionandshrine.org)

Destination: Spanish settlers in the New World began their devotion to Our Lady of La Leche (The Milk) at St. Augustine’s Mission of Nombre de Dios (Name of God) in the 1560s. It is on the site of the first parish Mass celebrated in what is now the United States, on Sept. 8, 1565, the feast of the Nativity of Mary.
Today, it is a popular site for expectant mothers to pray for healthy babies and couples to pray for children.
Regular Mass is not offered at the shrine, but check the Diocese of St. Augustine website (www.dosafl.com) for nearby churches.
Why to go: Eric P. Johnson, director of the shrine, knows the power of this place and its history, according to an article in St. Anthony Messenger. The historic Mass there in 1565 marked St. Augustine as the birthplace of Christianity in America, not only for Catholics but for Christians of all denominations.
“This is where the Gospel was preached to the native people for the first time,” Johnson explains.
The shrine is also known as a place, according to the article, where the sorrowful also come to pray.
“They come seeking solace and forgiveness,” says Johnson, in the article. “This place offers an incredible sense of peace and an atmosphere of prayer. It allows the small but significant miracles to take place in the heart and the spirit.”
There are several other smaller shrines on the grounds, including one for Our Lady of Guadalupe and one for Lady of Perpetual Help. Prince of Peace Church is also on the grounds.
The site has also been researched by archeologists from the University of Florida, who have discovered a moat from a 16th century Spanish fort on shrine grounds.
Access: Depending on where you go on the grounds, there are some stairs to manuever.
Amenities: The shrine gift shop is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
(Grand) Kid friendly: The shrine offers a good place for a quiet walk with children who may have been in a car too long.
Info: Address: Shrine of Our Lady of Leche, 27 Ocean Ave., St. Augustine, FL 32084. Phone: 904/824-2809 or 800/342-6529. Web: www.missionandshrine.org

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