The National Shrine of Saint Joseph is located in
DePere WI, a few miles from the city of Green Bay. The Shrine is in the
care of the Norbertine Order, and is housed at St. Norbert Abbey, DePere,
WI.
The Shrine was originally located at St. Joseph Church
in DePere, WI. In the late 1800s, inspired by a deep devotion to the
foster-father of Jesus Christ, then-Pastor Father Joseph Durin began
work to have a statue of St. Joseph crowned and declared a national
shrine. In 1891, Father Durin, supported by more than 30 bishops and
thousands of lay people, embarked on a quest to present his petition for
a national shrine to the Vatican for official approval. Father Durin’s
efforts were rewarded, and in 1892 Pope Leo XIII officially recognized
the statue as a National Shrine. The Most Reverend Sebastian Gebhard
Messmer, D.D., D.C.L, then-Bishop of Green Bay, presided over the
coronation of the statue. St. Joseph was presented with a flat (mural)
crown, while the Christ Child in his arms wears an imperial crown.
The shrine moved to the care of the Norbertines in
1959. A perpetual novena to St. Joseph, started by Father Durin in 1888
and continuing to this day, is held every Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.
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