Don’t you love a good summer bucket list?
With the sunny season’s utter lack of routine — does anyone even know what day it is? — it’s the perfect time to fit in those activities that you haven’t gotten to during the time-scarce academic year.
These lazy summer days have a lovely way of accommodating fun outings that often don’t happen when school’s in session, like biking through the Arboretum, kayaking on Lake Monona, talking to the capybara at Henry Vilas Zoo, hosting a curd crawl around Cap Square, or cooking up a food scavenger hunt at the Farmer’s Market.
But as you dream up all the fun and foodie adventures you’ll have this summer, don’t forget to add a little faith to your bucket list as well. You’ll need to charge your spiritual batteries to keep the fun going.
If you’re a bit stumped on how to include a faith-filled summer adventure on your list, I’ve got an idea.
Visit a diocesan shrine
You should schedule some time to visit Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (IHM) in Monona. Its striking mid-century design and twelve-ton statue of Our Lady are sights to behold, to be sure.
But did you know that this grand church is also a diocesan shrine dedicated to Our Lady of the Green Scapular?
Inside, you’ll find a beautiful statue that’s a replica of the famous Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima that had been touring the United States during the time of the parish’s founding in 1950.
A green scapular hangs from Mary’s hands, signifying her title. Green votive candles surround the statue. Green marble in the altars, communion rails, and baptismal font, and a glittering, gold- and green-flecked mosaic in the expansive sanctuary all indicate the integral part the devotion played to the foundational identity of the parish.
However, this impressive church, believe it or not, actually began as an old chicken coop.
The history of Our Lady of the Green Scapular Shrine
In 1950, Bishop William P. O’Connor of Madison tasked the young Fr. Jerome Mersberger with building a parish and school as quickly as possible on a plot of land that boasted a little more than a cornfield and a chicken coop.
But Father Mersberger threw himself into the assignment, and with the help of a core group of parishioners, converted the coop into a working, albeit cramped, church.
To help the growing parish enjoy a strong start, Bishop O’Connor gave Father Mersberger several green scapulars to distribute, which soon became a parish-wide devotion.
The rest, we could say, is history. But how did a chicken coop church transform into what would become the largest church in the diocese for decades? And how did this parish in Wisconsin become home to the World Shrine of Our Lady of the Green Scapular? And what happened to the original statue that was first installed at IHM?
To learn the ups, downs, twists, and mysteries surrounding the founding and flourishing of IHM, you’ll need to add a book to your summer reading list — Our Lady of the Green Scapular by Nico Fassino.
This beautifully researched book paints a vibrant picture of the faith and perseverance Father Mersberger, with the help of the founding parishioners of IHM, as he strives to carry out the mission entrusted to him just as the Church is about to undergo sweeping changes in the face of the opportunities and challenges posed by the times.
For those interested in purchasing a copy of the book, requests can be made by e-mailing
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If an afternoon opens up, or maybe just one too many wet towels have been left on the floor and you feel your peace escaping as quickly as the air conditioning flowing out the back door that’s been left open, that might be your cue to check another item off your bucket list and make a summertime pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Green Scapular.
Meg Matenaer is a wife, mom, social media writer, and author residing in the Diocese of Madison.