About The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians · Hubertus, Wisconsin
The Basilica and National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians at Holy Hill, commonly known as 'Holy Hill,' is a Roman Catholic Marian shrine and minor basilica perched atop the highest point of the Kettle Moraine near Hubertus, Wisconsin, about 35 miles north of Milwaukee. Founded in 1863 when Irish settlers and a local hermit named François Soubrio placed the first log chapel on the hill, the shrine has been cared for by Discalced Carmelite Friars since 1906 and was raised to the status of minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006, the centennial of their arrival. The present Romanesque Revival church, completed and consecrated in 1931, was designed by architect Hermann J. Gaul and seats 600 beneath Van Treeck Studios stained glass depicting the life of Mary. Drawing an estimated 300,000–500,000 pilgrims and sightseers each year, Holy Hill offers daily Mass in English and Spanish, Eucharistic adoration, reconciliation, a 178-step scenic tower, a life-sized outdoor Way of the Cross, a guesthouse and retreat center, and an on-site Carmelite formation program.
- Established
- 1863
- Patron
- Mary, Help of Christians (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Mark DeVelis, O.C.D. (Rector & Prior)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
Holy Hill draws between 300,000 and 500,000 pilgrims each year because it pairs genuine monastic Catholic prayer with the accessibility of a working shrine: daily Mass in English and Spanish, weekday Eucharistic adoration in the Shrine Chapel, a robust reconciliation schedule, a Spanish-language Sunday Mass, the rosary prayed in common, the outdoor life-sized Way of the Cross, and a Carmelite community that welcomes individual pilgrims, parish groups, and overnight retreatants at the Old Monastery Inn and the New Guest House. It is also a National Shrine and minor basilica, so visitors can experience the full rhythm of Catholic devotional life — Marian consecration, first Saturdays, the feast of Mary Help of Christians on May 24, and devotions to St. Thérèse — alongside nearly 1,400 feet of elevation and panoramic views of the Kettle Moraine. For Catholics in southeastern Wisconsin and beyond, it is a place to find a 'Beacon of Hope' through quiet prayer, the sacraments, group retreats, and a community of Discalced Carmelite friars who pray for their friends and supporters even from afar.
Mass times at The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday – Friday: 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. on Level 2 (Mercy Chapel)
- Saturday: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. on Level 2 (Mercy Chapel)
- By appointment only outside the above times — call (262) 628-1838
Adoration times
- Tuesdays: Eucharistic Adoration in the Shrine Chapel following the 6:00 a.m. Mass until the start of the 11:00 a.m. Mass
- First Fridays: Eucharistic Adoration in the Shrine Chapel following the 6:00 a.m. Mass until the start of the 11:00 a.m. Mass
- First Saturdays: Eucharistic Adoration in the Shrine Chapel following the 6:00 a.m. Mass until the start of the 11:00 a.m. Mass
History of Holy Hill
The story of Holy Hill reaches back to the early 1860s, when Irish settlers had begun calling the prominent Kettle Moraine hilltop 'Holy Hill' and a hermit named François Soubrio lived in a small chapel on the summit. On May 24, 1863, Fr. George Strickner formally used the name in dedicating a log chapel as the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians. Pilgrims quickly began making their way up the rough road; Fr. Ferdinand Raess graded the road and installed the first wooden Stations of the Cross in 1875. After Archbishop John Henni approved a larger frame church in 1879 and a second shrine was built, Archbishop Sebastian G. Messmer placed the site in the care of the Discalced Carmelite Friars in 1906. The second shrine gave way to the present (third) church, whose cornerstone was laid by Archbishop Messmer on August 22, 1926, designed by architect Hermann J. Gaul of Chicago, and consecrated in 1931. The Discalced Carmelite centennial was celebrated in 2006 and on July 11, 2006 Pope Benedict XVI named Holy Hill a minor basilica; Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan dedicated it as such on November 19, 2006. The shrine was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 12, 1992, and the 21-acre historic district encompasses the present church along with the Monastery of Mary Help of Christians.
