The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion

What The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion does

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion is a Catholic religious shrine and pilgrimage destination located at 4047 Chapel Drive, Champion, Wisconsin, situated on the grounds where the Blessed Virgin Mary is reported to have appeared to Adele Brice in 1859. It is the first and only Church-approved Marian apparition site in the United States and Canada, declared 'Worthy of Belief' by Bishop David L. Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay in 2010 and designated a National Shrine by the USCCB in 2016. The site is staffed by the Fathers of Mercy (a Roman Catholic congregation) at the Bishop's request since 2011 and is overseen by the Diocese of Green Bay, with Fr. Anthony Stephens serving as Rector (appointed 2024).

The Shrine operates year-round (365 days, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.) with no admission fee, offering daily Mass, Confession, Eucharistic Adoration, the Rosary, Novenas, candle lighting, and the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary (20,000+ members). Core products include individual and group pilgrimages (groups of 10+ with planning coordinators), annual events (Marian Conference, Solemnity of Our Lady of Champion on October 9, Miracle of the Fire on October 8, Walk to Mary, Assumption Day), and the inaugural Saints of America Exhibit held July 1-9, 2026. Supporting services include the on-site Gift Shop and 1885 Schoolhouse Café, a virtual tour, livestreamed Mass and Rosary, an interactive events calendar, an Ambassador Program, and bilingual pilgrimage planning resources.

The organization is a non-profit religious entity (EIN 20-3929148) supported by an 11-50 person staff plus hundreds of volunteers. Revenue is generated exclusively through donations, including one-time cash gifts, the recurring Good Helpers Program (three tiers), Memorial Brick Program (commemorative pavers), Shepherd Project sponsorships, planned giving/estate gifts, stock donations, candle lighting donations, gift shop retail (on-site and online at shop.championshrine.org), and fees associated with memorial bricks. Customers are primarily individual Catholic pilgrims and families, parishes and schools arranging group pilgrimages, and children/youth receiving catechesis.

Name

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion

Legal name

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion

Website

https://championshrine.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion is a Catholic pilgrimage destination in Champion, Wisconsin, and the only Church-approved Marian apparition site in the U.S. and Canada, offering daily Mass, pilgrimages, devotional services, annual events, and a gift shop, funded by donations and operated by the Fathers of Mercy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Shrine and Pilgrimage Services

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Landmarks & Pilgrimage Sites (Temples, Churches, Shrines) (THAJACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL), Specialty & Historic Venues (Landmarks, Estates) (THAHAAAK)

Keywords

• Catholic pilgrimage services
• Religious shrine services
• Faith formation programs
• Christian devotional services
• Catholic charity donations

Headquarters

HQ city

Champion

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The Shrine accepts monetary donations through various programs including online donations, memorial brick program, Good Helpers Program, candle lighting donations, and general cash/check donations. The organization is described as a non-profit religious organization.
2. Gift Shop Sales: On-site gift shop located in the 1885 Schoolhouse building selling faith-centered books, clothing, religious articles, rosaries, prayer cards, medals, statues, and crucifixes. Online store available at shop.championshrine.org.
3. Memorial Brick Program: Commemorative personalized paver bricks sold in two sizes, laid as part of Stations of the Cross walkway or in front of Apparition Grotto.
4. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: Charitable gifts made through wills, endowment gifts, and estate planning programs. Donors can include the Shrine as a beneficiary.
5. Stock Donations: Accepts gifts of appreciated stock, allowing donors to avoid capital gains tax while receiving income tax deduction.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion is a Catholic religious shrine and pilgrimage destination located in Champion, Wisconsin, operating on the site of the 1859 approved Marian apparition to Adele Brice. It provides daily Mass, Confession, Eucharistic Adoration, devotional programs, and organized pilgrimage experiences for individuals and groups, supported by an on-site gift shop, café, history center, livestream services, and donation/membership programs.

