National Shrine of Saint Joseph

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The National Shrine of Saint Joseph is located in DePere, Wisconsin, a few miles from the city of Green Bay, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay. The Shrine is in the care of the Norbertine Order, and is housed at St. Norbert Abbey, DePere, Wisconsin.^[1]

The Shrine was originally located at St. Joseph Church in DePere, Wisconsin. In the late 1800s, inspired by a deep devotion to the foster-father of Jesus Christ, Father Joseph Durin, who was the pastor, began work to have a statue of Saint Joseph crowned and declared a national shrine. In 1891, Father Durin, supported by more than 30 bishops and thousands of lay people, embarked on a quest to present his petition for a national shrine to the Vatican for official approval. Father Durin’s efforts were rewarded, and in 1892 Pope Leo XIII officially recognized the statue as a National Shrine. Sebastian Gebhard Messmer, who was the Bishop of Green Bay, during this time, presided over the coronation of the statue. Saint Joseph was presented with a flat (mural) crown, while the Christ Child in his arms wears an imperial crown.

The shrine moved to the care of the Norbertines in 1959. A perpetual novena to St. Joseph, started by Father Durin in 1888 and continuing to this day, is held every Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.