After breakfast, there is an option to attend an early Mass at the Retreat Center. In the afternoon, there is time for prayer, reflection, relaxing, or exploring the grounds at the Retreat Center.

After lunch, Sr. Maria Victoria, a Chilean nun who lived for many years in Schoenstatt, Germany, will bring us to visit and pray at the International Schoenstatt Shrine, an exact replica of the shrine in Germany where Fr. Joseph Kentenich, in 1914, started the Schoenstatt Movement.  Sr. Maria Victoria will offer us a reflection on the Schoenstatt spirituality and its Marian emphasis which encourages all to see her as “a bridge leading to a deep, fervent love of God.” 

After dinner, we will have a special talk from our long-time friend and Shroud expert, Jim Bertrand, about the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians on Holy Hill (which we will visit on Thursday) and the exhibit of the Shroud of Turin, as well as the history and significance of this holy relic. 

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

We will depart after an early breakfast for Lacrosse to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a place of worship and pilgrimage which, in the words of Cardinal Raymond Burke, “uncovers again for us the extraordinary nature of our ordinary life.” 

After we participate in the liturgy, we will have a private tour of this beautiful shrine. There will be time for confessions, private prayer, and reflection. Take time to walk the Stations of the Cross, pause to pray at the Memorial to the Unborn, or simply rest in the timeless beauty of the Shrine’s unique architectural design and the incarnational art adorning both the interior building and external grounds.    

Enjoy lunch at the Shrine’s Culina Maria Cafe, and remember to pause to light a candle to Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Votive Chapel as you depart from the Shrine.    

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included

After morning Mass at the Retreat Center, we will begin our pilgrimage by taking a journey off the beaten path to the National Shrine of St. Philomena in Briggsville, Wisconsin. Though the Shrine is small, it stands as a great testimony to the devotion that St. Philomena continues to nurture in the faithful and the power of her intercession. From Susan, the Shrine’s custodian, we will learn the unique story of how the first-class relics of St. Philomena were brought to Briggsville in the late 1940s and how this saint continues to make known her presence, in dreams and in miracles, to many who come to pray and seek her intercession. 

After lunch in the fresh air on huge timber decks overlooking the Upper Dells on the Wisconsin River, we will have the chance to travel by boat along the dramatic 155-foot bluffs carved out by the Wisconsin River, all against the backdrop of splendid autumn foliage.  

Breakfast and Dinner included

Following breakfast and a morning reflection with Sr. Maria Victoria at the Schoenstatt Retreat Center, we will head off for Holy Hill where we will reach the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians for Mass with fellow pilgrims and the Discalced Carmelite Friars who are entrusted with the care of this sacred place.  

After Mass, we will hear the rich history of this Basilica set atop a high hill overlooking 400 acres of forest. There will be a chance to explore the Basilica and walk the Stations of the Cross.  

After lunch, we will also have a special viewing of the Basilica’s exhibit on the Shroud of Turin and learn from our long-time friend and Shroud expert, Jim Bertrand, the history and significance of this holy relic. 

Time and weather permitting, we will have the opportunity to climb the 178-step observation tower to take in the beauty of the hills and forest of the Kettle Moraine, enjoying breathtaking autumn views from the highest peak in southeastern Wisconsin.

From Holy Hill, we will travel to our hotel in the city of Manitowoc on the shore of Lake Michigan where we will meet Fr. Andrew Kurz, the priest who started The Wisconsin Way.  Fr. Kurz will tell us how his dream of starting a pilgrimage route through Wisconsin, comparable to that of the Camino de Santiago in Spain, became a reality.  He will share stories about the graces pilgrims have received on their journey along the Wisconsin Way and offer insights into the rich history of Catholicism and the deep roots of Marian Devotion in this beautiful state. 

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

After breakfast in the morning, we will leave Manitowoc for the historic town of St. Nazianz, arriving at the Holy Resurrection Monastery where we will join the monks for Divine Liturgy and then enjoy lunch in their guest refectory.  After lunch, one of the monks will offer a reflection on monasticism and Byzantine Catholic spirituality.  

In the afternoon, we will visit an authentic Wisconsin cheese shop and museum to sample fresh curds and discover the traditional art of cheesemaking.  On the way home, we will visit roadside “rogation shrines” in the local area and learn how these important chapels were an integral part of the lives of Catholic immigrants in Wisconsin. 

In the evening, we will enjoy traditional Wisconsin cuisine at a historic dining spot in downtown Manitowoc.

Breakfast and Lunch are included.

After breakfast, our pilgrimage continues onward to the city of Green Bay into the heart of the Catholic Diocese in which the apparition of Our Lady of Champion was deemed “worthy of belief” by Rome, making it the first and only Church-approved Marian apparition in North America.  Schedule permitting, we will have an encounter with Bishop David L. Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay, under whose auspices the Marian apparition received Vatican approval.  Later we will have a short tour of Lambeau Field - the Green Bay Packers professional football stadium.

After a morning in the hometown of the Green Bay Packers, we will enjoy lunch with local fare at a farm-to-table restaurant just outside of Green Bay.  From there, we will stop at the famous chapel where Vince Lombardi went to daily Mass. Our pilgrimage to Green Bay will conclude with a visit to the National Shrine of St. Joseph which will be followed by Vespers with the Norbertine monks in De Pere.

Breakfast and Dinner included.

We will reach the culmination of our pilgrimage on September 8, the feast of the Nativity of Our Lady.  After breakfast, we will head north toward Champion to attend Mass and celebrate the feast of the Nativity of Mary at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion, at the site of the first and only Church-approved Marian apparition in the United States.  

After Sunday Mass at the Shrine, we will have the opportunity to hear the story of Our Lady’s visitation to Adele Brise and to better appreciate the historic roots of Catholicism brought to Wisconsin by early immigrants.  There will be time for silent prayer and reflection followed by lunch at the Shrine’s cafe.

After lunch, pilgrims can participate in enrollment in the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary at the Shrine in a brief ceremony. We hope that this will provide each person with a tangible way of entrusting themselves to Mary on their journey toward Christ. Anyone who enrolls will receive a certificate after the ceremony.  

From the Shrine, we will head down the road to a local vineyard and winery that supplies grapes for the annual blessing of the wine at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help. We will tour the vineyard at the height of the grape harvest and partake of tastings in the winery accompanied by seasonal charcuterie and local cheese.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included

After breakfast and last goodbyes, transfers will be scheduled to the airport for your return home.  Farewell to all our fellow pilgrims and friends until we meet again...

Breakfast included.