The U.S. turns 250: Celebrate with the saints and a nationwide novena

By Kielce Gussie

Fireworks, hot dogs, and patriotic songs will be everywhere in the United States this weekend as the country celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding.

But in the midst of all the celebrations, one priest is turning the focus to prayer and unity.

Fr. Anthony Stephens, CPM, rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Wisconsin, wrote a Novena for Our Nation. Nine-days—from July 1-9—are dedicated to praying for the U.S. and asking for Mary’s intercession for unity, holiness, and renewal throughout the country.

. From July 1-9, the nine-days are dedicated to praying for the U.S. and asking for Mary’s intercession for unity, holiness, and renewal throughout the country.   (©The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion)

More than 50,000 prayer cards have been printed and articles written. But not only that, the National Shrine is also hosting a special exhibit dedicated to the saints, blessed, venerables, and servants of God of the United States.

A unique way to celebrate

The site of the first and only approved Marian apparition site in the U.S.—the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion—is the venue of the Catholic Saints of America exhibit. Fr. Stephens explained the Shrine is a place to “really foster devotion amongst the faithful.”

Moreover, he explained there is a teaching aspect to it, where pilgrims come from all over to the Shrine to learn about its history and what took place there. In 1859, the Virgin Mary appeared to a Belgian immigrant woman, Adele Brise, three times. The final time Mary instructed her to “gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation.”

On that basis, this exhibit all started with one meeting last year: “What was something unique we could do for the United States’ 250th birthday? They started bouncing ideas around and [then the suggestion was] let’s do something with the lives of holy Catholic Americans.”

From there, the idea grew into plan to bring pictures, relics, and information on holy men and women from the U.S. from 76 shrines together into one place dedicated to highlighting the Catholic thread that has been running through the country’s history.

“Catholicism has left a deep imprint on this country and we [Catholics] have a lot to provide moving forward into the next however many years that the good Lord has for our country,” the rector stressed.

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From all walks of life

From Julia Greeley, a former slave, and Nicholas Black, a Sioux medicine man, to St. Catherine Drexel, an heiress to a fortune, the men and women represented in the exhibit came from all walks of life and cultures.

This is something remarkable the exhibit highlights, Fr. Stephens emphasises. “It’s universal; it’s Catholic. I think a lot of times Catholics don’t realize how much we have impacted the foundations and the building up of the United States of America.”

While the rector acknowledges this as something good—“because it is not our work” but us cooperating with God’s graces—he argues we can all become saints and impact today’s culture in a positive way.

“I think there is plenty of things that we need to continue working on in terms of promoting a culture of life and bringing that stability that the faith has to offer,” Fr. Stephens encouraged.

The National Shrine in Wisconsin also has relics from fourteen of the seventy-six people represented in the exhibit, including St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, St. John Henry Newman, Blessed Stanley Rother, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, and Blessed Michael McGivney.

A number of relics will also be present at the exhibit   (©The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion)

In a time where faith and religion seem to be on the decline overall, the rector of the National Shrine argued there is a glimmer of hope and renewal. He pointed out Catholicism is not exploding in the country but there is a revival in the number of people interested in, entering the Church or returning to the faith.

“I see a revival of a renewed interest in Catholicism, converts to the faith,” Fr. Stephens noted. The Shrine plays a role in giving drawing people in to discover Catholicism. “I have heard [of] Catholics, non-Catholics, and non-Christians—people who aren’t even baptized—who are attracted to come here.”

From this Shrine that draws people from all backgrounds together, Fr. Stephens invites everyone to celebrate the nation’s birthday, not only with barbeques and games, but also with prayer and reflection together with the thousands that will be praying this novena.