Four years. Ninety-four basilicas. Thirty-five states.
After visiting each basilica in the United States, Grady Connolly, founder of Social Thomist and an alumnus of The Catholic University of America in Washington, invites others to do the same with his new book, “Basilicas.” The book invites Americans to encounter the country’s unique Catholic beauty by making a pilgrimage to basilicas.
It was a stop to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington that sparked his desire for pilgrimage. During his sophomore year of high school, Connolly visited the shrine for the Vigil for Life Mass. He immediately fell in love with the church and wanted to go to Catholic U., which is adjacent to the basilica.
However, Connolly’s family could not afford to send him there . When he visited the basilica again during his senior year for the March for Life, he prayed for a miracle.
“I begged God. I said, ‘I want to go to Catholic U. so bad (and) as of right now I still can’t afford it … but if you allow me to go there, I promise to visit you at this basilica every day,’ ” Connolly said.
Through various scholarship opportunities, Connolly was able to cover all his college expenses and attend Catholic U. When he arrived on campus, he kept his promise of praying at the basilica every day.
The daily prayer was life changing for Connolly and gave him a bold idea: visit every basilica — or church that the Vatican has recognized for its historical, spiritual, liturgical or architectural significance — in the country.
“It just changed my life. It was the start of my prayer life in a new way. That’s where I had the idea of if I experienced such a miracle, such a grace at this basilica, I want to visit all of them as a way to give back to God,” Connolly said.
When he first began his journey, there were 85 basilicas. By the time he finished, he visited all 94 basilicas in the country. From visiting basilicas in large cities to ones in rural communities, he encountered the stories of those who sacrificed everything to build a church in their community.
Connolly’s journey included visiting the Arlington diocese’s basilica, St. Mary’s in Alexandria. He calls it a representation of religious freedom, as it was one of the first Catholic churches built after Thomas Jefferson drafted a bill to grant religious freedom. Col. John Fitzgerald, a Catholic officer who fought under George Washington, spearheaded the campaign to build the church, with Washington being one of the first donors.
St. Mary’s was elevated to a basilica in 2017 by Pope Francis. Today, Connolly still sees the vibrancy of faith through the basilica’s parishioners.
“The Basilica of St. Mary is such a tremendous church,” Connolly said. “You see tons of young people, families, professionals. It’s a real testament to the great things happening in the U.S. and in the nation’s capital.”
American Catholics are invited to make their own pilgrimages with Connolly’s new book, “Basilicas.” He lists each basilica with quick facts, photos of the interior and exterior, and reflections from his visit.
Connolly hopes his book will guide others to visit their local basilicas and discover more about their area’s Catholic history. He argues that even a simple question, such as asking the local pastor about how the parish decided on its patron saint, can take someone deeper into their Catholic roots.
“Every church has a story,” he said. “There is a history to everything.”
Find out more
“Basilicas” will be released Oct. 30. It can be purchased through basilicas.com.
Pierson is a senior at Catholic University in Washington.
