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Relics Making News

Relics Making News: America’s 250th Birthday Saint Extravaganza in Wisconsin

Laura Ruberto

• 15 min read
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Happy 250th America! Saints and Blesseds serving the nation. Image credit: Generated with Gemini AI.
Happy 250th America! Saints and Blesseds serving the nation. Image credit: Generated with Gemini AI.

Spiritual Champions in Champion, Wisconsin

If you live or have traveled in the United States, you may have heard of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion Shrine in Champion, Wisconsin. It stands out as the “first and only approved Marian apparition site in the U.S.” My husband and I had the opportunity to visit just last week on a cross-country road trip. Living in Florida as we do, it seemed like the perfect time to go a little farther north and check it out. Our effort was rewarded four-fold.

Servant of God Adele Brice. Image credit: Photo taken by Laura Ruberto on behalf of The Relic Project.

First, we learned in detail about the secular Franciscan Servant of God Adele Brice who received three apparitions from Our Lady here in 1859. The story is told beautifully on the Shrine website. Second, we walked “the loops” outside on the grand green grounds and prayed the Stations of the Cross. Third, we located the shrine’s many relics—we are “relic hunters” after all! (They are behind the statue of Mary in the Apparition Oratory.) Fourth and last, the Oratory is where we learned of “relics making news” this summer!  The Champion Shrine is having a special Saints of America Exhibit from July 1-9, 2026, in honor of the nation’s 250th birthday.

The exhibit theme is “One Nation Under God.” It will highlight how these holy pioneers shaped the nation through education, charity, missions, and Gospel witness. If you are inspired to go, check out the exhibit details below (and if you’re not attending, we have some great information for you on the saints whose relics will be on site a little further down the page).

Servant of God Adele Brice receives a message from Our Lady. Image credit: The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion (Fair Use).

What to Know if You Go

Location

National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion Mother of Mercy Hall 4047 Chapel Drive Champion, WI 54229 (near Green Bay)

Dates

July 1–9, 2026

Hours

  • Exhibit Open: Daily, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Daily Speakers/Presentations: 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Masses: Daily at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
  • Special July 5th Highlights for Adele Brise death anniversary: Mass at 11:30 a.m., gravesite blessing, All-American picnic (hosted by Knights of Columbus / Bl. Michael McGivney Guild, small fee), and family activities like history scavenger hunt.

Website

Look For

  • First-of-its-kind “American Hall of Holiness:” Featuring displays on over 70 U.S. Saints, Blesseds, Venerables, and Servants of God. Expect stories of their lives, virtues, miracles, and contributions to American faith/history.
  • On-Site Representatives & Speakers: Over 70 shrines, causes, and guilds represented (varying daily schedule). Representatives share stories, answer questions, and promote their causes (e.g., reps for Adele Brice July 1-9, St. Damien July 3-5, Bl. McGivney July 3-5, etc.). Daily catechetical presentations.
  • Novena for Our Nation: Special novena starting July 1st (written by Rector Fr. Anthony Stephens, CPM) for unity, holiness, renewal, mercy, and blessings on the U.S.
  • Relic Veneration: Opportunity to venerate relics of a dozen American holy figures.

Veneration Celebration

While over 70 holy men and women will be featured in the St. Carlo Acutis-inspired exhibit, 12 relics will be available for veneration; six are part of the shrine collection, and six are “visiting:” St. Francis Xavier Cabrini, St. John Neumann, Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos. St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Damien de Veuster, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Marianne Cope, St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, Bl. Stanley Rother, Bl. James Miller, Bl. Solanus Casey, and Bl. Michael McGivney.

Here is how to venerate a relic in person, from The Relic Project website’s “How It Works” page:

Image credit: The Relic Project

The More You Know—Great American Saint Facts

As promised above, whether or not you’re planning to go venerate the saints at the Shrine this July, we prepared a rundown on each of them for you, along with Norman Rockwell-style holy card images (generated by Gemini AI). It’s a little way to reflect on our nation’s Catholic heritage.

