KTJT-LP Catholic radio sponsored a trip to Dyersville, Peosta and St. Donatus, Iowa, Oct. 17. Here, pilgrims walk around St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
DAVENPORT — Catholics from the Quad-City area spent a day exploring significant Catholic sites in northeast Iowa during a pilgrimage Oct. 17. The event was sponsored by KTJT-LP Catholic radio, which serves the Quad Cities metro area on 95.3FM and 103.1 FM in the Relevant Radio network.
Ginger Leigh Arnold with KTJT said when the group was looking to offer a pilgrimage to mark the Jubilee Year, they did not realize it was also the 20th anniversary of being on the air. So that part made it extra special.
The picturesque and inspiring day explored the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville, New Melleray Abbey in Peosta and St. Donatus, home of the nation’s oldest outdoor Stations of the Cross, Arnold said.
Parish ambassadors and members of the KTJT board spread the word in parishes across both sides of the river, Arnold said.
Fifty-four people signed up and there was a waiting list due to the popularity of the trip. Father Jason Crossen, pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport and vicar general for the Diocese of Davenport, served as spiritual director for the pilgrimage.
The first stop was at the Upper Room in Dyersville, which opened up early for pilgrims to have coffee and muffins. “No Catholic pilgrimage to Dyersville is complete without a stop at The Upper Room, one of the most impressive religious gift shops you’ll find,” Arnold said.
Just down the street was St. Francis Xavier Basilica, one of only two minor basilica in the state of Iowa. Some facts about the basilica include: the height of each spire is 212 feet; the gold leaf crosses on top of the spires are 6’8” wide and 14’ high; there are 64 “burnt colored” cathedral windows in the church and seating capacity is 1,200 people.
The group next traveled to New Melleray Abbey, which is home to the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance — also known as Trappists. The monastery offers liturgy, a gift shop, guest houses and a monastic center. Down the road the Abbey has a showroom where Trappist Caskets are handcrafted. The group did not visit the casket company.
St. Donatus features an outdoor Stations of the Cross constructed in the 1860s. The path has a rock and grass surface that follows inclines leading up a hill. Each station is spread out along the path. At the end of the path is Pieta Chapel. There also is a museum at St. Donatus, Arnold noted.
The day concluded with dinner at Kalmes Restaurant in St. Donatus.
Father Crossen said the pilgrimage was “fantastic. The staff did their research and gave everyone a faith-filled experience.”
Pat Bereskin of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Bettendorf chose to go as she knew two of the organizers.
“I figured it would be fun,” she said. “I didn’t know a soul (other than the two) but came home making friends in our church community.”
There was not one highlight to the day as Bereskin felt the “whole day was great.” On the way home the group recited the rosary together. “That was so powerful.”
She is joining the planning crew for future pilgrimages. Some places she would like to go are to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Champion, Wisconsin; Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in LaCrosse, Wisconsin; Holy Hill Basilica in Hubertus, Wisconsin; National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows Shrine in Belleville, Illinois; the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend, Iowa; and the National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak, Michigan.
Carolyn and Mike McFate of Our Lady of Lourdes also participated. Carolyn was part of the planning committee. “As soon as I knew we were planning to stop at St. Donatus, I wanted to go. I used to go years ago when I was younger with my family. It was exactly how I remembered. Beautiful and peaceful making that journey up the hill, stopping at the stations. We had a perfect day with the sun coming out and warming up as we made our way up the hill. This was the perfect one day trip, right amount of stops at the religious gift store, basilica, New Melleray Abbey, St. Donatus and the dinner at a local restaurant. I would definitely recommend this one day adventure.”
Mike said, “It just seemed like a great opportunity to get away for a day and the three sites we visited were all amazing and all fairly close by. It was a wonderful day, and very well planned and organized — along with beautiful weather.”
There were two highlights for him. First was returning to New Melleray Abbey.
“I went there for a middle school field trip,” he said. “It was kind of magical going back again. The monk that met with us was so funny and full of personality; he describes himself as an extrovert, which seems amazing to me considering he lives a near silent life.”
The second highlight was St. Donatus. “Just the setting out in the country and doing the Way of the Cross hike while reciting the Stations of the Cross prayers, and finally reaching the chapel at the very top of the hill was really cool.”
He found it interesting that St. Donatus is the saint for protection against storms and the statue of the saint is holding a lightning bolt. “It was a very peaceful day.”
