Midnight Mass Celebrated at Champion Shrine

Christmas Eve midnight Mass has been one of the richest traditions in the Catholic Church for decades. But many parishes in the area, and throughout the country, have moved away from midnight Mass in order to offer more services earlier in the evening.

“Midnight Mass was long an important part of the Christmas celebration for Catholics around the world,” said Fr. John Broussard, CPM, rector at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help. “We want to be sure that those who want to carry on that tradition can do so.” Midnight Mass will be celebrated in the Apparition Chapel at the Champion Shrine on Christmas Eve/Christmas morning. Fr. Broussard will celebrate the midnight Mass.

Christmas Day also marks the conclusion of the Shrine’s Novena in Preparation for the Nativity of the Lord. Those wishing to pray the Novena are encouraged to visit the Champion Shrine website at www.ShrineOfOurLadyOfGoodHelp.com, click on Novena and enter an email address to receive a daily prayer in your inbox.

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help is located at 4047 Chapel Drive in Champion, centrally located between Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay and Algoma. It is open 365 days a year, from 7 am to 7 pm.

On Oct. 9, 1859, the Queen of Heaven appeared to Adele Brise in Champion, Wisconsin, and said to her, “Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation. Teach them their catechism, how to sign themselves with the Sign of the Cross and how to approach the sacraments; that is what I wish you to do. Go and fear nothing. I will help you.” In 2010, Bishop David Ricken granted formal Church approval to the Marian apparition at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help. In 2016, it was designated as a National Shrine by the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops. It is the first and only confirmed appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the United States.

Mass is held at the Shrine daily at 11 am and at 8:30 am on Tuesday and Saturday. Confession is at 10 am Sunday – Friday and 9:15 on Saturday. Devotions take place Wednesday at 4:30 pm, during the Sunday Holy Hour at 2 pm, Saturday and Sunday at 3 pm and the first Saturday of the month after the 8:30 Mass.