Shrine of St. Rose Phillipine Duchesne

I have always wanted to visit this shrine.  I think I have been trying to visit it for at least 7 years!  I would be in the neighborhood and not have time.  I would have time and it would be closed for some reason.  I did not think that the time I would visit it would be during a pandemic, but I found myself wanting to visit a shrine and my thoughts turned once again to this saint.

Historic St. Charles was where I was born and where I was raised.  St. Charles, MO is the site of Missouri's First State Capital building, the site of where Merriweather Lewis would rendezvous with William Clark to begin their expedition west and where Mother Rose Phillipine Duchesne was placed to start a school for girls.

Rose was born in France in August 29, 1769.  Mother Duchesne felt God's call to be a religious sister at a young age (8) , which did not please her father, who was a wealthy lawyer and had the idea of arranging Rose into a suitable marriage.  When Rose was 19 years old her father had 3 eligible suitors lined up for her.  Rose traveled with her Aunt to visit a religious order known as the Visitation of Holy Mary.  Upon arrival to the order, Rose begged to be taken into the order.  Rose was accepted instantly.  Her Aunt had the pleasure of informing Rose's father that his daughter had chosen to be a bride of Christ's.  Rose heard about the Native Americans in America and felt that she was called to create a school for them.

It was not until Rose met Madeleine Sophie Barat, who founded the Society of the Sacred Heart that God began opening doors for Rose.

Bishop DuBourg the Bishop for the Louisiana Purchase was looking for religious to join him to set up schools in America.  Mother Barat was hesitant to send any from her order since her order was small.  Sister Duchesne  had been eavesdropping on the conversation.  She burst into the room, fell on her knees and begged to go to America.  Mother Barat gave her blessing and Sister Duchesne embarked on her journey to the New World.

Sister Duchesne and her religious companions arrived in New Orleans where they waited for Bishop DuBourg to send for them.  The Bishop had thought to send them to St. Louis to set up a school, but after a brief stay in St. Louis he assigned them to set-up in St. Charles, MO. 

Mother Duchesne and her sisters taught the children of the French fur-traders during the day and ended up boarding 3 students that year.   Bishop DuBourg sent them to Florissant, MO since the school was not profitable enough to keep it open in St. Charles.  Ten years later, the sisters would return to St. Charles and the Sacred Heart Academy has been on the same grounds since their return.

Mother Duchesne always hoped to teach the Native American children, but tribes had been pushed west and were no where near St. Charles.  At the age of 71, her dream was realized when the Jesuits asked the Sisters of the Sacred Heart to join them in opening a school for girls of the Potawatomi tribe in eastern Kansas.  Mother Duchesne was not able to teach since she could not master the language of the tribe, but she witnessed to them through her every day labors and her long periods of prayer.  The Potawatomi students would place pebbles, sticks, and leaves on the hem of her habit as she was praying in the evening and they would discover that they would be in the same place in the morning when they found her at prayer.  She earned her Potawatomi name "Quahkahkanumad" which translates to Woman Who Prays Always. 

My guide informed me that St. Rose Phillipine Duchesne had quite an impact on the Potawatomi tribe and members of that tribe still make pilgrimages to her shrine yearly.

After a year of being among the Potawatomi, Mother Duchesne was sent back to St. Charles, MO out of concern for her health.  She would live another 10 years and resided in her room which was located near the chapel. She died on November 18, 1852 at the age of 83.

She was first buried in the cemetery of the grounds of the Academy of the Sacred Heart.  Locals believed that she would be a saint and had her body exhumed 3 years after her death to be moved to the "Round House" on the grounds, which had been set as a chapel to Our Lady of the Pillar.  When her body was exhumed it was found incorruptible.

Her body would remain in the "Round House" until her beatification in 1940.  It now resides in an alcove in a Chapel which seems fitting.

I took the tour which was just myself and the guide.  We both wore masks and kept social distance.  The school part of the tour is closed for the safety of the students once they return to school.  I had to make reservations for my tour, which I believe made me accountable to finally visiting this saint.

