by Alexis Walkenstein (Foreword by), Edward Looney (Author)
Catholic travel, or what we call pilgrimage, has been important in the life of Fr. Edward Looney. His first pilgrimage was with his parish on a local bus trip to see the Shrine of Our Lady of Champion when he was in eighth grade. Since then, he has boarded planes, rented cars, and travelled the world to see sites of Marian apparition, shrines of saints, and other spiritual sites and places along the way. Some of the places he visits are popular and attract many visitors. Others are hidden sites, off the beaten path. In Places of Grace, Fr. Looney recounts his experiences at shrines, chapels, monasteries, and graves, naming a grace he received from the Lord at each site. That grace will be different for each person. In his typical style, Fr. Looney weaves together personal anecdotes and experiences to arrive at a greater spiritual point, helping the reader and future pilgrim to better appreciate the holy sites they will visit during their earthly pilgrimage to Heaven. This book does not present the historical facts or architecture of holy sites, but the spiritual experience of a Catholic priest who hopes you will discover God's grace at a shrine or holy site.