- First log chapel dedicated 1863
- Discalced Carmelite stewardship began June 26, 1906
- Third shrine cornerstone August 22, 1926
- Present church consecrated 1931
- Added to National Register of Historic Places 1992
- Designated a minor basilica 2006
Architecture, Art and Stained Glass
The present basilica is a Romanesque Revival design seating 600, with terrazzo floors, hand-carved oak pews, and hand-wrought iron and bronze metalwork. Fourteen tall stained-glass windows high in the upper church were made by the Van Treeck Studios of Munich, Germany, arriving in Wisconsin via the St. Lawrence Seaway in March 1958 and installed at no charge by Matthew Lechner; ten small windows at eye level illustrate the sorrowful and glorious mysteries of the rosary, and 18 windows that had been hidden by the confessionals are symbolic of Mary's charisms. A Rose Window above the choir loft honors the Immaculate Conception, with twelve angels from the Apocalypse surrounding her and Adam and Eve below. Mosaics of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross — co-founders of the Discalced Carmelites — adorn the interior. In 2013, four cast-bronze entry doors designed by architect Duncan G. Stroik and sculpted by Cody Swanson were dedicated, depicting St. Teresa of Avila, the Annunciation, and St. John of the Cross.
- Architect Hermann J. Gaul of Chicago
- Contractor H. Schmitt & Son
- Capacity 600
- Van Treeck Studios stained glass, Munich, 1958
- Stroik/Swanson cast-bronze doors, 2013
Devotions and Marian Spirituality
As the only Marian national shrine in Wisconsin, Holy Hill is centered on devotion to Mary under the title Help of Christians (May 24). The friars maintain a Shrine Chapel for Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction, lead the daily Rosary, and lead the Way of the Cross on Fridays during Lent at 10:20 a.m. in the St. Therese Chapel. The International Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima has visited the shrine as part of Marian devotion days, with a procession from the lower grounds into the upper church. First Saturdays bring an additional Rosary after the 11:00 a.m. Mass, and religious articles are blessed by a priest after each 11:00 a.m. daily Mass, Monday through Saturday.
- Feast of Mary Help of Christians, May 24
- First Friday and First Saturday devotions
- Daily Rosary Monday–Saturday at 10:20 a.m.
- Stations of the Cross on Lenten Fridays at 10:20 a.m.
St. Therese Chapel and the Carmelite Patrons
The Chapel of St. Therese on Level 2 was dedicated July 15, 1928, one year after Pope Pius XI declared St. Thérèse of Lisieux patroness of the missions. In 2014, Conrad Schmitt Studios of New Berlin, Wisconsin completed a new series of 16 stained-glass windows depicting scenes from the life of St. Thérèse — her baptism, first Communion, audience with Pope Leo XIII, dress-up as St. Joan of Arc, miraculous healing through the Blessed Mother, her deathbed and her promise 'I will spend my heaven doing good on earth.' The chapel was the focal point of the friars' 2023 anticipation of Pope Francis's apostolic letter on St. Thérèse. The upper church also carries mosaics of the two founders of the Discalced Carmelite Order — St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross — emphasizing the spirituality that shapes the basilica's life.
- St. Therese Chapel dedicated July 15, 1928
- 16 new stained-glass windows by Conrad Schmitt Studios, 2014
- Founders: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross
Retreats, Guest House and Hospitality
The Discalced Carmelites operate two retreat buildings on the hill. The Old Monastery Inn, built in 1919 as the original monastery and converted to retreat rooms after the new monastery was completed in 1935, has fifteen rooms (mostly two single beds), one large common bathroom per floor, a conference room for up to 50 people, a lounge, retreat kitchen, and a chapel with 24/7 access. The New Guest House, built in 1962 and renovated in 2017, sits above the Gift Store with fourteen rooms (each with two single beds and a private bath) and a communal kitchenette. Both buildings are accessible only by stairs. Single-occupancy rates start at $40/night in the Old Monastery Inn and $50/night in the New Guest House; retreats may be arranged individually or as a parish group, and a priest traveling with the group may celebrate a private Mass and offer Confession.
