A Basilica and a Shrine
I had a single vacation day I needed to get off the books… and frankly, I needed a day off for mental health. So I went to Washington, DC and visited two sites I’ve had on my list for a while now.
First stop of the day was to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Originally, I went for the architecture. I did a photographic exploration of Detroit’s churches for an independent photography course during my grad school program, and have been intrigued by church architecture ever since.
However, it quickly and quietly turned into a spiritual journey for me, as I sat in the Crypt Church in the lower level. The setting, the serenity I felt, the reflection it offered me all inspired me to a deeper purpose for being there. On a bit of whim, I went to the open confessionals and participated in my first Sacrament of Reconciliation in over a decade.
I walked out of the Basilica feeling lighter, quieter, and more centered than I have in a very long time.
Leaving the Basilica, it was a short drive to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. JPII was “my Pope'“. He was the first Pope I remember, and due to the length of his papacy, he has also been the Pope of “most of my life”. I have starting reading more about his life and legacy in the past few years, so this was a bit of a pilgrimage for me. And it did not disappoint. I didn’t take many pictures, but there were multiple permanent and temporary exhibits on display, making for a lot of reading and reflecting. Upon entering, the docent had told me it was easy to spend an entire day just reading and absorbing it all, and while I only had 3-4 hours, I know I will go back, because she was 100% right - I skimmed the edges, but there was so much more to take in.
Hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into my spiritual journey. Remember to always Spin the Compass.
