This Sunday (at 6 pm, not the usual 5 pm!!), EWTN will air Episode 6, featuring Philadelphia’s wonderful Miraculous Medal Shrine. There is SO MUCH to say about this shrine. I’m not sure where to begin. I mean, we live all of 20 minutes away from it, so I think I’ve been there at least 25 times since I first discovered it. Maybe even more. In a lot of ways, The Faithful Traveler got its start here. Maybe I’ll start with that story.
Shortly after David and I returned from our honeymoon in 2003, we got right to work to making our as-yet-unnamed television show a reality. We knew that we needed to film a pilot—something to tempt a network, to show them what we had in mind, and to give them something to consider. We approached two places: the Miraculous Medal Shrine (which I’d never visited) and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC.
Some nerve, huh? It still makes me laugh to think of it. But, the rectors of both shrines—Monsignor Rossi at the Shrine in DC and Father Kiernan at the Shrine in Philly—both said yes! They gave us permission to film at their shrines. We were flabbergasted, to say the least.
The photo above is from our pilot episode of the Miraculous Medal Shrine. The show has evolved somewhat since that pilot—our equipment improved and the script got a bit longer, but it’s pretty similar. The main difference was that, shortly after we finished filming and editing the show, Father Kiernan died of cancer. It was so sad. He was a beloved rector, and a real sweetheart.
Time went by, and one day I got an email from a woman named Lizanne who had started working at the Miraculous Medal Shrine not long before Father Kiernan died. She found a DVD we had created, and knew nothing about it. She wanted to talk to me about it. Well, Lizanne and I met for brunch, and she found out what we had been doing, and I found out that Father Kiernan had forgotten to tell anyone about our show! The funny thing is, he told Lizanne that he REALLY wanted her to get the shrine on TV somehow! He even put it in her job description!! Well, Lizanne told me she had no idea how she was going to make that happen, but she trusted in Mary…
And, well, you all know what happens when you entrust something to Our Blessed Mother!!
Long story short, through The Faithful Traveler, Philadelphia’s Miraculous Medal Shrine (and every other location we visit) found a free way of getting on TV! They didn’t have to do anything, except let us in to film! Oh, and, of course, they lent us their new shrine rector, Father Carl Pieber, who is a gem of an interviewee and a fantastic priest.
Over the years, Lizanne, Father Pieber, and everyone else at the shrine have become great friends. I see them all the time, and they—the poor dears—see and hear me every day because they play the DVD of our episode on the shrine all day long!! (Just a bit of background—this was originally Episode 1 of The Faithful Traveler, but we rearranged things…. We also created a DVD of this episode that is currently for sale at the shrine. The show has been updated since that DVD, but, again, it’s mostly the same.) The poor security guards and gift shop workers hear my voice so much, they tell me it haunts them in their dreams!! LOL. I love it.
This shrine is a true gem, and one of the main reasons why we wanted to do this show. Sure, many people have heard of the Shrine in DC. Heck, it’s one of the most amazing Catholic sites in the whole country! But how many of them have heard of this little shrine, nestled in the confusing network of Philadelphia neighborhoods? It’s absolutely GORGEOUS, but so many people don’t know that it exists, we HAD to tell you all about it.
So be sure to watch this episode. Learn about this amazing shrine and the man who built it and who devoted his life to spreading the word about Mary’s medal. Learn about the story of the Miraculous Medal: what it means and why Catholics wear it. Enjoy the art, feed your soul. And next time you’re in the nabe, be sure to stop by. They’re always glad to see you!