Travel Ideas - Faith-Filled Fun Trips to Take this Summer

Vacations can be fun and educational, while still incorporating your faith life.
Here are some great spots to visit in Michigan and Indiana.

MICHIGAN:

SHRINE OF BISHOP BARAGA

17570 US Hwy 41, L’Anse, MI 49801
906-524-7021

If you happen to be on US-41 between
L’Anse and Baraga, you may see a giant
(35-foot-tall) copper figure rising above
the bluffs of Keweenaw Bay. That’s a statue
of Frederic Baraga, the first Bishop of the
Upper Peninsula and the Apostle of the
Great Lakes. The Bishop Baraga Shrine was
designed and constructed in the 1960s.
The shrine is a great place to stop and visit
to take in the beauty of the lakeshore and
have a picnic. The shrine and the Stations
of the Cross prayer path are always open.

Fun fact:

Bishop Baraga was nicknamed “the snowshoe priest”
because he often had to travel great distances by foot
in the winter months to serve the native populations
and the small copper-mine churches. He was known
to travel more than 700 miles in the winter.

NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE CROSS IN THE WOODS

7078 M-68, Indian River, MI 49749
231-238-8973
crossinthewoods.com

This one is a must-see for
Michiganders, especially
now that St. Kateri
Tekakwitha has been
canonized (October 21,
2012). In addition to St.
Kateri, The Cross in the
Woods includes shrines to
various saints, including
St. Francis of Assisi and St.
Peregrine. The new church
can seat up to 1,000 people
and features a view of
“The Man on the Cross.”
You can also climb the Holy
Stairs, representing the 28
stairs Jesus had to climb
to Pontius Pilate, on your
knees while praying and
meditating.

Fun fact:

The “cross” in Cross in the
Woods is called “The Man on
the Cross” and is a bronze
sculpture of the crucified
Christ. It weighs seven tons,
is 28 feet tall from head to toe
and has an arm-span of 21 feet.

SOLANUS CASEY CENTER

1780 Mount Elliott St., Detroit, MI 48207
313-579-2100
solanuscenter.org

This Center is based around the Capuchin
lifestyle, dedicated to Blessed Solanus
Casey, a Capuchin priest. It has art, historical
and cultural exhibits. Life-size beatitudes,
a creation garden and a hall of etched-glass
saints are among the many things you can
explore and be inspired by. You can purchase
a keepsake booklet that will guide you
through the Center. And because it is less
than a 10-minute drive from Comerica Park,
why not make a day trip to Detroit?

Fun Fact:

Blessed Solanus Casey died in 1957, on
the 53rd anniversary of his first Mass.
It is said he stretched out his arms and
said “I give my soul to Jesus Christ,”
immediately before taking his last breath.
He was declared “Venerable” by St. John
Paul II in 1995. After a miraculous healing
attributed to him was approved by Pope
Francis in 2017, he was beatified in Detroit
at Ford Field on November 18, 2017.

THE ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI SCULPTURE GARDEN AT MARYWOOD

2025 Fulton St E, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
instrumentsofhope.net

The 11-acre St. Francis of
Assisi Sculpture Garden
pathway includes 16
sculptures and invites
visitors to enjoy a
reflective walk. The
land is owned by the
Dominican Sisters at
Marywood and run by the
nonprofit Instruments
of Hope. Inspired by
events in the life of
St. Francis of Assisi,
the beautifully crafted
bronze statues along
the Garden trail,
conceived and created
by sculptor and
founder Mic Carlson,
depict St. Francis in
postures of prayer,
meditation, preaching
and interacting with
nature. They are placed
in areas conducive
to quiet reflection
and are accompanied
by storyboards
sharing the life of
this inspirational and
much-loved saint.

Fun Fact:

The original 16 bronze
sculptures were featured in
a month-long exhibition at
the Basilica of St. Francis of
Assisi in Italy and have all
been commemorated and
permanently located in the
sculpture garden.

Travel Ideas - Michigan Layout 




INDIANA:

THE SHRINE OF CHRIST’S PASSION

10630 Wicker Ave (US 41), St. John, IN 46373
216-365-6010
shrineofchristspassion.org

The shrine is an interactive,
half-mile-long prayer trail
depicting the last days of Jesus
Christ’s life, from the Last Supper
to his resurrection. Forty
life-size bronze sculptures are
placed throughout the trail in
tableaus of the story of Christ’s
crucifixion and resurrection.
Narration by Chicago broadcaster
Bill Kurtis is available
by pressing a button near each
tableau. The shrine also features
a 6,000-square-foot gift
shop and visitor center that are
open year-round. It is handicap
accessible, and they offer club
cars for those who are unable
to walk the paved prayer trail.
The pathway is lit for early-evening
use and is open yearround,
weather permitting

Fun Fact

More than 1,000 trees and
bushes were planted on
the site, more than 3,000
yards of stamped concrete
were poured and 80 semis
of boulders were brought in
from Wisconsin. Each of the
40 bronze sculptures weighs
between 300 and 700 pounds

SISTERS OF PROVIDENCE OF SAINT-MARY-OF-THE-WOODS

1 Sisters of Providence Rd., Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876
812-535-3131
spsmw.org

In 1840 St. Mother Theodore Guerin established the Sisters of
Providence on the same grounds they currently reside today.
The Sisters oversee 1,200 wooded acres of land, perfect for a
relaxing, peaceful getaway. Things to see include the National
Shrine of Our Lady of Providence, the Grotto of Our Lady of
Lourdes, the beautiful St. Anne Shell Chapel, the Log Cabin
Chapel and the Stations of the Cross.

Fun Fact

The White Violet Center for
Eco-Justice, located on the Sisters’
grounds, was founded in 1996 to
offer leadership and education in
the preservation, restoration and
reverent use of all natural resources.
It provides awareness through
organic agriculture, eco-justice
education and social advocacy. At
the White Violet Center, you can
interact with a herd of alpacas, 343
acres of state-certified organic
farmland, bees, berries, a water
garden, a bluebird trail and a forest.

MARY’S CHILDREN — MOTHER OF THE REDEEMER RETREAT CENTER

8220 W. State Road 48, Bloomington, IN 47404
812-825-4642
maryschildren.com

Only a few miles outside of Bloomington,
the retreat center is a place of peace and
prayer. It covers nearly 100 acres and includes
a bookstore, convent, retreat center,
rosary path and a shrine with a life-sized
statue of Our Lady of Fatima.

Fun Fact:

Retreats dedicated to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus take
place every month. During
that time, Franciscan
Sisters and Friars of
the Immaculate take up
residence on the farm.

MONASTERY IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

802 E. 10th St., Ferdinand, IN 47532
812-367-1411
thedome.org

The Monastery Immaculate Conception has been home to the Sisters
of St. Benedict since 1887. The convent’s church sits atop a hill, its
dome rising 87 feet and visible from all around, earning the nickname
“Castle on the Hill.” There are numerous shrines, statues, a Lourdes
grotto, an outdoor Stations of the Cross and a labyrinth for prayer and
meditation. Guided tours are offered daily Tuesday through Sunday. You
can even stay overnight at the Kordes Center for less than most hotels.

Fun Fact:

The monastery’s bakery,
For Heaven’s Sake, receives orders
from all over the world, especially
during the Christmas season. The
bakery is famous for its signature
hand-made springerles (anise-flavored
cookies). Baked goods and more may
be ordered online at thedome.org/
monastery-baked-goods.

Travel Ideas - Indiana Layout