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Each year, thousands of people arrive at the Mission Center
and Shrine. Some come to pray, others to see this historic
place and learn about the life of an extraordinary American
woman, St. Katharine Drexel.
The Mission Center offers visitors a place to pray, relax, learn,
and eat. Covered ramps lead from the Mission Center to St. Elizabeth Chapel and Shrine. The Gift Shop and bathrooms
are conveniently located. The indoor cafe and the open air
patio with tables make pleasant places to eat and chat.
Elevators provide easy access to the auditorium and meeting
room on the second floor.
The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament partner with others to
offer programs in spirituality, justice issues, environmental responsibility, Eucharistic theology, liturgy, etc.
The Sisters want to preserve the sense of the sacred many
visitors say they experience. Time and again they tell how
they appreciate the quiet and prayerful environment, within
the buildings and on the grounds.
Some pilgrimage groups traveling with a priest include the Eucharistic liturgy as an essential part of their spiritual
journey.
A group may plan a structured day of prayer and sharing.
Historically the apostolate of the Sisters of the Blessed
Sacrament has been primarily with Black and Native American people, first in the United States, more recently in Haiti. Much
of the art displayed in St. Elizabeth Chapel, the Center, and the Shrine reflects this ministry focus. The Gift Shop offers works
by or about Native American, African-American, African, and
Haitian artists and musicians.
Furniture, photo displays, and other artifacts graphically tell
the story of St. Katharine Drexel, the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, and the accomplishments of Black and Native
American people.
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