The apparition site is located within the Diocese of Green Bay, specifically at the site of the former Robinsonville chapel.
Adele Brise reported that the Virgin Mary instructed her to 'gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation.'
The grounds were famously spared during the 1871 Peshtigo Fire, which destroyed much of the surrounding forest and region.
The interior of the shrine contains a crypt level where the original site of the 1859 apparition is preserved.
The property transitioned from a school for local children to a pilgrimage site following the formal ecclesiastical approval of the apparitions in 2010.
The shrine’s architecture reflects a blend of early 20th-century religious design and modern liturgical updates.
It is the only site in the United States to hold the designation of a National Marian Shrine.
The location remains a site of perpetual Eucharistic adoration.
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion is the only officially approved site of a Marian apparition in the United States. It marks the location where the Virgin Mary appeared to Adele Brise, a young Belgian immigrant, in October 1859. The grounds include an oratory built directly over the site of the apparition, as well as a larger chapel constructed in the 1940s. The site gained national significance in 2016 when the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops officially designated it a National Shrine. It is situated on the grounds of the former Robinsonville school, which served as a place of refuge during the 1871 Peshtigo Fire. The site is a destination for Catholic pilgrims seeking healing and spiritual reflection. It remains an active place of worship with daily liturgical services held throughout the year.
The exterior view of the Oratory against the backdrop of the surrounding woodland.
Walk the outdoor Stations of the Cross path through the wooded area for a quiet, reflective experience.
Visit the gift shop to read detailed documentation regarding the history of the 1859 apparition and the Peshtigo Fire.
Check the official online liturgical calendar before arriving to avoid visiting during private retreat sessions.
Treating the grounds as a casual park; refrain from loud conversations or disruptive photography near those in prayer.
The grounds are typically accessible year-round, though specific chapel access may be restricted during private events or major feast days.
Modest dress is required out of respect for the sacred nature of the site; quiet voices are expected in all indoor spaces.
