St. Mary's Basilica, Phoenix, AZ

In 2009, we visited Arizona.  The main purpose of our trip was to see the Grand Canyon, but we saw much more than that!  We flew into Phoenix and saw a Diamondbacks game before heading up to our cabin in Flagstaff.  The afternoon before the game was spent exploring the downtown area.  One of the places we visited was St. Mary's Basilica.  It was beautiful!

 

This picture doesn't do the outside justice, but I couldn't get far enough back on the crowded street to capture the whole thing.

 

 

Inside....

 

One of the stained glass windows.  I LOVE stained glass windows!

 

The confessional...



 

Their stations of the cross were some of the most beautiful I've ever seen.  I think I have the same fascination with stations of the cross as I do with stained glass windows!  I think it's because there's just such variety in them that I never get tired of looking at various ones.



The particular day we were there was Phoenix's first 100 degree day of the year.  (Lucky us!)  It was really hot!  When we parked in the lot behind the church we noticed a table with a cooler of water on it.  We wondered what it was for.  When we walked around to the front of the church we figured it out.  Apparently, several of Phoenix's homeless like to take refuge from the heat on the church grounds in the shade of the church and trees.  We figured the water must be for them.  A good example of doing for Jesus by doing for the least of his people.

If you want to visit St. Mary's or find out more about it here is their website:  St. Mary's Basilica

St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Eureka Springs, AK

I thought for the first blog post I'd start with the first trip my husband and I took as a married couple.  We went to Eureka Springs, Arkansas for our honeymoon in 1996.  We went to mass at a different church while we were there, but we visited St. Elizabeth's while touring the town one day.  The history of the church begins in 1882 with it being dedicated as St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church in 1909.

 

The front entrance...

 

the altar...

 

 

the Mary side...

 

 

the Joseph side...

 

Being in the mountains made it all the more interesting. 

They had a raised walkway ramp with the stations of the cross along it leading from the bell tower, which is free standing, to the front doors of the church.

 

 

A closer view of the stations...

 

And this is the view of the church from the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs.

You can see the unattached bell tower in the picture too.  Pretty, huh?

 

If you'd like to visit the church or read more about it click here for their webpage.