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St. Willebrord Church in downtown Green Bay, is known to many as the church where legendary football coach Vince Lombardi attended daily morning Mass. It is one of the sites on the Green Bay Packers Heritage Trail. Above is pictured the plaque as seen outside the church. (Compass photo/Sam Lucero) |
GREEN BAY — Green Bay Packers fans who check out the new Packers Heritage Trail will discover a number of Catholic sites that have ties to the team’s history.
The trail, designed as a self-guided walking tour, features 22 commemorative plaques located within a two-mile radius of downtown Green Bay. Seventeen plaques are part of a city walk. Five others are a part of self-guided bike tours.
St. Willebrord Church
One of the city’s sites is St. Willebrord Church, known to many as the church where former Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi attended Mass.
Cliff Christl, a Green Bay native and longtime sportswriter who developed the idea for the tour, said St. Willebrord was an easy choice for the trail but he didn’t know if placing a plaque on church property would be possible.
Norbertine Father Andy Cribben, pastor at St. Willebrord, said he was initially skeptical of the plaque but the text, which connects faith with the history of the Packers, convinced him it was worth it.
