You know how in television shows, the recent graduate somehow finds themselves packing their car and road-tripping across the country? Somehow, they find the financial means, purpose, and joy in the undiscovered world before them.
As a recent college graduate myself, I took this journey one step further. Truth be told, I felt like I was living in a movie! In the course of three months, I headed off for my own cross-country adventure: Catholic edition.
In my 20,000-mile road trip, I journeyed to 30 Shrines all across the country, sharing the history, message, and mission of the shrine on The Everyday Saint social media channels.
This journey was more than an impromptu post-graduation decision, but rather, an embracing of the Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church, coupled with the need for United States citizens to realize that God is working within America, and that we can experience His grandeur in the country we call home.
What’s incredible about God’s grandeur is that His most remarkable moment – His Passion and Resurrection– was brought about through a humble servant: Mary. What I found on the road wasn’t just scenery or self-discovery—it was Mary.
Her maternal presence, written into the landscape of America, greeted me in every corner of the country.
- In our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., the basilica is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. This Shrine stands firm in the midst of the political business surrounding the capital. It’s impossible to miss as you walk near, and its grandeur is an invitation to learn more.
- The first celebration of Mass in the United States is now marked by the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche in St. Augustine, Florida. It is truly America’s first Marian Shrine, and emphasizes her maternal tenderness in the devotion to the nursing Mother.
- The Blessed Mother made a special appearance in Champion, Wisconsin, at what is now known as the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion. It is humble and beautiful, just like Our Lady. It pierces the heart with Our Lady’s loving gaze.
- Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Americas, is hallmarked by the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin. In the bluffs of Wisconsin, this Shrine is set apart by its beauty. You may even mistake yourself for being in Heaven when you walk through the doors of the Church!
Each one of these shrines brought about one thing: peace.
The Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche was voted the #1 most peaceful place in America, according to Trip Advisor (a secular business).
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception has countless shrines dedicated to various devotions to Our Lady–it’s a place where each person can see themselves in their Mother.
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe has countless outdoor devotions, where you take in the serene countryside of Wisconsin.
And the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion is a Marian Apparition where people pilgrimage in hope of healing, and have found what their heart is longing for.
If I’ve learned anything in my short life thus far, it’s that we are all seeking what these Shrines offer: peace.
As a recent graduate, I’ve observed the spiritual restlessness of our culture. In an effort to strive for more, we fall short when our to-do list becomes the guiding force of our day.
Peace is exemplified in order. Saint Thomas Aquinas points this out in his transcendental: beauty. In this year of hope, many of us may find ourselves pilgrimaging to sacred places seeking healing, answered prayers, and direction. Yet, it is in the disorder that we have no other choice but to trust in God.
Our Lady wasn’t full of peace because things were smooth-sailing; she was peaceful because she chose to trust in God with all her heart.
The peace I experienced at these Shrines still sticks with me even 20,000 miles of travel later.
When I was little, I prayed for God to let me see the Blessed Mother. Now, I pray that I see her when I look at myself in the mirror. I pray that I exemplify her peace, her virtue, and fulfill her lifelong mission: bring people to Jesus.