Liturgy

Liturgical Prayer and Devotional Prayer complement each other at the Basilica. The celebration of the Eucharist is the center and source of who we are as Catholics. At the same time, a healthy devotional life rooted in the mysteries of redemption and salvation as well as the lives of the saints provides the spiritual expression and direction that leads us back to celebrate the Church’s Liturgy. The image of the Blessed Virgin Mary permeates the Basilica; always leading others to her Son and providing us with the model for offering our own “fiat” to the Lord. The devotional prayers dedicated to our Blessed Mother such as the Rosary, Novena, and meditations inspired by devotional art have as their goal and culmination the Sacred Liturgy toward which they are to be oriented.

The Basilica serves pilgrims and travelers—those who are on vacation seeking to be connected with the universal Church as well as seekers looking for a spiritual experience of God’s merciful love and compassion. We are a symbol of God’s invitation to come away from the hustle and bustle of the world around us and spend some time in prayer and meditation. Through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation as well as the Liturgy of the Hours the Basilica seeks to provide an atmosphere for a true encounter with the living God.