Archdiocese offers one-day pilgrimage to Shrine of Christ’s Passion

This bronze sculpture of Jesus praying is among the statues on display at the Shrine of Christ’s Passion in St. John, Ind. (Criterion file photo)

By Natalie Hoefer

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is offering a one-day Lenten pilgrimage to the Shrine of Christ’s Passion in St. John, Ind., from 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. on April 9.

The Shrine of Christ’s Passion, located in the northwestern corner of the state, is an outdoor, wheelchair accessible, half-mile pathway with 40 life-size bronze statues depicting the Passion of Christ. Fr. Cliff Vogelsang will lead the pilgrimage.

The statues allow pilgrims to journey through the Passion in an interactive and powerful way—sit with Christ at the table of the Last Supper; pray with him in the Garden of Gethsemane; stand beside Mary as she meets her son bearing the cross, and stand at the foot of the cross looking up at the crucified Savior.

Each stop along the way has an audio station allowing participants to hear a description of the scene and a meditation. Reflective background music plays along the entire length of the path.

The location offers two other stops of interest. A statue of Mary, hand-carved from Italian marble in 1954, serves as the focal point of the Marian Wayside Shrine. The other shrine, dedicated to the sanctity of life, depicts a life-size bronze statue of Christ weeping, kneeling before a black tombstone in honor of the unborn. In his hands rests the small figure of an unborn child.

The shrine has a large bookstore and gift shop offering religious books, art, jewelry, carvings, rosaries, Easter gifts and more. All net proceeds go toward sustaining and supporting the upkeep of the shrine.

The bus will leave the Catholic Center, 1400 N. Meridian St. in Indianapolis, at 7:30 a.m. A bag breakfast will be provided for the two-and-a-half hour bus ride to St. John, Ind.

The day’s activities include touring the shrine, time in the bookstore and lunch at Teibel’s restaurant, family-owned for 85 years.

The bus will arrive back at the Catholic Center at approximately 6 p.m.

The cost of the trip, including deluxe motor coach transportation, bag breakfast and lunch, is $65.

Registration is available online at www.archindy.org/pilgrimage, where payment can be made via credit card.

For more information on the pilgrimage, contact Carolyn Noone at 317-236-1428, 800-382-9836, ext. 1428, or via e-mail at cnoone@archindy.org. †