I was struck with the landscape of where St. Rose Phillipine Duchesne resides.  I am wondering if anyone else will see what I saw when I first set eyes on the icon of Rose Phillipine Duchesne and Madeleine Sophie Barat.

St. Rose Phillipine Duchesne, pray for us!

Reflections on a Rosary Walk 2013

 I am usually up in Duluth, MN during the Feast Day of the Assumption.  I try to attend mass daily at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary except on the Feast Day of the Assumption.
 

  I take a pilgrimage walk to St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church via the boardwalk along Lake Superior and then up the hill to the church.  I have not checked out the mileage, but I took a good hour and a half to walk and reflect as I made my way up the hill for noon mass.  (Warning: August 15th landed on a Thursday so I prayed mysteries that were my favorite mysteries that featured Mary instead of the Luminous ones).

View of Lake Superior

View from the Garden where I started to pray the Rosary

 The Annuciation

I sat to pray this mystery and enjoyed the view.  The way had been rocky and not comfortable.  The sun was beating down on me and when buildings were between myself and the lake it was stifling.  This view was breathtaking and the breeze off the lake made it even more.  To reflect on this mystery of the beauty of the Angel Gabriel appearing to Mary and the beauty of Mary's reply also took my breath away.  As I moved off this rock where I had been sitting and praying, I was removed from this poetic moment by the reality that I was very close to dog poop the entire time.  God's continuous gifts of beauty and consolation and a sinner's constant closeness to his own filth.

The Visitation

More rocks to sit on than the first stop.  More chances to get closer to nature and bask in the ever present peace.  To enjoy the sound of the waves as they lap against the rocks.  Seagulls calling all around me songs of the sorrowful souls.  How strange to feel a kind of sadness when reflecting on such a joyful mystery.  Maybe its knowing that this is the prelude to Mary's Seven Sorrows.

The Nativity

Climbing up the steep hill to the church with the sun upon my back, no wind to refresh me, no consolation of seagulls just the noise of traffic and ambulances from the nearby hospital.  Suddenly, I find myself in the  presence of the Lord at the Holy Innocents chapel.  It is there I find peace, serenity and Our Lord in a tiny cramped chapel that is 4 chairs wide and 8 chairs deep.

The Assumption

After Reconciliation and receiving the Holy Eucharist,  I felt within me "My soul doth glorify the Lord.  My spirit rejoices in God my savior!"

Mary, Queen of Heaven

I prayed after lighting 2 votive candles (one was for the booking of the North Dakota tour and the other for the conversion of hearts).  I can testify that the North Dakota tour did happen.  Here are two pictures from St. Joachim and St. Ann in Fargo, ND.  The picture of Mary running up the stairs captivates me every time I look at it.

In regards to the other intention...Mary, Holy Mother of God, pray for us!

Shrine to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

COME TO THE FOOT OF THIS ALTAR, HERE GRACES WILL BE SHOWERED ON ALL

This greets the pilgrims' eyes as they near the altar of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.  The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal resides in St. Mary's of the Barrens church in Perryville, MO.  I was planning on attending the Crowning of Mary that happened on May 5th, but the threat of flooding in my area deterred me from making the trip.  I have visited the shrine twice and each time have been blessed to discover something that I passed up the time before.

The first time I visited the shrine was in the fall of 2010 and I had plenty of time to take in the tour, the grounds and the gift shop.

As you enter the church you are greeted by the breath taking beauty of the hand painted depiction of The Assumption as well as many other paintings depicting the history of St. Mary's of the Barrens church.

The jewel of the church is the altar of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, which resides in a side chapel on the right side of the church.  The first time I saw this altar, I wept at its simplistic beauty.

It is made to resemble the front of the Miraculous Medal and it is here that pilgrims can acquire a blessed Miraculous Medal for a goodwill donation.  When one kneels before the altar and looks up you will see the depiction of St. Catherine of Laboure passing out Miraculous Medals to the people of Paris.

