A priest’s appeal in 2011 to begin a walking pilgrimage in northeast Wisconsin, similar to other pilgrimages to holy sites around the world, inspired two men to take up the challenge.

A Marian shrine in rural northeast Wisconsin, the only shrine in the United States to be designated by the Catholic Church as an approved Marian apparition site, is changing its name.

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion, Wisconsin, received an official name change on Thursday. Bishop David Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin, officially announced its name is now the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion. At the same time, after receiving confirmation from the Holy See, he proclaimed the Mass celebrating the anniversary of the only approved Marian apparition in the United States, held at the shrine every Oct. 9, has been raised to the rank of a solemnity.

A Marian shrine in rural northeast Wisconsin, the only shrine in the United States to be designated by the Catholic Church as an approved Marian apparition site, is changing its name.

For Immediate Release April 20, 2023   United States Marian Apparition Site Changes Name to National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help takes the name of the present-day location of approved apparitions CHAMPION, Wis. — The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help is excited to announce its official name change to The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion following the newly added Mass with the liturgical rank of Solemnity on its grounds. In 2023, the National Shrine received notification from the Holy See’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments confirming the ability to celebrate an annual Solemnity Day* on the grounds of the Shrine under the title of “Our Lady of Champion” every October 9 - the established
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