St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral -- La Crosse, Wis.

(https://commons.wikimedia.org/) 

 Destination: If you plan to drive north to see the leaves in the next few weeks, you may want to visit the Cathedral of St. Joseph in La Crosse, Wis., during this Year of St. Joseph.

Masses are offered daily at the cathedral. Check the website for the most recent COVID-19 regulations.  

Photos: Top -- The exterior of the Cathedral of St. Joseph shows the bell tower before the restoration project began. Below -- Guilding on the ceiling of the Marian Chapel is being repaired as part of the cathedral’s ongoing restoration project. 

Why to go: The parish that became St. Joseph was founded on Jan. 4, 1863, to serve the community’s German Catholics. But the demands of the Civil War delayed completion of the church. When the Diocese of La Crosse was established in 1868, it was decided to finish St. Joseph Parish as the cathedral. The first church was finished — but without a bell tower — and dedicated on Oct. 2, 1870. The bells that were hung in the completed tower in 1884 still ring out from the present tower.

The present cathedral was finished and dedicated during the week of May 14-19, 1962, when it was given the title St. Joseph the Workman, in honor of a new feast established by Pope Pius XII in 1955, celebrated each year on May 1. The cathedral features a bas-relief statue of St. Joseph dedicated on his feast day in 1961.

(https://cathedralsjworkman.org/)

The cathedral is undergoing maintenance in its Christ Our Cornerstone Restoration project.  One area of repair will be the gilding throughout, such as on the vaulted ceiling of the Marian Chapel. New gold leaf (or gilding) will be applied once the plaster is repaired.

There is also scaffolding around the bell tower.

Accessibility: Some parts of the church may be hard to enter during construction. Parking is also less convenient. Check the website for details, including live video of the progress. 

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral, 530 Main St., La Crosse, WI 54601
Phone — 608-782-0322
Website — https://cathedralsjworkman.org/

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal -- Montréal, Quebec, Canada

 Destination: We suggested a visit to Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal in Montreal, Canada, in 2019 when it was to begin a $110 million (US$82 million) makeover  under a plan to make the popular site more attractive to tourists.

Now that the border is open, it may be time to plan a trip to see some items that are part of the free Year of St. Joseph exhibit at the oratory.

Masses are offered throughout the day in French and English at the oratory. Check the website for details.  

Photos: Statues (top) and tools (middle) are among the items in the basilica's Year of St. Joseph exhibition. (Observer photos/courtesy www.saint-joseph.org/en/)
Visitors (below) are seen outside St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal in 2017. (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz) 

Why to go: The Oratory Museum team has gathered paintings, statues, ex-votos and other works of art representing the world of St. Joseph and reveals the ties that unite the Congregation of Holy Cross to the patron saint of the universal Church. The oratory was founded in 1904 by St. Andre Bessette, known as Brother Andre. 

Accessibility: Elevators and reserved parking make it accessible to people with limited mobility.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, 3800 Queen Mary Road, Montréal (Quebec) Canada, H3V 1H6
Phone — 514-733-8211 
Website — https://www.saint-joseph.org/en/

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel -- Oak Brook

 Destination: Getting to Italy may be still less than certain right now, but to see the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, you need go no farther than an old Sears store at Oak Brook Center.

Masses are not offered at the exhibit, but you’ll have time to go at home before you leave.  

Photos: Top -- Viewers watch a video about the exhibit before looking at digital reproductions of Michelangelo’s paintings from the Sistine Chapel. The exhibit will remain at the Oak Brook Center until mid-August.

Below -- The iconic image of God and Adam from the Sistine Chapel is featured in the traveling exhibit. (Observer photos/Sharon Boehlefeld)

Why to go: If you have never been to the Vatican, this exhibit is a great substitute for seeing the Sistine Chapel in person. In fact, not having to crane your neck to stare at the ceiling many feet over your head is a plus.

The paintings, according to the exhibit website, “have been reproduced in a truly unique way using licensed high definition photos.” The images are detailed enough to allow you to see faces where Michelangelo provided them in detail, but also to see places where he left images more vague, almost as if anticipating the Impressionist movement that would follow him centuries later.

Cost: The website says adult tickets are $20; children age 4 to 12 are $16, and a family pass — two adults and two children — is $15. They are available online and at the door. 

Accessibility: The exhibit is completely accessible for those who are handicapped. There are some handicapped parking spots near the entrance.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address —  Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel Exhibit, Oakbrook Center, 2120 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL 60523
Phone — none available
Website — https://chapelsistine.com/event-page/

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Vatican Museums -- Vatican City State

 Destination: Getting to Italy may be less than certain right now, but if you can get as far as Rome, the Vatican Museums reopened May 3 with restrictions. The stunning collections are well worth the price of admission.

Masses are offered throughout the day at the Vatican.Ask at the museum information desk for help.  

Photos: Top--Statues are seen above the exit to the Vatican Museums at the Vatican Feb. 3, 2021. The Vatican Museums reopened this week after a three-month closure as COVID-19 restrictions eased slightly in Italy. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Below-- A model of the Vatican City State was on display at the Vatican Museum in 2014. (Observer photo/Sharon Boehlefeld)

Why to go: The main museum on the grounds of the Vatican has several collections of artifacts, both religious and secular. But there are also archeological digs at the necropolis of the Via Triumphalis and at St. John Lateran in the city of Rome.  

Within the Vatican, museums include the Gregorian Egyptian and Etruscan museums, the lapidary Gallery, several papal rooms and the Sistine Chapel.

