PRESS RELEASE: Inspired by Pope Francis, Wisconsin’s Catholic Marian Shrines Offer Pilgrim Passport for 2025

 

FOR RELEASE
March 20, 2025

 

Inspired by Pope Francis, Wisconsin’s Catholic Marian Shrines Offer Pilgrim Passport for 2025
The Holy Father emphasizes the Blessed Virgin Mary’s role during this Jubilee Year

CHAMPION, WISCONSIN – Pope Francis emphasized the Blessed Virgin Mary’s role as the Mother of Hope this Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year, themed “Pilgrims of Hope.” While a significant number of Catholics will journey to Rome for the Jubilee Year, many may not be able to travel or choose to pilgrimage closer to home. The three major Marian Shrines of Wisconsin have joined together to launch a special Pilgrim Passport. This initiative, the first partnership of its kind between the three Shrines, invites the faithful to embark on a spiritual journey to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Champion, Wisconsin, the Basilica and National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Hubertus, Wisconsin, and the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Pilgrim Passport serves as an essential guide

As many pilgrims travel from across the country to visit these sacred sites, the Pilgrim Passport serves as a valuable guide in helping to plan their journey, offering reflections for the Jubilee Year, insights into each shrine’s unique devotional areas, and dedicated space for reflection, prayer intentions, and pilgrimage notes. Additionally, the passport includes special areas for stamps to be collected, allowing visitors to commemorate their journey to these Marian Shrines during this historic Jubilee Year of Hope.

“The Jubilee Year is a profound invitation for Catholics to deepen their faith through pilgrimage,” said Fr. Mark-Joseph DeVelis, Rector of the Basilica and National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians. “By uniting our shrines through the Pilgrim Passport, we are offering a tangible way for the faithful to mark their journey and embrace the grace of this holy year.”

Pilgrims can obtain their Pilgrim Passport for free at any of the three Marian Shrines, with designated stamping locations available at each shrine’s gift shop.

Wisconsin’s Catholic history highlighted

This collaborative effort not only enhances the pilgrimage experience within the United States but also highlights Wisconsin’s significant role in Marian devotion in the country. The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion, one of the pilgrimage locations, stands as the first and only approved Marian apparition site in the country.

“We are delighted to partner in this meaningful endeavor to bring more pilgrims to Jesus through Our Lady,” said Fr. Anthony Stephens, Rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion. “Each of our shrines offers a unique and deeply spiritual experience, and this passport serves as a bridge, encouraging the faithful to explore and encounter Mary’s motherly presence in these sacred spaces.”

As pilgrims journey between these three destinations, they are invited to embrace the Jubilee theme of hope, reflecting on their faith and drawing closer to Christ through Mary. In Spes Non Confundit, the Holy Father emphasizes the Blessed Virgin Mary’s role as the Mother of Hope during this Jubilee Year. He encourages pilgrims to seek her intercession, confident that Mary, the most affectionate of mothers, never abandons her children and stands as “a sign of certain hope and comfort” for God’s people (Spes Non Confundit).

“The Pilgrim Passport is more than a keepsake—it is an invitation to prayer, reflection, and spiritual renewal through the lens of Mary as our Mother of Hope,” said Fr. Edward Nemeth, Executive Director of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. “We pray that all who embark on this pilgrimage can draw inspiration from her unwavering hope and maternal guidance, knowing it will always lead us closer to the heart of her son, Jesus.”

For more information about the Pilgrim Passport and the three Marian Shrines of Wisconsin, visit WisconsinShrines.org.

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About the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion
Located in Champion, Wisconsin, The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion is the first and only Marian Apparition Site in the United States approved by the authority of the Catholic Church. The Shrine covers the peace-filled holy ground where Mary, the mother of Jesus, appeared to a Belgian immigrant woman named Adele Brise on October 9, 1859, identifying herself as “The Queen of Heaven who prays for the conversion of sinners.” Recognized under the title of “Our Lady of Good Help” before 2023, The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion continues the mission of Adele Brise – to foster conversion, teach the children, and minister to the sick and old.

For more information on the Shrine, its history, and events, visit championshrine.org or follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. To sign up for its newsletter, click here.

About the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, founded by Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, features stunning architecture and beautifully landscaped gardens that invite pilgrims into a spiritually inspiring setting for pilgrimage. Pilgrims are greeted in the Pilgrim Center, where the Flores Mariae Gift Shop, the Marian Catechist Bookstore, and the Culina Mariana Café are located. Pilgrims then ascend the half-mile pilgrimage route up the hill to the Shrine Church. On the way, pilgrims encounter the Votive Candle Chapel, several outdoor devotional areas, the Outdoor Way of the Cross, and the Rosary Walk. Pilgrims also visit the Memorial to the Unborn—a monument dedicated to the memory of unborn children who have died in the womb through miscarriage or abortion. The pilgrimage culminates at the Italian Renaissance-style Church, wherein pilgrims offer their intentions to Our Lady of Guadalupe, as well as receive the Sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Penance.

About the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians
Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world visit the Basilica and National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians at Holy Hill each year. Situated on 435 beautiful acres outside of Milwaukee, Holy Hill was declared a Shrine with “Portiuncula Privilege” by Pope Leo XIII in 1903. As a result of the increasing number of pilgrims, the Discalced Carmelite Friars from Bavaria were invited to staff the Shrine in 1906. On November 19, 2006, the Shrine was elevated to the status of Basilica.