Pilgrims from Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Madison attend Mass in the Shrine Church at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in La Crosse during a visit on September 30 of this year. (Catholic Herald photo/Joe Ptak) |
LA CROSSE — Nestled in the foothills of the bluffs near La Crosse lies the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This shrine has been the destination of many pilgrims, including those from parishes in the Diocese of Madison.
A group from Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Madison visited the shrine on September 30 this year. Parishioner Randi Huntsman enjoyed the pilgrimage, saying she came away feeling “very refreshed and peaceful.”
Huntsman noted that the shrine was built with “nature in mind.” Besides the Shrine Church, Pilgrim Center, and Votive Candle Chapel, the shrine grounds include outdoor Stations of the Cross and a Rosary Walk. Huntsman liked the opportunity for prayer and reflection, along with lighting candles for loved ones.
“I would do it again in a heartbeat,” she said of the visit to the shrine. “I would encourage people to take advantage of this opportunity.”
As we prepare to observe the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe December 12, it is an appropriate time to focus on the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is within close driving distance to the Diocese of Madison.