Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua - New York, New York

(Photo by Amanda Hudson)

Destination: Religious and movie-making history meet in New York City at the Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua. The church is located four blocks south of Washington Square Park on the corner of Houston and Sullivan streets, in Greenwich Village one step into the SoHo neighborhood. It is close to New York University, Chinatown and Little Italy areas.
Masses are Saturday, 5 p.m. and Sunday, 9 and 11 a.m.  Weekday Mass is offered at the rectory across Sullivan Street from the front doors of the church.
Why to go:  The church is the oldest existing Italian parish in the United States and the second Italian parish ever founded here. The building is the first parish church built by Italian immigrants in the U.S. Franciscan friars staff the parish, as they have since it began.
For 142 years, it has ministered to Italians, as well as jazz musicians, beatniks, artists, actors and, now, the rich and famous living in the area. Even a saint was a member: St. Francis Xavier (Mother) Cabrini. once taught in the parish’s religious education program.
The church boasts a Jardine Pipe Organ that was built around 1888, when the church was erected. It was built as opus 933 by George Jardine and Sons Organ Company of New York. From its beginning, it was considered to be both historic and grand. It was overhauled in the 1950s with some parts changed and some compromises made. The church has kept up with repairs and tuning, with some major work done in recent years including a rebuild of the organ console into a state-of-the-art modern organ console by the John Klauder Organ Company.
Special events: On weekends from March to mid-December, you can enjoy St. Anthony’s Market on the Houston Street sidewalk. The market, called a “best find” in one book and featured in an article entitled “The Best Place to Look Like A Movie Star for under $15,” also has been written up in Vogue, New York Magazine and other publications.
Access: Didn’t look handicapped accessible, like most all of New York. Everywhere are lots of stairs.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Kids will like the “movie wall” inside the church. They may recognize scenes from “Godfather II,” “Moonstruck,” “Men in Black,” and other movies shot there.
Info: Address: Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua, 154 Sullivan St., New York City, NY 10012. Phone: 212/777-2755 Web: http://stanthonynyc.org

- Compiled by Amanda Hudson

Send your Catholic destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral - Indianapolis, Indiana

(Photo provided)

Destination: This year’s Super Bowl and any year’s Indy 500 aren’t the only reasons to visit Indianapolis. Regardless of your reason for going, plan a stop at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral.
Masses are 5 p.m. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. Sunday, 8 a.m. Monday-Friday and 5:15 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday.
Why to go:  The parish was established in 1892, two years before Rome authorized the move of the diocesan see from Vincennes, Ind.,  to Indianapolis. The new parish was on its way to becoming a cathedral. Originally served by its 1890s chapel, the cornerstone to today’s church was laid in 1905.
Three of the cathedral’s pastors eventually became bishops — two for Indianapolis and one for Evansville, Ind.
The church was renovated in the 1980s, a process that was completed in 1986, followed by chapel renovations in 1992.
If you visit, consider leaving a donation for the The Cathedral Soup Kitchen. It has been feeding the hungry of Indianapolis since the Great Depression of the late 1920s through the 1930s, when parishioners handed out peanut butter sandwiches to the needy. Today, there is a seven-days-a week meal program that feeds 3,200 meals a month, and a food pantry that helps 1,080 households a month. 
Access: There are steps leading to the golden front doors of the this urban church.
(Grand) Kid friendly: As usual, inside a church, children will want to be on their best behavior.
Info: Address: SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, 1347 North Meridian St. Indianapolis, IN 46202-2302. Phone: 317/634-4519. Web: www.ssppc.org

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

Pope John Paul II Cultural Center - Washington, D.C.

(CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec)

Destination: Catholics from around the country and the world can learn about the heritage left us by Blessed John Paul II at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center. The Knights of Columbus announced that they would purchase the center during their annual meeting last August. Plan your visit during the week, though, because the center is only open Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tours can be arranged for other weekdays. (See contact information, below.)
Masses are held Tuesday and Thursday at 11:30 a.m.
Why to go:  The center sits on 12 acres in a part of the Washington, D.C., known as “Little Rome” or “Little Vatican.” Other Catholic institutions of note in the area are the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and The Catholic University of America,  the headquarters of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, Trinity University, Providence Hospital and the Franciscan Monastery and Commissariat of the Holy Land.
The center cost $75 million to build and the property has been valued at $37.7 million. It opened in 2001 with financial backing from the Detroit Archdiocese.
A Papal and Polish Heritage room features photos, videos, artwork and memorabilia from Blessed John Paul’s life, from his childhood through his papacy. Other displays include gifts from world dignitaries, vessels from Masses celebrated by Blessed John Paul II and other reminders of his lifetime.
The Knights plan a variety of exhibits for the center, including displays on the life and legacy of Blessed John Paul and on the Catholic heritage of North America.
Access: Navigating the grounds should not be a problem.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Children of all ages will enjoy a visit to the center. It's a usual stop for diocesan youth groups who go to the annual January March for Life.
Info: Address: Pope John Paul II Cultural Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 4471, Phone: 202/635-5400. Web: www.jp2cf.org

