The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady Aparecida is a prominent Roman Catholic Latin-rite Basilica located in Aparecida, Brazil. It is dedicated to Our Lady Aparecida, (a variant of the Immaculate Conception) as the principal Patroness of Brazil. Its official title in Portuguese is Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida, roughly translated as Our Lady of Conception Who Appeared. Since 2011, it has become the greatest Marian pilgrimage center in the world, ranking above Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of Lourdes.

Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida

At the Shrine’s website, visitors can take a stunning three dimensional tour of the Basilica’s interior and exterior grounds. Rome Reports shares on this unique look at the Shrine:

To take your virtual pilgrimage visit http://www.a12.com/santuario/multimidia/tour/tour_virtual.asp. The tour has an audio track that is rather loud, so if you’re browsing in a quiet spot, be sure to silence your computer speakers before hitting the site. Additionally, you may want to use your browser’s translate feature for English versions of much of the site’s content.

Nossa Senhora Aparecida

A bit of additional information from Wikipedia offers some background on Our Blessed Mother’s apparition in Aparecida:

Our Lady of Aparecida (Portuguese: Nossa Senhora Aparecida or Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida) is a celebrated 18th-century clay statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the traditional form of the Immaculate Conception. The image is widely venerated by Brazilian Roman Catholics, who consider her as the principal patroness of Brazil. Pious accounts claim that the statue was originally found by fishermen, who miraculously caught many fishes after invoking the Blessed Virgin Mary. The dark statue is currently housed in the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, Aparecida, São Paulo. The cult is not to the image, but for the first apparition of the Immaculate Conception in Brazil, for the first time ever in a black skin color. The image is considered a symbol of this event, and the apparition as a blessing to Brazil.

Your turn: Have you visited any special “virtual” tourist sites? Please share your favorites in the comments section below.

Man on a Mission

On a sunny morning in early April, we were descending into the Los Angeles basin on Interstate 5. We had tickets for a concert in Orange County and planned to spend the night before heading home.

This was the perfect opportunity to visit the two Missions in the Los Angeles area. One on the way down, one on the way back. Our stop on the way down was the Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana, named for Saint Fernando, King of Spain,  one of the handful of saints that were also monarchs. That had to be quite the balancing act!

The Mission is at the northern tip of the San Fernando Valley in Mission Hills halfway between Interstates 5 and 405.  Exiting the freeway, you pass 1990’s strip malls then cruise through a neighborhood of homes built in the 50’s and 60’s. After passing a large power station, you make a right hand turn into the parking lot and find yourself in the late eighteenth century. Well, not exactly.

The first thing we noticed was that for a mission, things seemed rather new.  Unlike the handful of missions we had previously visited, Mission San Fernando has manicured lawns, aggregate walkways, modern drinking fountains and cast iron park benches. The place feels more like a county park than a mission. Rustic it is not. Looking at the church and the long building, we noticed plaster that was smooth and uniform in color, the walls are straight and true. On first impression, Mission San Fernando seems more of a re-creation than a restoration.

There is good reason for this. As we learned in our tour, the Mission was a complete ruin at the turn of the 20th century, it was restored in the 1930’s and 40’s only to be destroyed yet again in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake.

Mission San Fernando, 1890

The result is initially disappointing.  From the outside, you would have thought that the buildings date back only to 1930′s.

The Mission’s interior is a different story. Where possible, interior spaces have been nicely preserved, the museum is well curated and the sanctuary has been beautifully restored.

The mission is a classic southern California experience. The old and rustic has been paved over, rebuilt, and landscaped. Yet somehow the beauty of old shines through.

Mission San Fernando, 2013

And what is Southern California if not a haven for celebrities? Mission San Fernando’s paywall includes the memorial garden and graves of Bob Hope, his wife Dolores and their family. Landscaped in the style of an English rose garden, the memorial feels slightly out of place. Since it is situated behind the mission church, thus not visible from the rest of the  mission grounds, the contrast is not jarring. The memorial provides visitors with an additional experience that is interesting in its own right. The garden blends in with the Mission Hills Catholic Cemetery that lies just beyond.

The garden fountain at Mission San Fernando

We left Mission San Fernando with a variety of impressions. Under the Franciscans, the mission had been a thriving community . Having fallen into ruin after the mission was secularized in the mid 19th century and re-built at least twice in the 20th, today’s mission serves quite a different function than its founders would have ever imagined. Land that was once home to over 1000 settlers, livestock and acres of fruits,grains and vegetables now houses the chancery office for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, a large Catholic cemetery and a high school.

