The Holy Hill Pilgrimage 

A Catholic pilgrimage is simply a group of Catholics traveling to a holy place to implore God for graces.  This is traditionally done by walking to the shrine, offering up the trials of the journey to God as some poor recompense for our many sins.  The destination is normally a holy shrine or church where the relics of a saint or saints are kept or where a miracle has occurred.  A good example of a pilgrimage is the many modern Catholics travelling to Lourdes, France or Fatima, Portugal to visit the shrines erected there after Our Blessed Mother Mary's appearances on those particular spots.  These pilgrimages that occur around the world are filled with prayer and trials, but yield great graces.  

Each Catholic pilgrimage has its own unique features. Our pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady, Help of Christians, known quite simply as “Holy Hill,” is a relatively short, three day pilgrimage designed to traverse a variety of landscapes yet accommodate almost everyone, especially families. On the way to this cherished Shrine, the pilgrims walk on bike trails, roads and several winding paths through the woods. They pass through small towns and subdivisions, and even climb a lookout tower. The roughly 33 mile, three-day trek with all of its joys and sacrifices culminates at this gem of a basilica, much like our journey in life with all of its challenges ends at the gates of heaven. The shrine is perched atop the highest hill in the region, and the double-spired church can be seen up to 20 miles away.

 

This year marks the thirteenth annual pilgrimage to Holy Hill. It all began in 2012 when eleven seminarians and brothers and priests undertook an epic, three-week long trek which started at St. Stanislaus Basilica in Winona, Minnesota and crossed most of the state of Wisconsin during a period of record heat! Since that year, the itinerary has been shortened to a modest three-day length, and the weather has proven more favorable.

 

There has been an average of 100 to 200+ pilgrims each year. The largest number of pilgrims is always on the third day – as of last year, still small numbers, but generous spirits! These faithful come from all over Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and beyond. The pilgrimage concludes with a fairly long ascent up the road to Holy Hill, followed by an impressive number of stairs to gain the Basilica. At the top awaits a beautiful church dedicated to Our Lady and an absolutely magnificent view.  The last day is normally finished with Holy Mass and a celebratory banquet.