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

Shrine of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne - Mound City, Kansas

(Photos courtesy Father Shawn Tunink)

Destination: Kansas Catholics are rightly proud of their shrine to the only canonized saint to live in their state. St. Rose Philippine Duchesne’s shrine is at Sacred Heart Church, built in 1942 with stones from St. Mary’s Indian Mission, now a memorial park.
Masses at the church are at 6:30 p.m. Saturday  and 8:15 a.m. Wednesday. The small parish shares its priest with two others in the Archdiocese of Kansas City.
Why to go:  The shrine honors “St. Rose Philippine Duchesne (who) loved the people of Kansas enough to travel in a wagon at the age of 71 to live in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere to tell Indians who didn’t speak her language how much Jesus loved them,” writes Father Shawn Tunink, parochial vicar of Cure of Ars Church in Leawood, Kan., in a blog entry.
The park is also worth finding. “Unfortunately,” Father Tunink continues, “when the mission closed in 1849 they felt they had to burn all the buildings to prevent desecration. So, only some stone foundations are left.” The park, which is part of the Potawatomi Trail of Death, is a well maintained and curated site. There are plenty of signs to explain the ruins on the grounds and the history of the Church’s role at the mission.
Access: The church grounds are not a problem, but finding the park may be a challenge. Father Tunink says, “It’s well off the beaten path about 10 miles from Mound City and even today is in the middle of nowhere.” There are likely to be some directional signs, but you may have to ask for directions at the church. The Potawatomi locate the park three miles south of Centerville, Kan., at GPS N-3814398 W-9456539.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Kids will especially like the life-sized statues of St. Rose and the Indians she served at the shrine. They are more likely to enjoy time outside at the mission park.
Info: Address: Shrine of St. Philippine Duchesne, Sacred Heart Church, Mound City, KS 66056. Phone: 913/755-2652. Web: Sacred Heart Church — http://stphilipnerioz.org/Sacred_Heart.php; St. Philippine Duchesne Memorial Park — http://www.potawatomi-tda.org/kansas/stphilip.htm or http://home.catholicweb.com/diocspfdcape/index.cfm/NewsItem?ID=317092

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

Shrine of St. Joseph - Grass Lake, Michigan

(Photo courtesy Shrine of St. Joesph)

Destination: For respite and quiet prayer, the Shrine of St. Joseph is a lovely spot, worth a stop on almost any trip across I-94 in Michigan.
Masses are at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 8:30 a.m. Wednesday; 10 a.m. Sunday.
Why to go:  The founder of the Pious Union of St. Joseph for the Suffering and Dying, St. Louis Guanella, priest (1842–1915), was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 22. The Italian priest built a church — now a minor basilica — dedicated to the St. Joseph in Rome before asking Pope Pius  X if he could establish a group dedicated to praying daily to St. Joseph to intercede for the suffering and dying. The pope, according to the shrine website, not only gave his permission, but also was the first to enroll in what he termed, “this great crusade of prayer.”
The Pious Union of St. Joseph for the Salvation of the Dying was declared a “Primary Confraternity” by Pope St. Pius X on Feb. 12, 1914.
Blessed John Paul II also appreciated St. Louis Guanella’s efforts, saying in 2004, “In founding the Pious Union of St. Joseph for the dying, St. Louis Guanella has inspired continuous prayers to help all people on the point of crossing the threshold of eternal life.”
St. Louis Guanella also founded the Servants of Charity priests and brothers and Daughters of St. Mary of Providence sisters, who direct the shrine.
Amenities: Small gifts are available at a gift shop.
Access: The grounds
(Grand) Kid friendly: Walking the grounds to see Our Lady’s Grotto and the Calvary at the shrine will give kids a chance to stretch their legs on a car trip. And, if you have time to volunteer, look for Annie. She’ll have something you can do.
Info: Address: Pious Union of St. Joseph, 953 E. Michigan Ave., Grass Lake, MI 49240. Phone: 517/522-8017. Web: www.piousunionofstjoseph.org

