Shrine, Shrine, Everywhere a Shrine

(title dedicated to Jenni)

Last weekend, we took a little day trip down to La Crosse to finally see the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe (a trip that we've been meaning to take for quite a while, but the stars finally aligned this time). After an accidental detour on the Rural Route, we made it and spent a few hours walking around and enjoying the sights.

Our Lady of the Visitors' Center (er, Guadalupe)

The exterior of the Shrine (with 6'1" Dad to give a little scale)

The cornerstone of the Shrine itself. I have to admit that it inspired me with a strange desire to name one of my children "Raimundus".

We happened to arrive just in time for Benediction, which was lovely (and mostly in Latin!)

I'm still not sure what I think of the angels clothed in gold. From a distance, they looked sort of like they were emerging from their cocoons.

The beautiful dome, surrounded by a few Doctors of the Church.

Another of the dome.

One set of mysteries on the Rosary Walk. Some of the mysteries (the Wedding at Cana, Descent of the Holy Spirit, etc) were depicted as taking place in the Shrine.

The Annunciation.

From the Stations Walk

The view from my Sunday morning

(the post-Mass morning, that is, of course)

Chapel Update

There hasn't been a whole lot of progress on the chapel lately (they've been working on the electrical wiring and other less-visible aspects), but I found a photo that I thought I had posted a while ago, but apparently never did (mea culpa).

So, from June 5:

(apologies for the quality; I literally just stuck my arm through the plastic sheeting over the doorway and snapped a photo without looking)

The view from the lobby has changed somewhat; as you can see, the wall has been put up to divide the lounge and the chapel. No, the chapel walls aren't purple (it's just the sheetrock - see below for the real color).

And then, from today:

The same view as above, but now painted. Obviously, we're still waiting on the stained glass, but the mysterious packages may just contain the wood flooring...

I didn't realize this photo was so fuzzy until I got in onto the computer, but you can still tell what it is. Yes, that's right: a place where the altar should obviously and rightly stay! It's such a crazy idea, it might just work!

Ever Ancient, Ever New

By popular request, here are some photos of what the Basilica looks like for the summer. In addition to replacing the spire that was blown off a year ago, they are reportedly doing other maintenance (though no one seems to know any details), which is probably a good idea, since it took a month to get all the scaffolding up in the first place. Of course, it makes a somewhat less-than-picturesque backdrop for summer wedding photos, and some of the older alumni who I've run into on campus seem paranoid that there's a secret plan to tear down the steeple altogether and "modernize" the building, but given that it's going to look like this until October (according to rumor), I'm guessing people will get used to it. It is kind of a glaring change to the familiar skyline, though.

(Props to Emily for suggesting the title for this post)

Through the chapel door

Summer Adoration started this evening. We were lucky enough to get it from 7-9 every Wednesday. While I wasn't able to stay for long, it was really great to have the opportunity to go again after a hiatus of several weeks, and there were several people there.

O Holy Virgin, to whose feet we are lead by our anxious uncertainty
in our search for and attainment of what is true and good, invoking
Thee by the sweet title of Mother of Good Counsel. We beseech Thee
to come to our assistance, when, along the road of this life, the
darkness of error and of evil conspires towards our ruin by leading
our minds and our hearts astray.

Do Thou, O Seat of Wisdom and Star of the Sea, enlighten the doubtful
and the erring, that they be not seduced by the false appearances of
good; render them steadfast in the race of the hostile and corrupting
influences of passion and of sin.

O Mother of Good Counsel, obtain for us from Thy Divine Son a great
love of virtue,and, in the hour of uncertainty and trial, the strength to
embrace the way that leads to our salvation. If thy hand sustains us,
we shall walk unmolested along the path indicated to us by the life
and words of Jesus our redeemer, and having followed freely and
securely, even in the midst of this world's strife, the Sun of Truth
and Justice under they maternal star, we shall come to the enjoyment
of full and eternal peace with Thee in the haven of salvation.
Amen

~Prayer to Our Lady of Good Counsel,
Pius XII

Candle lit this evening for special intentions.

A few pictures from the weekend...