What places should every Catholic visit

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BigDave31 said:
The Adoration Chapel!
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Actually, this is quite an interesting answer… and probably the one I’m most moved to actively pursue. Er, if it turns out any Churches nearby actually have adoration chapels… not uniform yet, is it? Still, I’m *enthused * 👍
 
Just to add one more:

What should every Catholic visit? The poor, the suffering, and the needy. 😉
 
Please add The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. to the must see list!
 
How about Troy Hill to see the world’s greatest collection of Catholic relics under a single roof?
 
Kathryn_Ann said:
Please add The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. to the must see list!
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if i ever make it back east, that is definitely a place i want to visit.

one other place came to mind. i would love to see the shroud of turin!!!
 
I like those who said Church or adoration or things like that. After all, when you think of some of the greatest saints, even modern ones living in an era of travel like St. Padre Pio, they didn’t travel far from home at all, sometimes staying within a city or two only. But of course, one can find edification at various shrines and pilgrim sites, so please don’t take this as a post against visiting such places! :o
 
I don’t know about every Catholic, but here in Japan I always make a point to visit and pray at the Shrine of the 26 Japanese martyrs in downtown Nagasaki. It is located not far from the central station on the hill where the martyrs gave their lives in witness to the faith.
I also make a point to visit Oura Catholic Church where, after more than 200 years of persecution, the hidden Christians revealed themselves to the foreign priest and were convinced that their faith was the same as his when he showed them the statue of the Blessed Virgin in an alcove in the Church.
The third place I always visit is the village of Tsuwano in Western Japan, especially the area called the Virgin’s Pass. It was here in the 1860’s that some of the hidden Christians were removed from their homes and tortured in the hope of getting them to recant their faith. None did, and some were martyred here. One of the martyrs, while being held outside in a cage in the middle of winter with no clothes, told his fellow captives that he was visited by a woman in white during the darkest hours and that while she prayed with him he did not feel the cold. She told him that she could come to release him soon. He died in the cage. He never claimed that the vision he saw was the Blessed Virgin, but the surviving remnant believed that this is who the visitor was and it gave them the courage to hold on to their faith in spite of the continued persecution. They were eventually allowed to return to their villages as Christians.
 
Tsuwano said:
I don’t know about every Catholic, but here in Japan I always make a point to visit and pray at the Shrine of the 26 Japanese martyrs in downtown Nagasaki. It is located not far from the central station on the hill where the martyrs gave their lives in witness to the faith.
I also make a point to visit Oura Catholic Church where, after more than 200 years of persecution, the hidden Christians revealed themselves to the foreign priest and were convinced that their faith was the same as his when he showed them the statue of the Blessed Virgin in an alcove in the Church.
The third place I always visit is the village of Tsuwano in Western Japan, especially the area called the Virgin’s Pass. It was here in the 1860’s that some of the hidden Christians were removed from their homes and tortured in the hope of getting them to recant their faith. None did, and some were martyred here. One of the martyrs, while being held outside in a cage in the middle of winter with no clothes, told his fellow captives that he was visited by a woman in white during the darkest hours and that while she prayed with him he did not feel the cold. She told him that she could come to release him soon. He died in the cage. He never claimed that the vision he saw was the Blessed Virgin, but the surviving remnant believed that this is who the visitor was and it gave them the courage to hold on to their faith in spite of the continued persecution. They were eventually allowed to return to their villages as Christians.
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I’m surprised you didn’t mention Urakami Cathedral. Urakami in Nagasaki prefecture was a mostly Christian village: at the end of the Edo period and the beginning of the Meiji era (between 1869-1873) around 3600 villagers were banished, with 650 martyred and the rest taking refuge in nearby areas like Oura (the Christians Fr. Bernard Petitjean discovered in 1865 were actually from Urakami). The inhabitants of Urakami decided to build a church over the village chief’s land where the annual fumi-e interrogations (where suspected Christians were required to step on a religious icon as a sign to prove that they are not members) were held, in memory of their long persecution.

The village of Urakami also happened to be the exact spot where the Nagasaki A-bomb detonated in August 9, 1945: ground zero was just 500 meters away from the cathedral. The congregation who were inside the cathedral that day was of course killed, and the building itself utterly destroyed. It was rebuilt in 1959 after a long dispute between the city government, which wanted to leave the ruins as it is, and the locals, who wanted to build a new church on the same spot as the old one.



The so-called Virgin of Urakami, one of the remnants of the old cathedral.
 
patrick457 said:
I’m surprised you didn’t mention Urakami Cathedral. Urakami in Nagasaki prefecture was a mostly Christian village: at the end of the Edo period and the beginning of the Meiji era (between 1869-1873) around 3600 villagers were banished, with 650 martyred and the rest taking refuge in nearby areas like Oura (the Christians Fr. Bernard Petitjean discovered in 1865 were actually from Urakami). The inhabitants of Urakami decided to build a church over the village chief’s land where the annual fumi-e interrogations (where suspected Christians were required to step on a religious icon as a sign to prove that they are not members) were held, in memory of their long persecution.