Product overview

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion is a Catholic religious shrine and pilgrimage destination that offers a portfolio of spiritual services rather than a unified technology product. Core offerings include individual and group pilgrimage experiences (365 days a year), major annual events (Marian Conference, Solemnity of Our Lady of Champion, Miracle of Fire, Walk to Mary, Assumption Day), and devotional practices (Novenas, Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary, candle lighting, Eucharistic Adoration, Shepherd Project). Supporting services include a Gift Shop and Online Store (shop.championshrine.org), Virtual Tour, Livestream Services, Events Calendar with calendar subscriptions, an Ambassador Program, and donation programs (Memorial Brick, Good Helpers). The shrine also provides on-site amenities including the 1885 Schoolhouse Café, History Center, and comprehensive pilgrimage planning resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of pilgrims attend annually, with special events drawing thousands more from across the country
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Fathers of MercycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011The Fathers of Mercy is a Roman Catholic Congregation of Priests focused on preaching parish missions and retreats, founded in France in 1808. Since 2011, at the request of the Bishop of Green Bay, they have staffed the National Shrine and served its pilgrims through the Sacraments. Rev. Tony Stephens, CPM serves as Rector, with Fr. Nathanael Mudd and Fr. Zachery Feldker serving as Chaplains.
• Diocese of Green BaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Diocese of Green Bay, under Bishop David L. Ricken (12th Bishop), oversees the Shrine. Bishop Ricken led the formal Church investigation and approved the apparitions in 2010. The Shrine operates within this diocese.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes: The global benchmark Catholic Marian apparition shrine in France, drawing millions of pilgrims annually. Comparable as an apparition-based Marian pilgrimage destination, but operates at vastly larger scale internationally with extensive lodging, medical, and infrastructure operations.
• Sanctuary of Fatima: A major Catholic Marian apparition shrine in Portugal, one of the world's largest pilgrimage destinations. Comparable as an approved Marian apparition site with pilgrimage, devotional services, and donations-based funding, but on an international scale.

Others

• Relevant Radio: A Catholic radio network that has featured the subject Shrine and shares an overlapping donor and listener base. Adjacent rather than directly competitive — Relevant Radio is a media/donor-engagement channel that amplifies Shrine reach.
• Catholic Extension: A U.S. Catholic nonprofit that funds missionary work and underserved Catholic communities, including pilgrimage-related initiatives. Comparable as a U.S. Catholic 501(c)(3) operating in the same donor pool, but focused on grantmaking rather than operating a shrine.
• EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network): A major Catholic media organization that has featured the subject Shrine and shares the same target audience of devout American Catholics. Not a pilgrimage peer but a relevant ecosystem player in Catholic content distribution and donor cultivation.

Direct peers

• National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa: A Catholic Marian shrine in Doylestown, PA that operates as a pilgrimage destination with daily devotional services, gift shop, donations-based funding, and annual feast day programming. Closely comparable as a Marian-focused National Shrine in the U.S. with overlapping visitor demographic.
• Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe: A Catholic Marian shrine in La Crosse, WI offering daily Mass, devotional services, pilgrimage accommodations, and donation-based funding. Direct geographic and category peer — both Marian shrines in the Upper Midwest serving the same regional pilgrim base.
• Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: The largest Catholic shrine in North America, located in Washington, D.C. Operates as a National Shrine under USCCB designation with daily Mass, pilgrimage programming, gift shop, and donations-based funding — directly comparable category and revenue model to the subject.
• National Shrine of St. Joseph: The National Shrine of St. Joseph in De Pere, WI is a U.S. Catholic National Shrine and is directly connected to the subject via the annual Walk to Mary 22-mile pilgrimage between the two sites. Same category, same visitor demographic, same operating model (devotional services, donations, gift shop, annual events).
• El Santuario de Chimayó: A famous Catholic pilgrimage shrine in New Mexico known for its miracle-attributed holy dirt, drawing tens of thousands of pilgrims annually during Holy Week. Comparable as a regionally-significant pilgrimage destination with donations-based funding, gift shop, and devotional programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ChampionShrine
• Xx.com/ChampionShrine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-national-shrine-of-our-lady-of-champion

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion