By Chelsey Hare, Director of Communications

For the first time ever, the relics of St. Bernadette are touring the United States, visiting parishes and communities coast to coast from April to August. As part of her relic tour, St. Bernadette is making a special stop in the Diocese of Green Bay from June 12-16 to visit St. Bernadette Parish in Appleton (June 12-13), Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in De Pere (June 14), and The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion (June 15-16). The Diocese of Green Bay will be the only stop for the relic of St. Bernadette within Wisconsin and its surrounding states.

Since learning of the St. Bernadette’s national US tour, The Shrine has been joyfully planning for the Saint’s arrival in June. For the first time at Champion Shrine, two approved Marian Apparition visionaries will be in the same place for two days – St. Bernadette and Adele Joseph Brise! We are looking forward to the many blessings that can come from St. Bernadette’s presence here at the Shine and for pilgrims to be able to experience the message of Our Lady of Lourdes on the grounds where Our Lady of Good Help appeared.

Having St. Bernadette and Adele Brise together for two days will also give an opportunity for pilgrims to learn about the incredible similarities between the two approved Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of Good Help. Here are a few to consider:

  • Our Lady’s apparitions in Lourdes and Champion were only one year apart. St. Bernadette saw Our Lady of Lourdes in 1858 and Adele Brise saw Our Lady of Champion in 1859.
  • In both apparitions, our Blessed Mother appeared to young women who had physical limitations. St. Bernadette struggled with asthma and Adele Brise had suffered the loss of her right eye due to an accident with lye as a young girl.
  • Mary’s identification to both visionaries was concise and theologically significant. In Lourdes, she introduced herself by saying “I am the Immaculate Conception;” In Champion, she told Adele “I am the Queen of Heaven.” Both titles revealed a theological truth of
  • Mary’s significance within the Church, from conception to assumption.
  • In both apparitions, our Lady asked for prayers for sinners.

These are only a handful of the many similarities between these two apparitions and we, at the Shrine, encourage you to visit in June to pray with St. Bernadette and Adele, learn their stories, and reflect on our Lady’s messages to the world through her apparitions to them.