Wisconsin may be the most Catholic state of all 50 because it is the only state that the Blessed Virgin Mary visited in Church-sanctioned apparitions.
Plus, about 25% of Wisconsin residents are Catholic, so it’s no surprise that the Badger State has plenty of lovely and holy Catholic places to visit.
If you’re a Wisconsin resident planning a pilgrimage, or you’re up-to-date to the state and want to visit special Catholic sites, check out these five Catholic places you can’t miss in Wisconsin.
1
National Shrine of Our Lady, Master, Mistress
Of course the best place to visit in Wisconsin is National Sanctuary of Our Lady the Mastera serene, holy place where the Blessed Mother appeared to Adele Brise in 1859. On site you can visit the historical center and have lunch at the café.
Although the chapel is quite modest, it is a wonderful place to pray, walk the grounds, and enjoy conversation with Jesus and His Blessed Mother. Visitors come from all over the world to see this unique holy site, and my family enjoys attending Mass, praying the rosary, and often picnicking on its grounds when we visit Wisconsin.
2
Holy Mountain, Hubertus
Situated on 435 acres of stunning scenery on the highest elevation in southeastern Wisconsin, Holy Hill it is a holy place of peace, beauty and prayer under the care of the Discalced Carmelite Brothers.
Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, I fondly remember pilgrimages and camps at Holy Hill, formally known as the Basilica and National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians. It is impossible not to admire the magnificent basilica and the picturesque views of this holy place.
The Basilica and National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians is open to the public and attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and tourists every year. In addition to the basilica, there is a life-size Stations of the Cross, a café and a souvenir shop.
3
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Crosse
A relatively up-to-date addition to our list (ground was first broken for the sanctuary in 2001), Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a place of constant prayer dedicated to the constant work of evangelization.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims visit this place every year. They can participate in Holy Mass. in the lovely sanctuary church, pray during the Rosary March and Stations of the Cross in the open air, and have lunch in the restaurant. There are hotels and camping sites nearby.
4
St. Basilica John the Baptist. Josaphat, Milwaukee
In the Catholic Church, the status of basilica is reserved for the largest, most lovely and historically most essential churches, and this certainly fits St. Josaphat. Modeled on the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, Church of St. Josaphat in 1929 it was named the third basilica in the United States. At the time, its dome was the second largest in the country after the Capitol!
Amazingly, this masterpiece of religious architecture was partially built saved materials from the elderly post office in Chicago. The basilica is under the care of the Conventual Franciscans and has a huge collection of relics that cannot be missed.
This magnificent church is a testament to the faith and devotion of the Polish-American community in turn-of-the-century Milwaukee.
5
Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier in Green Bay
Consecrated in 1881, after five years of construction, Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier is one of the oldest Catholic churches in Wisconsin. King Ludwig I of Bavaria was among those who donated funds for its construction.
Its construction was supervised by Bishop Francis Xavier Krautbauer, the second bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay. Its architecture is modeled after the Ludwigkirche in Munich, Germany, where Krautbauer served as a pastor before emigrating to the United States. He is buried in the cathedral.
The cathedral is famed for its extensive murals, which are stunning and worth a visit for art lovers.
BONUS
August Derleth marker and grave, Sauk Prairie
Who is August Derleth, you ask? You may not know this author’s name, but you’ve probably read one of his books. Derleth Biographies priest Jacques Marquette AND Saint Ignacy are still read by newborn people. The prolific author has also written several novels and nonfiction pieces set in his native Wisconsin, as well as the low stories Solar Pons, a popular pastiche of Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
But Derleth may be best remembered as the man who preserved the legacy of horror writer HP Lovecraft. Derleth, a Catholic, became Lovecraft’s correspondent in his youth. After Lovecraft’s death, Derleth founded Arkham House Publishers to collect and publish state-of-the-art classics, as well as many other essential works of genre fiction. If you’re a Catholic horror fan, you’ll want to seek out the Wisconsin Historical Society facility in Derleth’s hometown of Sauk Prairie and perhaps stop by his grave in St. Patrick’s Cemetery. Aloysius to pray for this fascinating literary figure.
