Roman Catholic Nun. Sister Brise came to America with her parents in 1855 and settled in Wisconsin. She lived on the family farm along with her siblings and they all were expected to contribute to the work on the farm. On October 9, 1859 while carrying grain to a mill she had an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She kept the vision to herself, until the following Sunday when walking to Sunday mass the Blessed Mother again appeared to her, in the same location. She reported these visits to her family and to the local priest, and was told that if the lady appeared again to ask her who she was, and what she wanted of her. When the lady appeared for the third time Adele asked her who she was. The lady identified herself as the "Queen of Heaven" and told her to "gather the children in this area and teach them what they should know for salvation." The lady added "teach them their catechism, how to sign themselves with the sign of the cross and how to approach the sacraments... that is what I wish you to do." go and I will help you." In 1861 a chapel was erected on the site of the apparition and a school was built by 1867. In 1871 a great fire consumed the entire countryside around Champion killing over 1,500 people. Sister Adele along with others took refuge in the chapel and prayed to Mary for their safety and protection. The fire burned everything around them, but spared the chapel, those inside, and all the farm animals which were located close to the chapel. Over the years many people made pilgrimages to the chapel to seeks cures for their ailments. Many of those who came were cured and left an array of crutches and canes in the chapel. The cures which many felt were miracles were reported widely. The shrine has had thousands of visitors in the 150 years since the apparitions. On December 8, 2010 Bishop David Ricken announced his formal decree that he officially acknowledged the Marian apparitions that occurred on the site of the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help as "worthy of belief" thus becoming the only Marian shrine in the United States. With this announcement the Shrine of Our Lady of Help would be included with other famous Marian shrines of the world where "The Blessed Mother" appeared including Fatima, Lourdes and Guadalupe. The shrine has been recognized by the Vatican as a "holy site" the only one so recognized in the United States.
Roman Catholic Nun. Sister Brise came to America with her parents in 1855 and settled in Wisconsin. She lived on the family farm along with her siblings and they all were expected to contribute to the work on the farm. On October 9, 1859 while carrying grain to a mill she had an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She kept the vision to herself, until the following Sunday when walking to Sunday mass the Blessed Mother again appeared to her, in the same location. She reported these visits to her family and to the local priest, and was told that if the lady appeared again to ask her who she was, and what she wanted of her. When the lady appeared for the third time Adele asked her who she was. The lady identified herself as the "Queen of Heaven" and told her to "gather the children in this area and teach them what they should know for salvation." The lady added "teach them their catechism, how to sign themselves with the sign of the cross and how to approach the sacraments... that is what I wish you to do." go and I will help you." In 1861 a chapel was erected on the site of the apparition and a school was built by 1867. In 1871 a great fire consumed the entire countryside around Champion killing over 1,500 people. Sister Adele along with others took refuge in the chapel and prayed to Mary for their safety and protection. The fire burned everything around them, but spared the chapel, those inside, and all the farm animals which were located close to the chapel. Over the years many people made pilgrimages to the chapel to seeks cures for their ailments. Many of those who came were cured and left an array of crutches and canes in the chapel. The cures which many felt were miracles were reported widely. The shrine has had thousands of visitors in the 150 years since the apparitions. On December 8, 2010 Bishop David Ricken announced his formal decree that he officially acknowledged the Marian apparitions that occurred on the site of the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help as "worthy of belief" thus becoming the only Marian shrine in the United States. With this announcement the Shrine of Our Lady of Help would be included with other famous Marian shrines of the world where "The Blessed Mother" appeared including Fatima, Lourdes and Guadalupe. The shrine has been recognized by the Vatican as a "holy site" the only one so recognized in the United States.