- Old Monastery Inn (1919) — 15 rooms, communal bathroom
- New Guest House (1962, renovated 2017) — 14 rooms with private bath
- Rates from $40 single + tax; $50 double + tax
- Conference room for up to 50 people
- Daily Mass and reconciliation available for retreat groups
Carmelite Community and Formation
The Discalced Carmelite Friars of the Washington Province have served Holy Hill since 1906, drawing their spirituality from the teaching and example of St. Teresa of Jesus and St. John of the Cross and giving 'primacy to an intimate friendship with Jesus Christ.' The community hosts a full formation program with a novitiate, postulancy, and philosophy/theology studies (in cooperation with Boston College School of Theology and Ministry). In a single recent year the community accepted nine men into the postulancy, sent four Brothers to make Solemn Profession, and ordained a new priest, Fr. Pier Giorgio Pacelli. About 12 priests and additional friars in formation typically live on site. Funds raised by the Development Office support the shrine's facilities, the Province's ministries, and the Discalced Carmelite mission in the East African nation of Kenya.
- Washington Province of Discalced Carmelites since 1906
- Active postulancy, novitiate and formation program
- 12 priests and friars in formation on site
- Supports Discalced Carmelite mission in Kenya
Parish of St. Mary of the Hill
The Carmelites of Holy Hill serve the parish community of St. Mary of the Hill, located at 1515 Carmel Road directly below the basilica on the Holy Hill grounds. Founded in 1924 by Archbishop Messmer after the small St. Augustine's parish on the hill was dissolved, St. Mary of the Hill has its own schedule of Masses (Wednesday 6:00 p.m., Saturday 4:00 p.m., Sunday 7:00 and 9:30 a.m., plus a First Saturday 9:00 a.m. Mass May–October), Eucharistic Adoration (Wednesdays 9 a.m.–6 p.m., and First Saturdays 9:30–10:30 a.m. May–October), and ministries including Visitation, Youth, Children's, Music, and ongoing CCD/religious education. The parish and shrine share the friars as pastoral staff: the current pastor is Fr. Jude Peters, O.C.D.
- Founded 1924 by Archbishop Messmer
- Address: 1515 Carmel Rd., Hubertus, WI 53033
- Pastoral team led by Fr. Jude Peters, O.C.D.
- Parish Office: (262) 673-7505 / (262) 628-3606
Visitor Information: Hours, Tower, Cafe and Gift Store
The Basilica and National Shrine is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the grounds (including the outdoor Way of the Cross) from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Shrine Chapel and Chapel of St. Therese are open 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. The 178-step, 192-foot Scenic Observation Tower is open seasonally May 1 – October 31 (Mon–Sat 9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Sundays 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.) and is closed for frost, snow, fog, rain, lightning, gusty winds, or wet stairs. The Holy Hill Cafe (soups, sandwiches, salads, coffee, baked goods) is open Tuesday–Sunday 7:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., and the Gift Store is open Monday–Friday 9:00–4, Saturday 9:00–4:30, Sunday 9:00–4. The Monastery Office is open Monday–Friday 8:30–3:30 and Saturday 9:00–3:00; closed Sunday.
- Shrine and grounds open 6:00 a.m. daily
- Scenic Tower May 1 – October 31, weather permitting
- Gift Store: (262) 628-4735
- Cafe open Tuesday–Sunday
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. George Strickner1861–c.1870s
Pastor of the Richfield parishes; on May 24, 1863 dedicated the first log chapel and preached the first Holy Hill sermon, using the name 'Holy Hill' formally for the first time.
- Fr. Ferdinand Raess1875–c.1883
Pastor at St. Hubert's; graded the road up the hill, installed the first wooden Stations of the Cross, and initiated the second (frame) shrine church in 1879.
- Fr. Corbinian, O.C.D.early 1900s
Discalced Carmelite; led the response to the 1922 fire that destroyed the St. Augustine's stone church and oversaw the transition to a permanent Discalced Carmelite community at Holy Hill.
- Fr. Cyril, O.C.D.c.1921–c.1925
Carmelite superior at Holy Hill; wrote an early history of Holy Hill in 1923 and entrusted the third (present) shrine construction to the Herman Gaul design starting in 1925.
- Fr. Stephen Dzuban, O.C.D.c.1950s
Supervised construction of the present (expanded) Sacred Heart Shrine Chapel in the third shrine church, dedicated December 8, 1956.
- Fr. Mark DeVelis, O.C.D.2020s–present
Current Rector & Prior of the Discalced Carmelite community at Holy Hill; author of the community's regular newsletter.
