Encounter Emmitsburg

Emmitsburg, Maryland is a beautiful small town just 90 minutes from the Washington D.C. area. Nestled at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it is home to two major Catholic shrines which host thousands of visitors each year and is the perfect setting for a short pilgrimage of faith. Encounter Jesus as you walk in the footsteps of the first native-born U.S. citizen to be canonized as a saint. Click on the photo to the left to download a handy summary of this page to take with you on your pilgrimage.

“Go to Him with faith, love, and confidence - He will help.
Fill yourself with His spirit and He Himself will govern.” St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

(Photo source: Emmitsburg, MD Panorama from US-15 rest area by Vasiliy Meshko is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. The image can be found here.)

Emmitsburg, Maryland is a beautiful small town just 90 minutes from the Washington DC area. Nestled at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it is home to two major Catholic shrines which host thousands of visitors each year and is the perfect setting for a short pilgrimage of faith.

Places to Visit

• The Basilica and National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is one of the top eight Catholic pilgrimage destinations in the U.S. A beautiful place to learn more about the first native-born U.S. citizen to be canonized. Explore the shrine museum (no cost), visit the home where she lived, the places she prayed, and the where she taught. Pray and ask for intercession at her tomb, learn about the Civil War Sisters, and take time to walk through St. Joseph Cemetery and pray for those who have died. The museum has a scavenger hunt for younger children. (Photo source: Interior of the Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton by Farragutful is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. The image can be found here.)
  
  
  
  
• Emmitsburg is the home of Mount St. Mary's University and the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. This is truly a beautiful site. Set in beautiful scenery surrounded by woods, you can walk alongside Christ during his Passion as you pray the stations of the cross, climb up the steps to Calvary as you reach Christ crucified, and stop and pray, asking our lady's intercession at the Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes.  (Photo source: Visitfrederick.org. The image can be found here.)
  
  
  
  
  
• Visit the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial just next door to the Seton Shrine to pray for those who made the ultimate sacrifice while trying to save others. In 1809, Mother Seton opened a boarding school for girls on this site. The school later became St. Joseph's College, one of America's first Catholic women's colleges. The Daughters of Charity closed the College in 1973 and sold the buildings and more than 100 acres to the Federal Government in 1979. (currently closed due to COVID-19) (Photo source: usfa.fema.gov. The image can be found here.)
  
  
  
• To take in the beauty of God's creation, visit Cunningham Falls State Park. Surrounded by the beautiful Catoctin Mountains, this park is home to Maryland's highest cascading waterfall. A hiking trail and a short walking path both lead to the falls where visitors enjoy picturesque views year-round. Other hiking trails of various difficulty levels weave through the park. (Photo source: "Cunningham Falls" by 1sock is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Plan your pilgrimage/visit

Here are the top 7 suggestions for planning your trip.

1. Check out the websites to the places you want to visit. Each website has all the information you could possibly need to plan a visit: COVID restrictions, hours of operation, admission fees, etc.
   • Basilica and National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
   • National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes
   • National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
   • Cunningham Falls State Park
2. Make a schedule for your day
   • Schedules will vary depending on the places you want to visit. If you are just visiting the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine, you can find sample schedules on their website, but if you are visiting more than one site, you can find a sample schedule/ideas in the Resources section below. 
3. Before heading out on your pilgrimage, take some time to learn about the places you're visiting. For example: read a short bio about St. Elizbeth Ann Seton, look at some pictures of Cunningham Falls and get excited about what you will see. 
4. Be prepared and make a packing list. Pack your favorite snacks, lunch, sunscreen, hat, picnic blanket, water, umbrella, printouts, camera, money, journal, pen, bible, etc. 
5. Keep the pilgrimage alive in the car: play Christian music, listen to an audio book, or a podcast. (See Resources below)
6. Print directions, maps, or anything you'll need for your trip. We even have a scavenger hunt! Adults and children alike love a good scavenger hunt. The St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine has one on their website, but you can also find another one below in the Resources section.
7. Most importantly, don't forget to pray, have fun, and make memories. You can find a travel prayer in the Resource section below.