Through all this change, the Mission San Fernando de Espana is still a church. Whether serving its parishioners in Mission Hills or inspiring the thousands who visit each year, the mission continues to do what it was intended to do. Bring God’s message to the new world.

View additional information on Mission San Fernando at missionimage.blogspot.com

Copyright 2013 Kirk Whitney 

Interior of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

At some point, I will pen a full series on this incredible national treasure, but today I want to point you to a terrific music series happening at this Basilica this summer. From a recent press release:

The Basilica of the National Shrine will once again present the Summer Organ Recital Series. This annual series is held everySunday, July through August, at 6:00 p.m. Join us in the Crypt Church for these wonderful performances, the dates and performers are listed below. There is no charge for admission, a free will offering will be accepted. The Basilicais located walking distance from the Brookland-CUA station on Metro’s Red Line and offers ample free parking. For more information please contact the Basilica at (202) 526-8300,  muslit@bnsic.org, or online at www.nationalshrine.com/music.

The series includes the following recitals:

• July 7 – Michael Lodico, St. John’s Church, Lafayette Square
• July 14 –  Peter Latona, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
• July 21 – Timothy Duhr, Holy Trinity Parish, Georgetown
• July 28 – Benjamin Straley, Washington National Cathedral
• August 4 – Russell Weismann, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
• August 11 – Josh Stattford, Saint Paul Parish, K Street & Saint John the Beloved, McLean
• August 18 – Adam Detzner,  Stanford University
• August 25 – Benjamin LaPrairie,  Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

For more information visit www.nationalshrine.com/music.

Your turn: In what church, basilica or cathedral would you love to hear a sacred music recital? Have you had the opportunity to hear such concerts in the past?

Man on a Mission

My wife, Debbie, and I plan visit all 21 California missions between April and October 2013 as our pilgrimage for the Year of Faith. The plan is to take a series of short trips to different parts of the state, and visiting two to four missions per trip.

The idea to do this came about in a most unusual way.

In late February, we were headed back from Monterey and decided to stop and visit the Mission San Juan Bautista. I was enjoying our tour of the mission, but kicking myself for not bringing my camera. Walking through the grounds, I saw a sculpture of a  man reaching out to greet the morning sun. I reached for my phone to take a picture. As I unlocked the phone’s screen, there was a Facebook notification on the screen. It was a link to a story that the Mission Saint Anthony de Padua was in danger of closing.  I thought, “I need to visit there before that happens.”

It then occurred to me that, we have visited only a handful of the missions in California. I took for granted that they would always be around. (Or for that matter, that I would always be around!). I proposed the idea that we would plan our travel over the remainder of this Spring, this Summer and early Fall around the California missions.

Traveling around California may not seem like much of a faith journey, but I think there is a lot to be learned. I begin this series after completing six of the twenty-one planned visits. Several themes are already emerging.

The missions are part of the history, and thus the story, of California. They also tell a story about how the kingdom of man and the kingdom of God interact. The missions show us the template that the Spaniards and the Franciscans used for the old world to interact with the new. Each Mission also tells a story about its particular location and the people that live or have lived there.

It is easy to be cynical about the motives of the Church and the Spanish government in founding the missions. You can argue that the indian cultures that the Franciscans meant to serve were doomed to extinction once the missions were secularized. No matter what conclusion you may reach regarding their political or cultural influence, it is impossible to dismiss their power as a symbol of God’s foothold on the new world.

In the coming months, I will post a mission visit each week to share my reflections as both a Catholic and a Californian. I will post reflections each mission, not in the order they were founded or in geographical order, but in the order we visit. Be prepared to do some leapfrogging up and down the state.

Join me next week when our first stop will be Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana.

Your turn: How many of the California Missions have you visited?

Copyright 2013 Kirk Whitney

Pope Francis, surrounded by a sea of photographer pilgrims

I found this video from Catholic News Service to be quite profound. ”These days, we are so involved in the image that we forget about the reality…“ shares Father Caesar Atuire, CEO of Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi. He goes on to share that with his pilgrims, he insists that they, “Do live the experience.”

I’m taking Father Atuire’s advice to heart. I love memorializing my journeys with photos, but I also do think that as spiritual tourists, we need to remember to keep photography in its proper perspective. I thought I would share a few of my own thoughts about taking photos along the journey, and invite yours in the comments section below.

