Faithful flock to Shrine of Christ's Passion in Indiana for Stations of the Cross

Dean Schilling said it is amazing to see so many people come and share their faith at the Shrine.

“I’m very proud of my mom and dad for the vision to come with this idea,” Dean Shilling said. The family began working on the development 20 years ago with 30 bronze statues. Now there are 48. There is also a family plaza to help illustrate what it was like when Christ lived, and the Our Lady of Guadalupe Plaza honoring the Virgin Mary’s visit to Mexican peasant Juan Diego, among other attractions.

“It’s still a work in progress,” Frank Schilling said.

Raquel and David Zaragoza, of Chicago, were visiting the Shrine with their two young children Nicholas, 5, and Charlotte, 2, her parents and her brother. It’s become a newer component of their family tradition to come to the Shrine during Holy Week, she said.

Raquel Zaragoza said that as Catholics the Passion of Christ is an important part of their religious culture. The couple wants to show their children the significance of Easter and teach them to be grateful for the sacrifices that have been made for them.

“It’s not just about baskets from the Easter Bunny,” she said.

Zaragoza’s father Jesus Mora, also of Chicago, said the sacrifices Christ made are important to learn about. It is something he taught to his daughter and son, and now his daughter is sharing those lessons with her children.

Simple sacrifices like fasting or giving up a vice like gum or cigarettes are only part of it, Mora said.

“There are still other things that are more important,” Zora said. People need to make time to get together with family and to get along with everyone.

Deborah Phillips of Willowbrook, Illinois, and Patricia Hess of Homewood, Illinois, brought their mother, Babara Cervenka of Countryside, Illinois, out for the afternoon.

“It’s just peaceful here,” Phillips said, adding she thought it would be crowded but was still surprised by the number of people.

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