Shrine of St. Martin of Tours

Please help us prepare the way, from the door to the altar, for the glory of God and the good of souls!

“I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” (John 10:9)

Where does the Mass begin? Even before the procession, it begins in the sacristy, where the priest quietly vests while saying the Church’s ancient prayers, and the altar server puts on his cassock and surplice to set aside the everyday and serve at the altar of God. Vestments are sacred signs. The Church has always surrounded the Holy Sacrifice with them, so that its majesty may be honored and the minds of the faithful raised to the mysteries hidden within it. Each vestment carries its own prayer and its own virtue, and together they announce that what is about to happen is not ordinary. The sacristy is the first room of the Mass, and it deserves to look and function like one. BUT, after decades of faithful service, that sacristy and the vestments it holds are in need of renewal, and we need your help.  

And the preparation that begins in the sacristy reaches all the way to the Shrine’s entrance. Pilgrims come to our Shrine carrying petitions, griefs, and thanksgivings, some after long journeys. Our signage is lacking and the side door nearly all of us pass through is showing its age.

With your help, we can renew the first room of the Mass, vest our clergy and servers worthily, and open a beautiful, welcoming way-in for every pilgrim & member. By reaching our goal, we will renovate and restore the sacristy as a true place of prayer and preparation; provide a new set of vestments for our priests, deacons and altar servers; install clear signage that says to every seeker, “you have found it, come in”; and restore the side door so that it opens the way Our Lord promised: “Knock, and it shall be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

Why does beauty matter? Because we adorn what we love. The Church does not offer the Holy Sacrifice from what is faded and failing when her people can offer better. Beauty is not extravagance; it is praise made visible, and for many a pilgrim, the beauty of a holy place is the first homily they hear. All of life is preparation, as the Church teaches in her very seasons: Advent before Christmas, Lent before Easter, silence before Mass.

Please click the donate button to help us prepare the way, from the door to the altar! 

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About Us:

The Shrine of St. Martin of Tours is a very special place of devotion, prayer and piety…a treasure of the entire Archdiocese.  Like Catholic shrines all over the world, it is especially dedicated to prayer and devotion to the liturgy, service to the poor, and veneration of the saints. A place of pilgrimage, where the faith is flourishing and where the Word of God is preached in its fullness.   

Now 170 years young and open 24 hours a day, our shrine provides perpetual eucharistic adoration of our Lord, and enables veneration of Saints Bonosa and Magnus at their glass tombs. It is known for beautifully reverent liturgies along with many pious devotions that richly share timeless traditions of the Catholic faith. The renowned sacred music, beautiful statues and radiant stained glass iconography uplifts minds and hearts to God every day.    

St. Martin’s also follows the demands of the Gospel by serving, feeding and clothing Christ in the poorest of the poor, caring for the most vulnerable among  us.  The shrine’s Schumann Center and Golden Arrow Center provide vital help to needy men, women and children in our community.  

The shrine warmly welcomes and serves the entire archdiocese as a vibrant place of refreshment, refuge and faith-building for all ages.  Our doors never close!  Providing all the liturgical functions of a regular parish, our members include many young people and growing families, as well those devoted for a long-time.  People from all over the surrounding area come to St. Martin’s…just to visit, make a pilgrimage, or to make it their spiritual home. 

Thank you for your help - may God reward you!