BRIGGSVILLE — On Sunday, Aug. 9, there will be a day honoring St. Philomena at St. Mary Help of Christians Church, N565 Highway A. The day will begin with Mass at 11 a.m. and a prayer service afterward at the outdoor National Shrine of St. Philomena. A community picnic will follow, put on by parishioners of St. Mary Help of Christians. It will be a time for sharing with fellow devotees and honoring St. Philomena. Religious items from Italy will be available for sale.
On Tuesday, Aug. 11, the feast day of St. Philomena, Bishop William P. Callahan of La Crosse will celebrate Mass in the church at 11 a.m. Seminarians from the Diocese of La Crosse will also be present. This feast day Mass is open to everyone. A brief history of the shrine will also be shared by a volunteer caretaker, and religious items from Italy will be available for sale.The shrine can be visited year round as a place of pilgrimage. The church contains a first class relic of St. Philomena.