National Shrine to St Joseph, De Pere, WI

Yeah, bet you have never heard of it either. 

The National Shrine of St. Joseph is the headquarters of the Archconfraternity of St. Joseph and home to the Crowned Statue of Joseph and the Child Jesus. It was recognized by Pope Leo XIII as the National Shrine of Saint Joseph in 1892.

The original shrine was located in Saint Joseph Church, De Pere, WI, pastored by Father Joseph Durin. In 1888, Father Durin founded the Association of Saint Joseph and began a perpetual novena conducted every Wednesday, a tradition which continues to this day.

Father Durin’s deep devotion to Saint Joseph also led him to spearhead the campaign for official permission from the Vatican to Crown the State of Saint Joseph and have it declared a National Shrine.