1.       St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (Mother Cabrini)

·        Birth and death: July 15, 1850 – December 22, 1917

·        Feast day: November 13

·        Country of origin: Italy (Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, Lombardy)

·        Country of service: Italy (early life and formation); United States (New York, Chicago, Colorado, and many other states)

·        Known for: Founding the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; established 67 institutions (orphanages, schools, hospitals) in 35 years, especially serving Italian immigrants, the poor, sick, and abandoned; being the first U.S. citizen canonized

·        Virtues exhibited: Deep trust in Divine Providence, perseverance amid rejection and hardship, charity toward the marginalized, prayerfulness, and administrative zeal for souls

·        You might not know: Born two months premature and frail (only 3 of 13 siblings survived to adulthood); initially rejected by a religious community for poor health yet founded a congregation; her body was later divided for relics after exhumation

·        Patron of: Immigrants, hospital administrators

2.       St. John Neumann

·        Birth and death: (unknown date) 1811 – January 5, 1860

·        Feast day: January 5

·        Country of origin: Bohemia (now Czech Republic)

·        Country of service: Bohemia (early life); United States (New York; Philadelphia as bishop)

·        Known for: Being a Redemptorist priest and fourth Bishop of Philadelphia; organizing the first diocesan Catholic school system in the U.S. (grew schools in his diocese from 2 to ~100); being tireless missionary to the poor and immigrants

·        Virtues exhibited: Perseverance (overcame repeated rejections of his vocation in Europe), humility (simple lifestyle, joked about arriving in a manure wagon), charity (visited the sick and poor in remote areas, learned multiple languages to hear confessions)

·        You might not know: Learned English in a factory; mastered at least six languages (including Gaelic) to serve immigrants; as bishop, his parish church initially had no floor or steeple

·        Patron of: Catholic schools and educators in the United States

3.       Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos

·        Birth and death: January 11, 1819 – October 4, 1867

·        Feast day: October 5

·        Country of origin: Germany (Bavaria/Füssen)

·        Country of service: Germany (early life and seminary in Augsburg area); United States (Pittsburgh PA under St. John Neumann, Baltimore/ Cumberland/ Annapolis MD, itinerant missions across multiple states including CT, IL, MI, MO, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, WI, and LA)

·        Known for: Being a Redemptorist priest, missionary preacher of parish missions, being renowned confessor and spiritual director among immigrant communities; acting as assistant to St. John Neumann; dying while heroically ministering to yellow fever victims in New Orleans

·        Virtues exhibited: Joyful cheerfulness amid asceticism and hardship, apostolic zeal, spirit of sacrifice, generosity and kindness, prudence as a spiritual director, intense prayer life, fidelity to the Redemptorist charism, and attentive care for the poor and abandoned (died at age 48 while caring for the sick during an epidemic)

·        You might not know: Called the “Cheerful Ascetic;” possessed mystical gifts and was associated with numerous favors and healings attributed to his intercession (even during his lifetime or through relics); was a candidate for Bishop of Pittsburgh in 1860 but excused by Pope Pius IX; followed in the missionary footsteps of his namesake St. Francis Xavier

·        Patron of: Often invoked for healing (including against cancer), immigrants to the United States, the poor and destitute; model and intercessor for missionaries, confessors, and spiritual directors

4.       St. Kateri Tekakwitha (Lily of the Mohawks)

·        Birth and death: 1656 – April 17, 1680 (age 24)

·        Feast day: July 14

·        Country of origin: Mohawk territory (Ossernenon, present-day New York State area)

·        Country of service: Mohawk villages (New York State area); Christian native mission near Montreal (Sault Saint-Louis / Kahnawake)

·        Known for: Converting at age 19–20, took vow of chastity (“I will marry no one but Jesus”), living a life of prayer, penance, and charity despite persecution and illness; being First Native American canonized saint

·        Virtues exhibited: Chastity and purity, steadfast courage under opposition, patience and diligence in work, self-mortification and love of the Cross, quiet endurance

·        You might not know: Survived smallpox at age 4 (scarred face and impaired vision); fled ~200 miles through wilderness to the mission; after death, her scarred face reportedly became radiantly beautiful (noted by Jesuits); did extreme penances (thorns on mat, fasting, etc.)

