Medieval Art Exhibit -- Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Md.

(CNS photo/courtesy Museum Boijmans Van
Beuningen, Rotterdam/Studio Tromp, Rotterdam)

Destination: A 500-year-old oil painting of “The Glorification of the Virgin” (left) now on display at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore is inspired by John’s apocalyptic vision of a woman “clothed with the sun.” The painting is part of a new exhibit, “A Feast for the Senses: Art and Experience in Medieval Europe,” at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore.
Masses are offered at several churches in the area. To find one that best fits your schedule, check https://masstimes.org.
Why to go: “The Glorification of the Virgin” by Geertgen tot Sint Jans of the Netherlands, is half of a diptych on loan from the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
A 15th century German censer features intersecting raised bands that mimic the complex vaulting systems used in late Gothic churches, and openwork areas reminiscent of the tracery found in the windows of these buildings.
They are just two of more than 100 works of stained glass, precious metals, ivories, tapestries, paintings, prints and illuminated manuscripts from 25 collections in the U.S. and around the world.
The free exhibition is at the Walters Art Museum through Jan. 8, 2017. It was organized by the Walters in partnership with the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Fla., where it will be on display Feb. 4 through April 20.
Because the museum is in three adjacent buildings, check the website (below) for parking and visitor information.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Museums are always kid friendly.
Info: Address —  The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone — 410-547-9000
Website — http://thewalters.org
— CNS; Sharon Boehlefeld contributed to this story.
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St. Thomas More Exhibit -- St. John Paul II National Shrine, Washington, D.C.

(CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn)

Destination: An exhibit featuring artifacts revolving around St. Thomas More has opened at the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C. Titled “God’s Servant First: The Life and Legacy of Thomas More,” the exhibit runs through March 31, 2017. The title comes from what are believed to be More’s last words before he was beheaded: “I die the king’s good servant, and God’s servant first.”
Masses are offered at the shrine Monday through Saturday, 12 noon (preceded by the Angelus); and Sunday, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Photo: A display depicting the 1535 execution of St. Thomas More by Henry VIII is seen at the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington Sept. 15. An exhibit of artifacts associated with the saint be open daily at the shrine until March 31, 2017. Why to go: St. Thomas More, a lawyer and the first layman to serve as chancellor of England, had balked at helping Henry VIII obtain an annulment so he could marry Anne Boleyn. After the pope denied the annulment, Henry declared himself head of the church in England, conferring upon himself the power to divorce and marry whomever he pleased.  More resigned his position as chancellor to the throne to avoid being forced to acknowledge Henry VIII as head of the church. More also refused to sign a document acknowledging Henry’s authority. His actions led to his beheading. He has since been seen as a champion of conscience rights.
Nearly all of the 60 or so items in the exhibit come from Stonyhurst College in England, according to Jan Graffius, the curator of collections at Stonyhurst, a Jesuit institution. The Knights of Columbus and Stonyhurst’s Christian Heritage Center organized the exhibit and are its sponsors.
The exhibit comes during the golden anniversary of the 1966 film biography of St. Thomas More, “A Man for All Seasons.” The movie was nominated for eight Oscars and won six, including Best Picture. It also won five British Academy Film Awards and four Golden Globes, as well as a Best Actor award for Scofield at the Moscow International Film Festival.
(Grand) Kid friendly: As a regular stop on the Rockford Diocese’s March for Life pilgrimage, the St. John Paul II shrine has welcomed  — and impressed — many young people.
Info: Address — St. John Paul II National Shrine, 3900 Harewood Road NE, Washington, DC 20017 n Phone — 202/635-5400 n Website — www.jp2shrine.org
— Mark Pattison,  CNS
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

Our Lady of the Cape Shrine -- Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada

(Observer phoot/www.quebecshrines.com/en/our-lady-of-the-cape-shrine/gallery)