To the right of the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal altar is a side room, which houses the votive chapel.  Because the shrine is flooded with petitions for prayer, the votives are now electric lights so that more prayers can be represented.  I walked into the room and was blown away by the number of lights in the room.  "This is what prayer looks like." I whispered to my fellow pilgrim.  "This is what a small portion of prayer looks like." He corrected.

 These are just a few pictures of the inside of St. Mary's of the Barrens church.  For a virtual tour of the church check out the official website of the Association of the Miraculous Medal

On the shrine's grounds, you will find "Bishop Rosati's Log Cabin"

You will also find the grotto where the Crowning of Mary usually happens in the month of May.

If you are looking for a pilgrimage that will be historical and prayerful, I highly suggest visiting the National Shrine to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Perryville, MO. 

May you be blessed with the graces that Our Blessed Mother wants to shower us all with if only we come to her and ask.

Saints Peter and Paul in Naperville, IL

This is not a shrine but it is a beautiful place to pray.  Saints Peter and Paul parish is lively and very active at providing food for its parishioners-spiritual food.

24 hour Eucharistic Adoration happens in the St. Francis Adoration Chapel.  Members of the theater troupe took advantage of spending time with Our Lord the last time we visited Naperville, IL.

Here are a few pictures of the exterior of Saints Peter and Paul parish...

 For the best interior shots, check out the parish's 360 virtual tour which comes close to capturing the beauty that lies inside the church.

Chicago is known for their deep dish pizza.  The suburbs do a great job of bringing "Chicago style pizza" to their pizzerias.  We had pizza at a fairly new pizzeria in town Riverwalk Pizza.

They do more carry out business than sit down, but they have a couple of tables for dine-in.  The staff was very patient with this hungry and rowdy group of actors.

Fatima Family Shrine in Alexandria, South Dakota

I have been to South Dakota 7 times in my life, once on a family vacation to the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse.  The other 6 times have been on the east side of the state with the nearest tourist attraction being the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota.

I had the privilege to be at the Marian Congress at the Fatima Family Shrine in Alexandria, South Dakota during Corpus Christi.  Alexandria is 14 miles east of Mitchell.  The shrine is a very prayerful place, but the addition of a evening mass followed by a candle light procession made the place very contemplative.

Fr. Robert J. Fox founded the shrine and is responsible for starting the Marian Congress.  Fr. Fox took very detailed notes on how the Marian Congress was to be run and what it should include.  In honor of the Marian Congress's 25th Anniversary, Fr. Jerome Ranek followed his predecessor's notes.  At each candle light procession, the way was led by a statue of Our Lady of Fatima.

At the end of the candlelight procession, we sang Farewell to Fatima as pilgrims waved handkerchiefs at the statue which is apparently part of the tradition in Fatima where the apparitions of Our Lady were seen.

Even if a Marian Congress is not going on, pilgrims to South Dakota should stop by the shrine for a time of prayer and reflection.  Here are some of the things you will see...

Inside the Holy Family Chapel

Shrine to 20th Century Martyrs and Witness to The Faith

Our Lady of Guadalope

Angel of the Family

Inside St. Mary of Mercy Church the beauty continues.  I have been in the church 3 different times and each time I am in awe of the Stations of the Cross and the Angels near the alter.  I will have to go back since I do not have any pictures of these. 

Because of its location next to the Fatima Family Shrine, St. Mary of Mercy also has paintings, relics and a statue of Our Lady of Fatima.

After you have fed your soul at the shrine, here are a couple of places in Alexandria where you can feed your appetite.

Food For Thought

This past February, the troupe ate at Rookie's.  I had a burger and frips, which are homemade fried chips.  The service was friendly and fast.

Our troupe at Rookie's with South Dakotans

We have also eaten at Joe's Restaurant, which is on the outskirts of Alexandria.  Joe's offers a fun atmosphere with its animal head decor, diner menu and friendly staff.  I enjoyed their french toast and coffee.  Their pizza burger is okay, but I was disappointed that fries were not included with my order.

Onward to the next destination...St. Christopher, pray for us!