Pope Francis declared an Extraordinary Year of Mercy beginning Dec. 8, 2015, and ending Nov. 20, 2016. In addition to designating shrines within the St. Cloud Diocese as places of pilgrimage, Bishop Donald Kettler has encouraged parishioners to pray with the diocese’s religious communities during this Holy Year of Mercy.
The Visitor introduced a pilgrimage passport to encourage people to participate in this jubilee. The passport may be downloaded at http://stcloudvisitor.org/year-of-mercy. This is the fourth of the religious communities to be featured. Previously spotlighted were the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls (March 25), the Poor Clare Sisters (April 8) and the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict (April 22). The National Shrine of St. Odilia was profiled in the Jan. 20 issue.
Where is the church located?
The Crosier Fathers and Brothers worship at the priory church (Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church), 104 Crosier Drive N., in Onamia, as do the members of Holy Cross Parish.
What are the important features of the church?
The baptismal font at the entry immerses all in the faith and supports the crossing from this life to the next. The crucifix above the font further reminds visitors of their entry and exit in the world.
In the nave is a figure of the resurrected Christ in front of a “shadowed” cross. This Christ has passed through the experience of the cross and stands on the other side of it; he is not bound by nails and suffering in agony.
The 22 stained glass windows, designed by Robert Pinart in 1955, line the church walls and tell the story of how St. Odil
ia’s martyrdom is entwined with the history of the Crosiers.
On the left side of the sanctuary is the Marian shrine, an icon known as Our Lady of Vladimir.
The Blessed Sacrament is placed so that Crosiers can pray in its presence with privacy throughout the day.
Above the organ loft is the rose window with the Crosier cross and motto.
The Crosiers have published a guide book to the church and the National Shrine of St. Odilia, with information about its symbolic imagery, station prayers, further meditations and insight on the Crosier life.
What to do when you visit:
Visitors are invited to join the Crosiers at Mass or at the Liturgy of the Hours.
- Masses: Sunday (9:30 a.m.); weekdays (8 a.m. except Wednesday); Saturday (5:30 p.m.). Healing Masses during 2016 will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. on the Sundays of July 17 and Dec. 11.
- Liturgy of the Hours:
Sunday: Lauds (8:45 a.m.), Midday (11:50 a.m.), Vespers (5 p.m.), Compline (9 p.m.)
Weekday: Lauds (7:30 a.m.), Midday (11:50 a.m.), Vespers (5 p.m. except Wednesday), Compline (9 p.m.)
Saturday: Lauds (7:30 a.m.), Midday (11:50 a.m.), Vespers (7:30 p.m.)
To read about the National Shrine of St. Odilia, see The Visitor (Jan. 29) or to learn about obtaining the jubilee indulgence (Jan. 15).
The Crosier Fathers and Brothers welcome prayer intentions, which may be mailed to the National Shrine of St. Odilia, P.O. Box 500, Onamia, MN 56359. For more information, call the Crosiers at 320-532-3103 or visit their website at www.crosier.org.