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.
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| Our troupe at Rookie's with South Dakotans |
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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!
