This past July 4th marked the 250th anniversary of America. Primarily, we see that the nation was not formed from wars, insurrections, or rebellion; rather it was formed by men and women who lived generosity, courage and hope. The Church has known this truth through the lives of the saints; men and women who have …
This past July 4th marked the 250th anniversary of America.
Primarily, we see that the nation was not formed from wars, insurrections, or rebellion; rather it was formed by men and women who lived generosity, courage and hope.
The Church has known this truth through the lives of the saints; men and women who have lived both in obscurity and fame, poverty and riches, virtue and sacrifice, but in all things have manifested the face of Jesus and the power of God present in weakness.
Recently I attended an event at the Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Greenbay, Wisconsin, the only approved Marian apparition in the United States, where they hosted an exhibit of the various causes open for different Americas, expanding from the missionaries and martyrs who first arrived in this country to bring the faith, to the slaves and natives converted to the recent Americans who lived in states and towns familiar to every person in this nation. I was able to attend helping to represent Charlene Richard as one of the 80 different causes, each at different stages of the canonization process.
At the end of the event, I asked to acquire the digital files of the boards for the Church of St. Frances Cabrini, herself one of the American Saints featured. I recently was able to recreate this American Saint Exhibit at Cabrini Church in Alexandria. The exhibit is set up in the front foyer of the church to the left. The boards are arranged chronologically starting with the early missionaries and martyrs in the U.S. such as the Franciscan martyrs of Georgia and The North American Martyrs of Issac Jogues. The exhibit moves into the 1700s with various priests, religious and bishops such as Junipero Serra and John Neumann who came to help administer the faith to the newly grown church. In the 1800s, there were many faithful who ministered during the growth of America such as the Shreveport Martyrs and St. Damien of Moloki. And in recent times of the 1900s, and 2000s, the exhibit displays familiar people such as Sr. Thea Bowman, Fulton Sheen, Dorothy Day and even Michelle Dupong who died in 2016.
Every board also has a QR code to scan for more information on the cause itself. Accompanying the exhibit is a directory book that has each of the causes listed chronologically. There are also Catholic Comic books available for kids as well as a scavenger hunt for kids to use to learn and guide them through the exhibit. The exhibit is open any time that the church is open and will remain for the foreseeable future. We pray that this exhibit will be a beautiful means of spreading the example of the saints as well as their power of intercession. God bless.
