The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help | Champion, WI USA (championshrine.org) I am not all sold on making pilgrimages, I have been to the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City and the good father, the late Father Fox's Fatima Family Shrine in South Dakota (see: (1) Fatima Family Shrine | Facebook ) but I was not as appreciative back then. Family members have been to Lourdes and elsewhere. But I'm giving it serious consideration, that is going to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help this summer. This thread almost seems to be the only mention of the Champion Shrine. GOD’S GEOGRAPHY - APPARITION LATITUDES | Mother of God (motheofgod.com) Back to Champion, Wisconsin: The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help | Facebook Everyone can use "Good Help" I would think.....and one can always mail or email in Prayer requests, I've noticed, Wisconsin has a few inspirational sites, they may be some distance from Champion which is basically near Green Bay which everyone has heard of because of the Packers.... Wisconsin also has famed "Holy Hill" and some well-known shrine for Our Lady of Guadalupe. Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe | (guadalupeshrine.org) Holy Hill Basilica and National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians So, if any of these ring a bell with anyone, I'd appreciate feed back. I found out about Holy Hill through a brochure years ago...it sure seems to be very scenic. I think the Carmelites run it.
Or one could save the trip and make a donation to them. Around the year 2000 to about 2005, I don't remember the exact year, my friend had been to Medjugorje 2 times, maybe even more, he is really into it. Some are sold on such pilgrimages. I pray my prayers can be heard from my humble circumstances. Those who listen to Relevant Radio, their headquarters does not seem far off from there. See: Things to Do | The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help (championshrine.org) It also looks like it is not far from a massive Carmelite Monastery, not that I'd be really trying to take in all of the nearby sites to see. About Us (holynamecarmel.org) This looks big. --------- Champion is still a rather new place, maybe best to get there before it gets popular, if that were to happen, apparently, it's a bit off of the well-beaten track.
I have been researching this, Adele, a young woman, in fact, 28, reportedly saw the Virgin in 1859; what is a bit mind-blowing about this story is: In 1871 a massive fire near Peshtigo, Wisconsin, claimed nearly 2,500 lives and was on its way toward a chapel that was the sight of a Marian apparition. Writer Larry Peterson narrated the story for Aleteia and highlights the first miracle that occurred. Miracles of healing continue to happen at this Marian shrine in Wisconsin (aleteia.org) I mean, that is one heck of a fire, what a calamity! The Shrine has been covered in the National news via Megyn Kelly: Megyn Kelly speaks... National Catholic Register: Miracles Still Reported at the Site of the First Marian Apparition in the U.S.| National Catholic Register (ncregister.com) So, I'll leave it at that. A few articles are out there. Apparently, Adele was Belgian, it seems many people from that country moved to that area. Our Lady of Good Help, Champion, Wisconsin, USA, 1859 | Divine Mysteries and Miracles You know where is real beautiful and isolated, La Salette France, I use to have a picture of it in wintertime, snow all surrounding it. That is a curious event as well. Off-topic from this thread but I've been wanting to say that.
What's interesting is that Champion is on the spit of land on Lake Michigan that is directly north of Chicago. The land around Champion was very dry from drought conditions for a few weeks before the fire. People haven't paid any attention to this horrible fire (people had jumped into rivers and wells to escape the flames, only to be found dead later, having been boiled to death -- that's how hot the fire was) because it happened on the same day as the Great Chicago Fire. This has lead some people to speculate that both of these fires had a common cause, that is, both were started by small meteors falling to earth and igniting the dry landscape.
I was there a few years ago when the Fathers of Mercy were there. I believe it was Fr. Casey if I remember correctly. I’m not sure if they are still there. (I had Fr. Wade from the Fathers of Mercy at Mass yesterday!) We were in the chapel for Mass and then went downstairs to the area where Our Lady appeared to her and I could feel a definite presence. My entire being was filled with peace. There were many stories of healings there. A beautiful experience!
The Fathers of Mercy are still there....do they run things there? I don't know but this recently, in the last month: "Eucharistic Rosary Procession led by the Fathers of Mercy: Sundays at 12:15 PM, Outdoor Rosary Walk behind Chapel following 11 AM Mass Time." Latest News | The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help (championshrine.org) The Fathers of Mercy, CPM, here is their website, one can study it further from there. Front Page - The Fathers of Mercy As of 2018, Rev. Peter Stryker, a Father of Mercy was the rector: Our Lady of Good Help, Pray for Us - Walk to Mary There are often nuanced changes, so sometimes, one can not say with certainty but they definitely appear to still be active there. On facebook: Fathers of Mercy | Facebook
I get the peacefulness of some places....... But and our Pastor echoed it, he said he went around on vacation in Europe years ago, visiting Churches and they were all home to him. Now, I can not talk of all Churches though, that's probably so... but even some Churches deeply affect me.... are those places of finding peace. In that vain, yes, one may attend a Latin Mass and for me, especially the first few times, it felt very near God.