The village of Urakami also happened to be the exact spot where the Nagasaki A-bomb detonated in August 9, 1945: ground zero was just 500 meters away from the cathedral. The congregation who were inside the cathedral that day was of course killed, and the building itself utterly destroyed. It was rebuilt in 1959 after a long dispute between the city government, which wanted to leave the ruins as it is, and the locals, who wanted to build a new church on the same spot as the old one.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6134519815_3c928e6c32.jpg

The so-called Virgin of Urakami, one of the remnants of the old cathedral.
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You are absolutely right! How did I overlook Urakami? I have visited the cathedral every time I’ve gone to Nagasaki. The head of the Virgin of Urakami is a haunting reminder of God’s presence among us and especially among those who suffer. I’ve visited the little side chapel where the bust is kept and am always moved by her. The statue was facing the atomic blast, but the bust with the burned out eyes is the only part which survived. Another place to visit in Nagasaki is the little hut where Dr. Nagai lived his final years offering his suffering for the Church in Japan and for world peace. Dr. Nagai was a great inspiration to Catholics in Nagasaki during the immediate years after the war and promoted the rosary for the sake of world peace.
 
SeanF1989 said:
I would say.

The Vatican
Bethlehem
Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
Lourdes, France
Fatima, Portugal
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I have been to Lourdes in France and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Didn’t like Notre Dame Cathedra because I was simply just pointint something to my mother and a Cathedral Friend or someone such like came up to me and pointed to the silence notice. I wasn’t actually speaking at all. Just silently pointed. 😊

You haven’t got Taize down there and i know its not RC as its totally ecumenical. But its well worth the experience certianly for any 16-25 year old. Its also very international too and you get split up into different groups and may not be another member who speaks your language and yet you are all talking about the Bible.
 
Tsuwano said:
I don’t know about every Catholic, but here in Japan I always make a point to visit and pray at the Shrine of the 26 Japanese martyrs in downtown Nagasaki. It is located not far from the central station on the hill where the martyrs gave their lives in witness to the faith.
I also make a point to visit Oura Catholic Church where, after more than 200 years of persecution, the hidden Christians revealed themselves to the foreign priest and were convinced that their faith was the same as his when he showed them the statue of the Blessed Virgin in an alcove in the Church.
The third place I always visit is the village of Tsuwano in Western Japan, especially the area called the Virgin’s Pass. It was here in the 1860’s that some of the hidden Christians were removed from their homes and tortured in the hope of getting them to recant their faith. None did, and some were martyred here. One of the martyrs, while being held outside in a cage in the middle of winter with no clothes, told his fellow captives that he was visited by a woman in white during the darkest hours and that while she prayed with him he did not feel the cold. She told him that she could come to release him soon. He died in the cage. He never claimed that the vision he saw was the Blessed Virgin, but the surviving remnant believed that this is who the visitor was and it gave them the courage to hold on to their faith in spite of the continued persecution. They were eventually allowed to return to their villages as Christians.
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Can I ask where abouts in Japan you are? Our priest who been with us six month + just. Came back to England because of the earthquake. Yokahoma City I think he was there. Though we are Anglican
 
englishredrose said:
Can I ask where abouts in Japan you are? Our priest who been with us six month + just. Came back to England because of the earthquake. Yokahoma City I think he was there. Though we are Anglican
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Yes, I’m located in the city of Nagoya. Nagoya is about 200 kilometers southwest from Tokyo and Yokohama. After Yokohama it is the next stop on the Super Express Train heading towards Osaka. We have a beautiful Anglican Church not far from the Catholic Church I attend here in Nagoya. It is small, but it appears to have a vibrant Japanese community. Was your priest friend a missionary here? I hope he will return to Japan someday and I hope you will come someday for a visit. I think you would really enjoy it.
 
Mystic_Banana said:
👍

I was going to give the clever answer too… especially because in the end, it’s the true one. 😉

The only one on your lists I’ve been to is Notre Dame, and I must admit I can think of more inspiring Cathedrals - I was quite disappointed, actually… all the hype makes it sound like the biggest cathedral ever, so when you actually get there, it seems tidgy! Nice stained glass at the back, though…
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When I think of Notre Dame, I remember being surprised by the presence of a statue there in a little alcove, of Our Lady of Guadeloupe. Her words to Juan Diego were written, something like: “Know and understand well, … that I am the ever virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the True God for whom we live, of the Creator of all things, Lord of heaven and the earth. … because I am your merciful mother, to you, and to all the inhabitants on this land and all the rest who love me, invoke and confide in me; listen there to their lamentations, and remedy all their miseries, afflictions and sorrows"

I went all the way to Paris, to be touched by the Patroness of the Americas.
 
Dear Friend,

If you can, Heaven. And stay there. 😉 I said that because I could not add to the others. Well said everyone.

Love ya’ll,
My real name is Sheila
 
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