Wisconsin’s got faith. You’ll find it at Milwaukee’s Basilica of St. Josaphat, with fabulous Austrian stained glass and a dome larger than the Taj Mahal’s. For truth and wisdom, stop in Shullsburg. In the mid-1800s, Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP, not only erected Saint Matthew’s Church in the old lead-mining town, he also named the streets for godly virtues. What do you do with assorted gems, perfume bottle stoppers, and 180 tons of stone? If you’re Fr. Mathias Wernerus, you build the Dickeyville Grotto — a series of folk-art shrines — outside Holy Ghost Church in Dickeyville.
These and many other Wisconsin sites are featured in Our Sunday Visitor’s new book Monuments, Marvels, and Miracles: A Traveler’s Guide to Catholic America. Written by “FaithTraveler” Marion Amberg, the book spotlights more than 500 holy sites across the country, each with a riveting story to tell. What are the Grasshopper Crosses? Where was the first Mass said? (The answer might surprise you.) Who was the “Flying Nun” and where did she appear? Faith shocker: America’s oldest Catholic Church isn’t American — it’s French!
That’s just the beginning of Amberg’s inspiring road trip. Healing places. Miraculous places. Hidden places. Places where saints walked. But holy doesn’t mean stuffy. Many sites are baptized in good humor and sprinkled with fascinating lore. Why is the “Good Thief” on his way to sainthood? How fast was the “Fastest Nun in the West?” What is “blessed dirt?” Which cathedral resembles angel wings?
The book is available from Our Sunday Visitor (OSVCatholicBookstore.com), Amazon (amazon.com), and Catholic bookstores and gift shops.
