Without understanding neighbors in Kewaunee County or hotel rooms in the surrounding area like Door County, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion may have struggled with the growth it has seen in recent years. Its 1941 chapel seats 300 people, but since the Shrine’s designation as a Marian apparition site in 2010, it routinely welcomes over 150,000 pilgrims every year. Shrine rector Father of Mercy John Broussard says its growth is dependent on its local community.

The Shrine is in the midst of building a new Prayer and Worship Center designed to hold up to 1,200 people as it prepares to welcome even more pilgrims to the Champion site that dates back 160 years.