Destination: Canada owes him the return of the Franciscans, the founding of the country’s largest Marian sanctuary, and the development of strong and lasting ties between the French Canadians and the Holy Land. Yet, 100 years after his death and though he might become Canada’s next saint, Blessed Frederic Janssoone still remains largely unknown to many people in Quebec. You can meet him at Our Lady of Cape Shrine in Trois-Rivieres (Three-Rivers), Quebec.
Masses in English are offered daily from May to mid-October. Ask for times at the information booth located between the Old Shrine and the Basilica.
Why to go: Born in 1838 in northern France, Frederic Janssoone joined the Franciscans in 1864 and was ordained in 1870. From 1876 to 1888, he was the custodial vicar of the Holy Land, assisting the custos with care of holy places. These 12 years left a strong imprint on him; he developed a deep attachment to the Holy Land as he got more and more involved in its development and renewal. He re-established the Way of the Cross processions on Jerusalem’s Via Dolorosa — a first in almost 250 years. He also built ecumenical ties with representatives of other Christian churches.
In 1888, his superiors sent him to Canada. 
The shrine with which Father Janssoone is associated stands on the shore of the St. Lawrence River. More than 500,000 pilgrims visit annually.
The historical chapel was built in 1714, the oldest church kept in its integrity in Canada. A large modern basilica was inaugurated in 1964.
Its stained glass windows are magnificent and the Casavant organ is one of the largest in Canada. With its beautiful gardens overlooking the river, the shrine reveals an oasis of greenery and inspires peace and tranquility.
Access: Plan on some walking to see all of the shrine.
(Grand) Kid friendly: There’s a spot to picnic with the family behind the Basilica along the St. Lawrence River.
Info: Address — Our Lady of the Cape Shrine, 626, rue Notre-Dame Est, Trois-Rivières (Québec), G8T 4G9 Canada n Phone — 1 819 374-2441 n Website — www.quebecshrines.com/en/our-lady-of-the-cape-shrine
— Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld; CNS contributions from Philippe Vaillancourt, editor-in-chief of Presence info based in Montreal
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

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

‘Friars on Foot’ - New Orleans, La. to Memphis, Tenn.

(CNS photo)

Destination: For Dominican Fathers Francis Orozco and Thomas Schaefgen (shown in the illustration above), a 478-mile, one-month pilgrimage actually began May 29 after the 11 a.m. Mass at St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Orleans. The pilgrimage will end June 29 at St. Peter Church in Memphis, the National Shrine of St. Martin de Porres. For the rest of us, it will be a virtual journey on line.
Why to go: The idea of making a walking pilgrimage in the United States took root about four years ago when Dominican Fathers Francis Orozco and Thomas Schaefgen were studying together for the priesthood.
They saw the movie, “The Way,” featuring Martin Sheen, who portrayed a father honoring his late son’s memory by completing the 450-mile Camino de Santiago, the “Way of St. James,” a pilgrimage route across Spain taken for centuries by pilgrims.
“We had both studied abroad in Spain, but we thought, why don’t we do something more local, something in this country?” said Father Orozco, chaplain of the Catholic Student Center at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. “We looked up places, and there really weren’t any established pilgrimages in the U.S., so we said, ‘Let’s make up our own.’”
The friars will carry no money and hope others will join them for a few hours to pray or discuss the faith. They plan to stay overnight at churches along the way. Most will be Catholic, but in two Tennesee towns, they may stay at Protestant churches.
“We will have a pilgrim rule, and part of it will be to the pray the rosary and the Liturgy of the Hours every day, but that won’t take up the entire time,” Father Orozco said. “If there are people with us, we can talk about whatever they would like to talk about.”
Walking along interstate highways is prohibited, so the route will basically track Highway 51 north to Memphis.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Sure, they may even be able to help you follow the friars online.
Info: Twitter— @friarsonfoot
Facebook — Friars on Foot
Blog — https://friarsonfoot.wordpress.com/ 
— Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld from CNS  information
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

National Shrine of the Apostle Paul, St. Paul, Minn.

(CNS photo/Dave Hrbacek, Catholic Spirit)

Destination: If you’re taking a trip to the Mall of America, the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, Minn., is well worth putting on your agenda. It was designated a national shrine by the Vatican and the U.S. bishops’ conference on March 25, 2009, following a request by Archbishop John C. Nienstedt. Now known as the National Shrine of the Apostle Paul, it is the only U.S. shrine dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle. About 100 U.S. Catholic churches serve as national shrines.
Mass times are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.; Sunday, 8 and 10 a.m. (Solemn Mass), noon and 5 p.m.
Why to go: In 2012, the Vatican established a “bond of spiritual affinity” between the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome and the Cathedral of St. Paul. This means that anyone making a pilgrimage to the Minnesota shrine can enjoy all the spiritual benefits as if they were able to pray at the tomb of the Apostle Paul in Rome. As a sign of this spiritual closeness, the cathedral has received the gift of a stone taken from the ancient wall surrounding the tomb of St. Paul.
Additionally, the cathedral is home to two historic pipe organs considered American classics, by E. M. Skinner, Æolian-Skinner, and Quimby Pipe Organs.
Docent-guided tours without appointments are offered at Tuesday through Friday at 1 p.m. (except holy days and civil holidays). Donations are welcome. Gather in the front pew of the center aisle to meet the guide.
Access: The cathedral has handicapped-accessible entrances to the main and lower levels.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Proper church behavior is expected of young visitors.
Info: Address — Cathedral of St. Paul, 239 Selby Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102
Phone — 651/228-1766
Website — https://www.cathedralsaintpaul.org/national-shrine

— Compiled by Sharon Boehlefeld
Read about other destinations at our blog http://observer.rockforddiocese.org/destinations-blog
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org