Our Lady of Champion: A Pilgrimage to the Midwest

Join us on a beautiful 6-day pilgrimage through the Catholic heartland of the Midwest, where we encounter the witness of the saints, the legacy of great Catholic evangelists, and the only Church-approved Marian apparition site in the United States. Journey to Peoria, Illinois, where we visit the Blessed Archbishop Fulton Sheen Museum, tour the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception where Bl. Sheen was ordained a priest, celebrate Mass, and pray at his tomb. Continue to Champion, Wisconsin, home of the National Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Champion, where the Blessed Mother appeared to Adele Brise in 1859 as the “Queen of Heaven” and entrusted her with a mission to teach others what they should know for their salvation.

Along the way, discover the rich Catholic heritage of Wisconsin, from the National Shrine of St. Joseph in De Pere, the first shrine in America dedicated to St. Joseph, to the Norbertine tradition at St. Norbert College and the peaceful grounds of the Norbertine Retreat Center. Visit Holy Hill, the Basilica and National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, majestically situated atop one of Wisconsin’s highest elevations and surrounded by beautiful countryside. With opportunities for daily Mass, the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, personal prayer, spiritual reflection, and fellowship, this pilgrimage invites us to draw closer to Christ through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother and the example of the saints. Come discover the treasures of our own Catholic heritage and return home renewed by Our Lady of Champion’s call to pray, offer our lives to God, and share the gift of faith with those we encounter.