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

Basilica of The National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima - Lewiston, New York

(Photo www.fatmashrine.com)

Destination: If you plan a trip to Niagra Falls, plan a side trip to the Basilica of The National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, in the Diocese of Buffalo. Its beautiful dome serves both to cover a statue of Our Lady of Fatima and to provide an elevated view for the shrine grounds. To get directions, type 1023 Swann Road, Lewiston, N.Y., into your favorite web-based map program.
Masses are at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 9 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m. Sunday.
Why to go:  Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, open since 1954, offers natural beauty, art, communal prayer, and renewal to its visitors. The Dome Basilica is covered with two layers of glass and Plexiglas, with a contour of the Northern Hemisphere of the globe.
The approach to the basilica is down the Avenue of the Saints, featuring more than 100 life-size marble and  bronze statues of saints, and around the Rosary  Pool.
Two flights of stairs, with 63 steps, lead to the top of the Dome, and a 13-foot statue of Our Lady of Fatima, carved from Vermont granite.
Among many other features on the shrine grounds are a replica of the original Fatima chapel in Portugal, a bell tower, and Stations of the Cross.
The shrine is operated by the Barnabite Fathers, who arrived from Italy in 1954.
Special events: There is daily rosary at 11:15 a.m. during the Marian months of October and May and there is a 7 p.m. rosary and Mass on the 13th of every month.
A Festival of Lights is held from the Saturday before Thanksgiving through the first Sunday after New Year’s Day, 5-9 p.m.
Amenities: The shrine grounds house both a gift shop and a cafeteria, but hours vary seasonally. The shrine is closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Access: The dome steps may present problems for some visitors, but the grounds are accessible to the handicapped and wheelchairs are available. The shrine is undergoing renovations in preparation for the 2017 centennial anniversary of the Fatima apparitions.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Make sure the kids (and you) bring cameras. Then check out the postcard photo contest at http://fatimashrine.posterous.com.
Info: Address: Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, P.O. Box 167, Youngstown, NY 14174-0167. Phone: 716/754-7489. Web: www.fatimashrine.com

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

St. Clement’s Island, Maryland

(Photo/stmarysmdtourism.blogspot.com)

Destination: Next time you plan a trip near the nation’s capitol, plan a side trip to St. Clement’s Island, Md. While it’s not officially a shrine, the island in the Potomac River is where Catholics from Britain first set foot on a New World spot where they could practice their faith freely.
Masses are not offered on the island, but the nearest church is probably Holy Angels Parish, 21340 Colton Point Road, in Avenue, Md. Drivers on Maryland
Rte. 242, headed toward St. Clement’s Island, will pass through Avenue. Masses at Holy Angels are Saturday at 4:30 p.m., Sunday at 6, 8 and 10:30 a.m., and Monday-Friday at 7:30 a.m.
Why to go:  In 1634, Jesuit Father Andrew White celebrated what is believed to be the first Mass to be said in the original 13 English-speaking colonies. The Mass was on St. Clement’s Island, now a Maryland state park, about 60 miles outside of Washington.
The site of the first Mass, marked by a large cross, can still be visited. Inside the St. Clement’s Island Museum, one can read the firsthand account written by Father White about his voyage and landing on the island with the first colonists of Maryland. He had accompanied Catholics on their voyage from England, where they had been persecuted.
Those Catholics, under the leadership of Leonard Calvert, had traveled in two ships, the Ark and the Dove, to establish a Catholic colony.
George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, and father of Leonard Calvert, had secured the charter for a colony in which people would be allowed religious freedom.
Access: The island is accessible only by boat, June through September, on a weekend schedule from the Potomac River Museum. The Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources does not recommend it for people with mobility problems, but people who are traveling with friends may be able to manage a visit.
If you don’t want to make the trek, the St. Clement’s Island Museum is on the mainland at the end of Maryland Rte. 242 onto Bayview Drive. The museum is open March 25 through Sept. 30, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, and from Oct. 1 through March 24, Wednesday through Sunday, noon-4 p.m. There is a fee to visit.
(Grand) Kid friendly: As with any state park, children are always welcome.
Info: Address: St. Clements Island State Park, c/o Point Lookout State Park, 11175 Point Lookout Road, Scotland, MD 20687. Phone: 301/872-5688. Web: www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/southern/stclements.asp.
Address: St. Clements Island - Potomac River Museum, 38370 Point Breeze Road, Colton’s Point, MD 20626. Phone: 301/769-2222. Web: www.co.saint-marys.md.us/recreate/stclementsisland.asp

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