Pilgrimages

Awarded third place in pilgrimages/Catholic travel by the Catholic Media Association.

Historian Kevin Schmiesing takes you to more than two-dozen sites and events that symbolize and embody America's rich and sometimes tumultuous Catholic past, including the Santa Fe Trail, Gettysburg, and the Bourbon Trail. You'll also meet both famous and infamous Catholics--including Augustus Tolton, Dr. Samuel Mudd, and Frances Cabrini--who impacted our nation's history.

The idea for A Catholic Pilgrimage through American History came from Schmiesing's mother, he says. She turned every childhood vacation into a pilgrimage, purposely inserting religious sites into the family's journey to places such as Niagara Falls, Washington, DC, or Myrtle Beach.

Catholics have been part of the American experiment since the beginning--in founding the colonies and expanding the west, building education and health care systems, abolishing slavery, fighting on the front lines, and advancing science, technology, and space exploration. Each of the twenty-seven sites on Schmiesing's virtual itinerary--including, the Washington Monument, Wounded Knee Creek, the University of Notre Dame, and Mission San Diego de Alcalá--transports you to a significant time in US history and connects the dots to our Catholic heritage. You will meet notable Catholics such as John F. Kennedy, Black Elk, and Katharine Drexel, and learn more about their contributions to history.

You will explore the various and sometimes conflicting roles Catholics have played in key periods and events through the stories of shrines, memorials, and other historic places including:

America's got faith! You'll find it in every state -- in grand cathedrals and tiny chapels, in miracle shrines and underwater statues, and even in blessed dirt. Finding these sacred places hasn't been easy, until now!

Monuments, Marvels, and Miracles: A Traveler's Guide to Catholic America takes you to more than 500 of the country's most intriguing holy sites, each with a riveting story to tell. Stories about:

Organized by state and region, Monuments, Marvels, and Miracles can help you easily plan your vacation or pilgrimage, and find sites close to you that you've never heard of. Chapters also include Catholic trivia and color photos. Websites, phone numbers, addresses, and other pertinent information are included.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marion Amberg is an award-winning book author and freelance journalist. Her articles -- mainly religion travel pieces and human-interest features -- have appeared in more than 100 markets. She is known for her "nose for the unique and unusual" and for her engaging writing style.

Designed to evoke wonder and awe in believers and nonbelievers alike, churches stand as a testament to the power of belief and to the men and women who designed and built them.

Offering unprecedented access to a collection of revered religious landmarks, photographer Guillaume de Laubier and journalist Jacques Bosser take readers on a stunning architectural tour. Sacred Spaces showcases breathtaking color photographs of extraordinary churches and cathedrals, revealing original, illuminating views of icons, including:

Whether you have visited one of these magnificent sites, or many, the full-color images here will bring you a new appreciation of the beauty of church buildings and the history of Christian communities across the globe. Let these beautiful photographs and this oversize, overfilled coffee table take you on a trip around the world to buildings that have meant so much to so many for centuries.

This magnificent book belongs on the bookshelf of devout Christians everywhere. No better gift can be found for someone interested in architecture around the world and the beauty of magnificent Christian houses of worship.