For those unable to travel to Rome, the museums’ collections can be seen on their Instagram account at instagram.com/vaticanmuseums/ and with their online “tours” at museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/collezioni/musei/tour-virtuali-elenco.html

If you’d like to keep up with the museum, you can sign up for a newsletter in Italian or English by clicking on the plus sign on the top of the page near the right. The menu uses pictographs for searching, information, tickets and merchandise.

Accessibility: Some parts of the main museum could be difficult to get to for those with limited mobility. Ask about elevator access. The Vatican Museum Office of Services and Public Relations can answer email questions at help.musei@scv.va.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Vatican Museum, Viale Vaticana, 00165 Rome 

Phone — +39 06 69884676 or +39 06 69883145 

Website — https://m.museivaticani.va

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Year of St. Joseph: Basilica of St. Joseph -- Alameda, Calif.

 Destination: The Basilica of St. Joseph in Alameda is very much a living parish, despite being on the National Register of Historic Places.

Masses in person are limited to 100 persons. Check the website for Mass openings while you are in the area.  

Photo: exterior of St. Joseph Basilica in Alameda

Why to go: St. Joseph’s Basilica was designed by San Francisco architect H. A. Minton. An example of the Spanish Colonial Revival or mission style, it includes most of the typical elements of this architectural movement among buildings of this style in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In the spring of 1972, St. Joseph Church was elevated to the rank of Basilica by Pope Paul VI. This made it one of four basilicas in the western United States, including Missions in San Francisco, Monterey, and San Diego.

The original Gothic church in Alameda dated back to the latter half of the 19th century, but it burned to the ground in 1919. It had served mainly Alameda’s Irish community. Rebuilding began shortly after the fire.

Among the church’s features are its stained glass windows. The parish website explains that the large stained glass windows are examples of “Christian iconography, as well as a kind of window into the art history of the early 20th century in America.” The windows, the site continues “reflected a mixture of traditional Catholic themes as well as a hint of the liturgical reform movement that had been launched by Pope Pius X a decade earlier.”

Accessibility: Much of the campus appears to be accessible to the handicapped.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome. There are both an elementary and a high school associated with the parish.

Info: Address — St. Joseph Basilica, 1109 Chestnut St., Alameda, CA 94501
Phone — 510-522-0181
Website — https://sjbalameda.org/

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

University of St. Francis Art Gallery - Joliet

(Photos provided)

Destination: If you’re looking for a spring drive, the University of St. Francis Art Gallery opened its newest exhibition, the 2021 Senior Thesis Exhibition, on April 30. 

Masses are not offered at the gallery. 

Photos: Top -- Works of Amber Darak and Jamie Stolfo are part of the exhibit.
Below -- Austin Hines’ work is part of the 

senior show.

Why to go: The exhibition features the work of six graduating seniors from the USF Department of Fine Arts, including: Amber Darak, photography; Austin Hines, studio art; Jamie Stolfo, studio art; Lauren Tuider, graphic design; Maria Cruz Uceda, graphic design; and Odessa Villarreal, studio art and graphic design. 

“Working across a variety of media, these artists explore themes unique to each of them,” said Jennifer Moore, USF Art Gallery Director and Collection Manager. “As the culmination of their journey at the University of St. Francis, this exhibit not only reflects the skills gained from their time as students, but also their personal growth as artists.”

Hours: The exhibition will be on display at the USF Art Gallery through July 30, and is open to the public. Current gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

Accessibility: The museum is accessible to the handicapped and there is street parking in front of the building.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome. 

Info: Address — University of St. Francis Art Gallery, 25 E. Van Buren St., Joliet, IL 60432
Phone — 815-740-3787
Website — facebook.com/theuniversityofstfrancisartgallery or https://www.stfrancis.edu/artgallery/

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Update: National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton -- Emmitsburg, Maryland

Destination: We originally visited the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Md., in September 2009. But the shrine has recently received a number of relics of the saint from the Sisters of Charity of New York, which make it worth an update. In addition, 2021 marks the 200th anniversary of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s death.

Masses are being live-streamed on Facebook or the website on Sundays at 11 a.m., and Mondays through Fridays at 1:30 p.m. Check the website for changes.

Photos: St. Elizabeth Ann’s bonnet (top left) and wedding brooch (below left) are among new donations to the shrine.

Why to go: Emmitsburg was the home of Mother Seton from 1809 until her death in 1821.

In the northern bay of the basilica, beneath the altar, her relics are enclosed in marble in a small copper casket. A white marble statue shows her in the habit that she and her Sisters of Charity wore in 1809.

Additional new relics just donated include St. Elizabeth Ann’s rosary, bonnet, wedding brooch and her daughter’s christening gown.

(CNS photos/courtesy Devine Partners)

In addition to the basilica, the site includes the Stone House (circa 1750), which was the first permanent home of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and the site at which she founded the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph on July 31, 1809. In 1979, the house was moved from its original site to its present location.

The White House, built during the winter of 1809-1810 when Mother Seton needed an expanded home, is also at the site. She called it St. Joseph’s House.

Accessibility: Much of the campus appears to be accessible to the handicapped.

Hours: The Visitor Center and Museum are open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 12-5 p.m. The gift shop is closed, with plans to reopen by July 22.

Access: The shrine sites are open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. On Mondays, only the basilica is open. Check the Web site for holiday hours.

(Grand) Kid friendly: Children are welcome at the shrine, but check the Visitor Information Guidelines on the Web site for dos and don’ts.

Info: Address — The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, 333 South Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD 21727-9297
Phone — 301/447-6606
Web — www.setonshrine.org

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org