Photography Rules

Here, in no random order, are a few of my personal “rules” of the road for taking travel photos:

Be Respectful

Especially when photographing inside a church, cathedral or other spiritual place. Remember that it is primarily a place of worship. Do not take photographs during a Mass or religious ceremony. If your photographing will disturb and worshipper or someone who is in quiet prayer, “just say no”.

Before or After?

Father Atuire recommends taking a photo after the “profound” experience, but I do the opposite. When I travel, I tend to take my photos almost immediately and then put my camera away and enjoy my time in that destination. Your thoughts?

Pick a Theme

I have a “collection” of photographs. Every time I visit a new church, I take a photograph of the parish’s statue of our Blessed Mother Mary. I literally have hundreds of photos of Mary statues. One of my favorite pastimes is looking at that collection and seeing the various representations of Mary, which so often reflect the culture of the place I’ve visited. Consider a “theme” or collection in your own spiritual photography.

Share the Good News

Sharing spiritual photographs in social media can be a wonderful “low key” approach to the New Evangelization. Photography often captures the beauty, the grandeur and the truth of our Catholic faith. Consider sharing your most beautiful photos of spiritual destinations with friends on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Then, “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope…” (1 Peter 3/15)

Your turn: What are some of your personal rules and habits for photography while you’re traveling?

Camino Ignaciano Route Map

Today’s Rome Reports video offers a great overview of this pilgrimage opportunity:

When he was 31, Saint Ignatius of Loyola made a journey from his Spanish hometown of Azpeitia, in the Basque Country, to the city of Manresa and the nearby Monastery of Montserrat, in Catalonia.

For more information on the Camino Ignaciano, visit the official English version of the website at http://caminoignaciano.org/?lang=en

Food Meets Faith in the Holy Land-3-2

A unique pilgrimage experience combining food and faith in the Holy Land is set for February 2014. Jeff Young, “The Catholic Foodie,” will lead the trip to Israel together with spiritual director, Fr. Michael Werkhoven of the Diocese of Memphis. The dates for the pilgrimage are February 5-15, 2014.

Israel, referred to as the Holy Land, is the place where Jesus walked, talked, ate and drank with his companions over 2000 years ago. Pilgrims will get to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, visiting many of the significant locations of Jesus’ life like Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem and Emmaus, celebrating Mass in most of those locations.

A Unique Holy Land Pilgrimage Experience Combining Food & Faith

Some of the traditional pilgrimage experiences will include:

• Renewal of marriage vows in Cana of Galilee, the site of Jesus’ first miracle where he turned water into wine
• Renewal of baptismal promises in the Jordan River
• Traveling to Nazareth to visit Mary’s Well and the Church of the Annunciation
• Celebrating Christmas Mass at the Church of the Nativity
• Traveling to the ancient city of Jericho to see the Mount of Temptation, and later going for a swim in the Dead Sea
• Visiting Jerusalem and praying the Stations of the Cross on the original Via Dolorosa, then celebrating Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
• Visiting the Mount of Olives, Mount Zion, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Empty Tomb of the Virgin at the Church of the Assumption

In addition to the traditional pilgrimage experiences, pilgrims will also be treated to a deliciously “foodie” buffet of events that will include:

• Sailing on the Sea of Galilee before touring Kibbuz Kinnert, the famous shop with little dates (and date honey!) harvested on the kibbutz
• Visiting and touring the Bethlehem Winery, where pilgrims can sample the wine and also purchase bottles to bring home
• Learning about biblical foods and exploring the fascinating question, “What Would Jesus Eat?” with talks by Jeff Young, The Catholic Foodie
• Visiting a local family restaurant in Bethlehem where pilgrims will join The Catholic Foodie and local chefs in the preparation of the day’s meal
• Sharing a celebratory meal in Bethlehem prepared by Chef Johnny Goric and Jeff Young, The Catholic Foodie, in an open kitchen, and learning about Chefs for Peace, an organization founded by Jewish, Muslim, and Christian chefs whose objective is peace through local cooperation, cooking and breaking bread together
• Shopping with local chefs in the most famous food market in Israel
• Attending cooking classes that will highlight Middle Eastern cooking styles
• Dining at a restaurant that reportedly has the best hummus in Israel (and pilgrims get a copy of the recipe!)
• Meeting local villagers from Taybeh, the only Catholic Village in the Holy Land, touring the local brewery and, later on, taking a cooking class with Jeff Young, The Catholic Foodie
• Journeying to Ein Kerem and Emmaus, where Jesus met the disciples on the road after his Resurrection, and enjoying a delicious farewell dinner with your fellow travelers

Organized by Select International Tours, this unique once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage experience will put pilgrims in touch with the daily life of Jesus, as well as the locations associated with the main events of his life.

