On Day 14 of the Advent pilgrimage, we arrive at the gateway to the west: St. Louis. It is here that a very special shrine can be found, the Shrine of St. Joseph. Not only is it a beautiful church in which to reflect upon the fatherly love of Joseph and the relationship between the Christ child and his earthly guardian. It is also the site of two miracles on American soil.
This historic church, established by the Jesuits, traces its origins to 1843. In 1864, a famous missionary Fr. Weninger came to preach a mission that focused on the life of Blessed Peter Claver, the Spanish Jesuit who became known as the patron saint of slaves.
One of the women in attendance for Fr. Weninger’s mission, Mrs. Strecker, was so impressed that she encouraged her dying husband to seek help through the intercession of Peter Claver. The next day, Mr. Strecker came to the parish just as Fr. Weninger was blessing the congregation with a relic of Peter Claver. He allowed Strecker to kiss the relic and he immediately regained his strength. Within a few months, he had been restored to full health. This miraculous healing was confirmed and was the second miracle required for the canonization of Peter Claver by Pope St. Leo XIII in 1888, becoming the only Vatican approved miracle in the Midwest.
Go to Joseph!
The glorious altarpiece of the church is framed by a simple but powerful inscription: “Go to Joseph.” This message of the power of the foster father of Christ to seek His intervention is at the very heart of the second miracle that transpired at this church.
In 1866, there was a devastating cholera outbreak in St. Louis, afflicting many parishioners. The parishioners made a solemn vow to St. Joseph that if his intercession protected the parishioners from the epidemic, that they would build a suitable monument in his honor. From that day on, no parishioner who made the vow died of cholera. The promised monument is the altar you see today. It is a replica of the Altar of St. Ignatius in the mother church of the Jesuits in Rome, but with St. Joseph at the center rather than St. Ignatius and the words inscribed: “Go to Joseph.” Known as the altar of answered prayers, it was dedicated by the great missionary, Fr. DeSmet.
Discover more of Catholic St. Louis
St. Louis is known as the “Rome of the West.” Find out why by exploring the city with the Catholic travel guide to St. Louis here.
Concluding Psalm
Let us conclude with a reflection from Psalm 50:
“The God of gods, the Lord, has spoken and summoned the earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting. From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.“ (Psalm 50: 1-2)
Previous days of the pilgrimage:
Day 1 – Rapid City, South Dakota
Day 2 – Montana
Day 3 – Sacramento
Day 4 – Los Angeles
Day 5 – Tucson
Day 6 – Santa Fe
Day 7 – Denver
Day 8 – San Antonio
Day 9 – Chicago
Day 10 – LaCrosse
Day 11 – Oklahoma City
Day 12 – Omaha
Day 13 – Wichita
CATHOLIC CONCIERGE 
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