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Virgin Mary apparitions atshrine near Green Bay

recognized as first in U.S.

By Alex Morrell Gannett Wisconsin Media December 8, 2010

A shrine in the Town of Green Bay is one of only ahandful in the world and the sole location intheUnited States officially designated as a placewhere the Virgin Mary appeared.

David Ricken, the bishop of the Catholic Diocese ofGreen Bay, announced today his official approval ofthe Marian apparitions at the Shrine of Our Lady ofGood Help in Champion during a special Mass for

the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Rickens decision makes the shrine the first andonly Marian shrine site in the United States of anapproved apparition of the Virgin Mary. Thedesignation puts it in the same category as otherfamous Marian apparition sites such as Lourdes,France; Guadalupe, Mexico; and Fatima, Portugal.

According to the diocese, the Virgin Mary appearedin the area to Belgian immigrant Adele Brise threetimes in 1859.

Brises account states the apparition appeared indazzling white claiming to be the Queen of Heavenwho prays for the conversion of sinners and asking

Brise to also pray for sinners and teach childrenabout salvation. Brises family built a chapel at thesite of the apparitions.

In the past 151 years, thousands have madepilgrimages to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help,the diocese said. The shrines history includes anumber of accounts of prayers that have beenanswered, including documented physical healingsand conversions that have taken place as a result ofpilgrimages there, the diocese said.

A fire in Peshtigo in 1871 engulfed the surroundingarea, but the entire five acres of land consecrated tothe Blessed Virgin were not affected, the diocesesaid. It is believed that the land was spared thanksto a prayer vigil that circled the area, which wasorganized by Brise.

I declare with moral certainty and in accord withthe norms of the church that the events, apparitionsand locutions given to Adele Brise in October of1859 do exhibit the substance of supernaturalcharacter, and I do hereby approve theseapparitions as worthy of belief although notobligatory by the Christian faithful, Ricken saidin a written statement.

Green Bay bishops have long supported the shrineas a place of prayer and pilgrimage but had madeno formal decree regarding the apparitions fromBrises account.

Ricken appointed experts to investigate and studythe apparition in January 2009, and fromdocuments, letters and written testimonies theexperts determined the accounts of the apparition

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AdditionalinformationThese links willopen in a newwindow:Photos: OurLady of GoodHelp shrineThrivent'sRed KettleMatch Day

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