Who is Jeff Young, The Catholic Foodie?

Jeff Young

A former seminarian and educator, Jeff Young is the founder of The Catholic Foodie, an apostolate to strengthen families through food and faith around the family table. Jeff firmly believes that God created us to seek communion – with himself and with others – and one of the primary ways we experience communion is around the table, both the table of the Eucharist at Mass and the family dinner table at home. Jeff notes that, from Genesis to Revelation, food plays an important role in God’s relationship with his people and in our relationship with each other. It’s all about communion.

Born and raised in south Louisiana, it is in Jeff’s blood to be passionate about both food and faith. With his unique down-home style, he shares recipes, reviews, and culinary inspiration through The Catholic Foodie blog and podcast, and through the weekly Around The Table Food Show on Catholic Community Radio (690AM in New Orleans, and 1380AM in Baton Rouge). He is currently working on a book that celebrates food and faith “around the table.” Jeff is also a conference speaker who has spoken on various topics ranging from “growing in faith around the table” to “using social media to reach inactive Catholics.”

Who is Fr. Michael Werkhoven?

Fr. Mike Werkhoven

Fr. Mike Werkhoven is a priest for the Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee.  He is the pastor of the Church of the Holy Spirit in east Memphis, and has been a priest for 11 years.  Before entering the seminary in 1994, Fr. Mike was an art major in college and worked many years as a professional artist.  He finished up his undergraduate studies in philosophy at St. Joseph Seminary College in Covington, LA.  Fr. Mike studied for one year in Rome at the North American College before coming back home to finish his studies at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, MO.  Besides the Catholic Church, Fr. Mike’s two main loves are art and food, and his hobbies are creating both and tying them both into the divine life we share with Christ and our universal call to holiness. Just as there is “sacred art”, Fr. Mike believes there is “sacred food” and it all starts with the “holy trinity” of onions, peppers, and celery.  Besides being a pastor, Fr. Mike also serves as the spiritual director for the diocesan SEARCH youth retreat and is the chaplain for “Fishers of Men” of the Diocese of Memphis.

Learn more about the Catholic Foodie pilgrimage at http://catholicfoodie.com/holyland

Lisa in the Church of the Nativity

In early 2012, I was blessed to travel to Israel with the Catholic Press Association as a guest of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. One member of our group of traveling journalists was Dennis Sadowski, a talented reporter for Catholic News Service. Dennis filmed our entire trip, endeavoring to create a documentary for Catholic News Service. His finished product was amazing — as much for the detail he put into narrating his footage as for the lovely shots he captured on film.

Today, I’m pleased to share Part II of Dennis’ three-part series on the Holy Land. A visit to Bethlehem requires advance planning and coordination. Prior to traveling to the Holy Land, be sure to inquire with your guide about logistics for visiting Bethlehem, the West Bank and the Church of the Nativity.

Members of the Catholic Press Association pray in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth

In early 2012, I was blessed to travel to Israel with the Catholic Press Association as a guest of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. One member of our group of traveling journalists was Dennis Sadowski, a talented reporter for Catholic News Service. Dennis filmed our entire trip, endeavoring to create a documentary for Catholic News Service. His finished product was amazing — as much for the detail he put into narrating his footage as for the lovely shots he captured on film.

Today, I’m pleased to share Part 1 of Dennis’ three-part series on the Holy Land. When I watch this, I smile as I see a few random shots of myself and my fellow travelers. For me, the pilgrimage to Israel was an eye-opening experience, one I never anticipated. To walk where Jesus Christ walked, preached, and died for my sins transformed my concept of “travel”. I am counting the days until I have a return visit, but in the mean time it’s a great honor to share Dennis Sadowski’s series with you.

video link

This Rome Reports video has all of the basics for signing up to attend World Youth Day in Rio.

A few additional WYD links to get you going:

• Registration online
• WYD Twitter (English) - use #Rio2013
• WYD Facebook Page
• WYD Youtube Channel