·        Patron of: Native Americans, ecology/environment, people in exile

5.       St. Damien de Veuster

·        Birth and death: January 3, 1840 – April 15, 1889

·        Feast day: May 10

·        Country of origin: Belgium (rural Tremelo area)

·        Country of service: Belgium (formation); Hawaii (ordained on Big Island; mission on Molokai’s Kalaupapa leper colony)

·        Known for: Being the “Leper priest” who volunteered for the isolated Kalaupapa colony; bringing order, building homes/church/school, personally caring for the sick and dying, burying the dead; contracting leprosy himself but continuing ministry

·        Virtues exhibited: Heroic charity and self-sacrifice, courage, perseverance in isolation and suffering, deep Eucharistic devotion and prayer (especially to St. Francis Xavier)

·        You might not know: Contracted leprosy (discovered when he felt no pain from scalding water); the once-lawless colony gained structure and dignity under his leadership; his right hand was returned to Hawaii and reburied at Molokai

·        Patron of: People with leprosy (Hansen’s disease), outcasts

6.       St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

·        Birth and death: August 28, 1774 – January 4, 1821

·        Feast day: January 4

·        Country of origin: United States (New York)

·        Country of service: United States (New York; Baltimore/Emmitsburg, Maryland); brief time in Italy

·        Known for: Founding the Sisters of Charity in America; establishing the first free Catholic school in the U.S.; pioneering Catholic education and care for orphans/widows; being first native-born American canonized saint

·        Virtues exhibited: Profound trust in God’s will (“The Will”), charity and maternal care, perseverance through widowhood, poverty, and illness (tuberculosis), deep love for Scripture, the Eucharist, and Our Lady

·        You might not know: Converted to Catholicism in Italy after her husband’s death (drawn especially by the Real Presence and Marian devotion); her young community grew rapidly despite many early deaths and hardships; rule based on St. Vincent de Paul’s Daughters of Charity

·        Patron of: In-law problems, widows, death of parents/children, opposition from Church authorities

7.       St. Marianne Cope

·        Birth and death: January 23, 1838 – August 9, 1918

·        Feast day: August 9

·        Country of origin: Germany (Heppenheim, Grand Duchy of Hesse); emigrated as infant

·        Country of service: United States (Utica/Syracuse, New York area); Hawaii (O’ahu, Moloka’i, Maui)

·        Known for: Being the Franciscan sister who led a group to Hawaii to care for lepers after many congregations declined; managing hospitals, caring for outcast women and orphans, working alongside/after St. Damien; never contracting leprosy despite decades of close contact

·        Virtues exhibited: Perseverance and tireless service (even when wheelchair-bound), heroic charity toward the most rejected, obedience and leadership in difficult circumstances

·        You might not know: Responded to King Kalakaua’s plea when ~50 other institutes refused; many regarded her immunity to leprosy as miraculous; two miracles attributed for her cause (including a 1993 cure from multiple organ failure)

·        Patron of: Lepers/outcasts, people with HIV/AIDS, the state of Hawaii

8.       St. Rose Philippine Duchesne

·        Birth and death: 1769 – 1852

·        Feast day: November 18

·        Country of origin: France (Grenoble)

·        Country of service: France (early religious life); United States (Missouri frontier, near St. Louis; later with Native Americans)

·        Known for: Being the Pioneer Missionary of the Sacred Heart; founding schools for pioneer daughters and opening the first free school west of the Missouri; at age 71 beginning a school for Native Americans who called her “the woman who is always praying”

·        Virtues exhibited: Courage in frontier hardships, single-minded zeal for Native American missions, self-acceptance and humble perseverance, contemplative prayer

·        You might not know: Left a comfortable life in France for the American frontier; continued active mission work into advanced age despite physical limitations

·        Patron of: Often invoked as patron for educators and missionaries to Native peoples

9.       Bl. Stanley Rother

·        Birth and death: March 27, 1935 – July 28, 1981

·        Feast day: July 28 (martyrdom date)

