What Is a Shrine?
"The term shrine signifies a church or other sacred place to which the faithful make pilgrimages for a particular pious reason with the approval of the local ordinary" (Code of Canon Law, cc.1230-1234).
A shrine is a sacred place "dedicated to promoting the faith of the pilgrims by centering on a mystery of the Catholic faith, a devotion based on authentic Church tradition, revelations recognized by the Church, or the lives of those in the Church's calendar of saints" (Norms for the Designation of National Shrines). A Shrine is considered a place where divine grace is manifested in a very special way.
Our Mothers' Shrine is dedicated to honor Mary in her role as, Mother of the Church, and also pays Tribute to mothers of all faiths by name when the mother's name is engraved on the black granite wall near the Altar. There are over 5,000 names of mothers currently engraved on the wall.
What Is a National Shrine?
A National Shrine is a sacred place which has met certain requirements prescribed in the Norms for the Designation of National Shrines and is given this honor by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in recognition of religious significance.
The Mothers' Shrine received the 16th designation as a National Shrine by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops on March 18, 2003. Then, Archbishop James Patrick Keleher of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas led the effort to dedicate the Shrine as a "National" Shrine for the faithful in the United States.