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About Us

What does NASPA do?

The National Association of Shrine and Pilgrimage Apostolate (NASPA) is an association of shrines that have been designated as national Catholic shrines or that have been designated diocesan shrines. Formed in 1990  by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the purpose of NASPA is:

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  1. To restore the meaning of pilgrimage as a religious and spiritual experience of renewal, thus enhancing a sense of evangelization to a pilgrim people.
     

  2. To cooperate with diocesan directors of pilgrimages and pilgrimage leaders so that the pilgrimage experience will become a spiritual journey of faith.
     

  3. To inspire interest in pilgrimages to the shrines sacred to our Catholic heritage in this country and abroad.
     

  4. To be of service to shrine personnel and directors of pilgrimages in their ministry to a pilgrim people, and to enable collaboration of efforts to this end.

Bylaws and Directory

The NASPA bylaws govern the organization and are updated from time to time during the

annual meeting that is held at the annual convention at the beginning of November.

Episcopal Liaison
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Episcopal Liaison

The Most Reverend
Gerardo J. Colacicco

Archdiocese of New York

Our Officers
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President

Carol Bezak

National Shrine of
Our Lady of Mount Carmel

cbezak@carmelites.com

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Vice President

John Paul Lichon

Founder and CEO of 

Verso Ministries

jp@versoministries.com

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Treasurer

Christine O'Connor
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Secretary

Grace Arjona Veloz

Bio

National Shrine of

Our Lady of Charity

gveloz@ermita.org

Our Board Members / USCCB Liaison
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Marilyn Santos

Associate Director 

Secretariat of Evangelization & Catechesis

USCCB Liaison

MSantos@usccb.org

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Michael Antaya

Director of Liturgy and Devotions at the

St. Anne Shrine of Fall River

st.anne.shrine.liturgy@gmail.com

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Thomas Burnford

Manager of Events and Visitor Services

thomas.burnford@jp2shrine.org

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Ashleigh Kassock

Bio

Social Media \ Website Manager

naspasocialmedia@gmail.com

Do you work for a Catholic Shrine? Consider joining NASPA.
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