·        Country of origin: United States (Okarche, Oklahoma)

·        Country of service: United States (Oklahoma farm and seminary); Guatemala (Santiago Atitlán mission among Tz’utujil people)

·        Known for: Being an Oklahoma farm-boy priest and missionary; learning Tz’utujil language, translating the New Testament, celebrating Mass in the native tongue, helping with farming/irrigation and medical needs; being martyred in his rectory during Guatemala’s civil war for refusing to abandon his people

·        Virtues exhibited: Courageous fidelity (“The shepherd cannot run at the first sign of danger”), humble service and identification with the poor, deep prayer and love for his flock

·        You might not know: Struggled with Latin in seminary yet mastered Spanish and Tz’utujil; used farming skills to serve the people; first U.S.-born priest recognized as a martyr and beatified

·        Patron of: Often invoked as patron for missionaries and those facing persecution; first U.S. martyr priest

10.  Bl. James Miller

·        Birth and death: September 21, 1944 – February 13, 1982

·        Feast day: February 13 (martyrdom date)

·        Country of origin: United States (Stevens Point / Custer, Wisconsin area)

·        Country of service: United States (Minnesota teaching); Nicaragua and Guatemala (missions)

·        Known for: Being a De La Salle Brother and missionary educator; teaching and protecting Indigenous/Mayan students; being martyred while repairing a school wall in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, after helping students avoid forced military service/kidnapping

·        Virtues exhibited: Fidelity to the Gospel and the poor, humble fearless service, childlike faith and hard work

·        You might not know: As a boy read an entire encyclopedia cover-to-cover out of fascination with foreign lands and desire to bring the faith; known as “Brother Fix-It” for practical skills; first U.S. De La Salle Brother beatified

·        Patron of: Often invoked for educators, missionaries to the poor, and those protecting the vulnerable

11.  Bl. Solanus Casey

·        Birth and death: November 25, 1870 – July 31, 1957

·        Feast day: July 30

·        Country of origin: United States (Oak Grove, Wisconsin)

·        Country of service: United States (various Capuchin houses; primarily Detroit, Michigan as porter at St. Bonaventure Monastery)

·        Known for: Being a Capuchin friar and “Miracle Man of Detroit”; serving as humble porter and spiritual counselor to thousands; being prophetic, healing intercession, and simple holiness despite limited formal education

·        Virtues exhibited: Profound humility and simplicity, joyful faith, charity and availability to all (especially the suffering), trust in Divine Providence

·        You might not know: Predicted many events and cures; received thousands of visitors seeking counsel and prayers; his beatification drew ~60,000 people; often called a “living saint” in his lifetime

·        Patron of: Often invoked for healing, employment, and simple faith

12.  Bl. Michael McGivney

·        Birth and death: August 12, 1852 – August 14, 1890

·        Feast day: August 13

·        Country of origin: United States (Waterbury, Connecticut; Irish immigrant parents)

·        Country of service: United States (New Haven, Connecticut area parishes)

·        Known for: Founding the Knights of Columbus (1882) to provide mutual aid, protecting Catholic faith and families from anti-Catholic prejudice, and supporting widows and orphans; being exemplary parish priest

·        Virtues exhibited: Zeal for the Gospel and Christian family life, generous concern for the poor and vulnerable, fraternal charity and solidarity

·        You might not know: Founded the largest Catholic fraternal organization in the world while a young curate; died young (likely of pneumonia/tuberculosis complications); beatified with a miracle attributed to his intercession (healing of preborn child)

·        Patron of: Knights of Columbus; invoked as Apostle of Christian Family Life, Protector of the Poor, Defender of the Widow and Orphan, Pastor of Immigrants

Each of these great American saints helped make our nation a Godly one according to the particular graces and circumstances of their lives. Let us thank them and ask for their intercession for our country:  All you holy men and women, pray for us!

Image credit: Graphic created with Grok Imagine (AI). Inspired by the style of Norman Rockwell. Lyrics from “America the Beautiful” by Katharine Lee Bates (public domain).

SOURCES

Catholic Saints of America Exhibit at Our Lady of Champion Shrine