Northeast WI Religious Group Tour Itinerary
Green Bay, WI
Saint Norbert Abbey in DePere. The Abbey houses the National Shrine of Saint Joseph. See the beautiful stained glass windows, sacred artifacts, and cloister gardens.
Seroogy’s Candy in DePere where even Pope John Paul II enjoyed this famous locally made candy. This third generation candy-maker specializes in hand-dipped chocolates, toffee, caramels, snappers, and fudge.
Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral and Museum. The museum houses a variety of Catholic artifacts, relics, and pictures. Modeled after Saint Ludwig Church, Munich, Germany the cathedral was consecrated in 1881. It features, 12 ornate pillars representing the 12 apostles.
Heritage Hill State Historical Park. See a Roadside Prayer Chapel, a Bark Chapel and discover the history behind the Catholic presence in Northeastern Wisconsin. The 50-acre living history park is home to 23 buildings representing four centuries of Northeaster Wisconsin History.
Our Lady of Good Help Shrine. Tour the only official Marian Shrine in the United States. From the moment Adele Brise began the mission entrusted to her by the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1859 to today, the Shrine has been a place of rich Marian devotion, fostering prayer, spiritual growth, and Catholic education.
Door County, WI
Belgian Heritage Center. The Belgian Heritage Center is in the Namur National Landmark Historic District and illustrates a living history through historic buildings, artifacts, exhibits and video. The surrounding rural area is home to the largest Walloon Belgian settlement in the US. As you arrive, you will drive through communities with homesteads dating back to the original settlers, many with traditional Belgian brick houses. BHC’s campus includes a church built in 1893 which houses exhibits and oral histories in English and Walloon. You can tour a 1894 school/convent building with a space that doubles as classroom and worship space and living facilities for the sisters who taught there. You will see a traditional votive (roadside) chapel in honor of St Roch and a historic cemetery with an interesting backstory.
Belgian Roadside Chapels. Religious tradition brought from the old world where Belgian settlers built a family chapel to worship because the wilderness and crude roads kept them from getting to the larger churches. (14 Chapels throughout Southern Door)
Village of Ephraim. Located on the Green Bay side of the county, was the first religious settlement in Door County. A community of 40 Norwegian Moravians established the first church and first school (in 1853) on the peninsula. Let the Ephraim Historical Foundation guide your group around the village while entertaining them with stories of the past. Also at the Ephraim Historical Foundation, you can partake in a Tram Tour!
Tannenbaum Holiday Shop in Sister Bay. This 100-year-old white church with its prominent bell tower was transformed into a unique shop where you can find not only gifts for the Christmas season but gifts and collectibles for celebrations year 'round.
Stavkirke on Washington Island. The Stavkirke ("Church of Staves") is modeled on an original Scandinavian design and was hand-built by islanders.
Boynton Chapel in Baileys Harbor. Located on the grounds of Bjorklunden, this chapel is a handcrafted Stave Church from 1939, including 41 frescoes and carved-wood furnishings.
Bjorklunden. A magnificent lodge and idyllic lakeside setting creates a peaceful learning environment. Studies include art, music, religion, literature, history and the nature of Door County. Week-long seminars are offered from early June to Late October on this 425-acre estate. Participants may reside in the lodge on the shores of Lake Michigan, or commute.
Door County Fish Boil (County wide). The fish boil was started at the Viking Grill in Ellison Bay when they decided to duplicate the trout boils held by local churches and civic groups but instead use the local whitefish.
For an additional itinerary, check out the 3 Day Spiritual Journey Itinerary!
